Agenda Item No 07 PP87/10 Eden District Council Executive 7 December 2010 Lake District National Park Partnership Plan Reporting Officer: Director of Policy and Performance Responsible Portfolio: Economy 1 Purpose of Report 1.1 This report is presented to seek Executive endorsement of, „The Lake District National Park Partnership‟s Plan, a management plan for the Lake District National Park, 1010 – 2015‟. The Plan forms an important strategy for the National Park area and how partners will work cooperatively to achieve its purposes. 2 Recommendation: It is recommended that: a. The Executive considers and endorses „The Partnership Plan - a management plan for the Lake District National Park, 2010 – 2015‟. 3 Background 3.1 This Council is a member of the Lake District National Park Partnership. Councillor Malcolm Smith is the Council‟s appointed representative on the Partnership. Annex B of the attached Appendix (P81) describes the purpose of the partnership. The Partnership‟s Plan: The Management Plan for the Lake District National Park aims to co-ordinate partnership activity in the National Park for the next five years. 3.2 In 2006, the Partnership agreed a Vision for the National Park for 2030. The Partnership also agreed a need for an action plan to deliver the Vision for the National Park. The Partnership Plan also meets the Lake District National Park Authority‟s statutory requirement to produce a National Park Management Plan and review it within five years. The current National Park Management Plan was produced in 2004. 3.3 The Partnership‟s Plan is the Management Plan for the National Park - the most important document for a National Park. It tells everyone the direction, 1 what the issues are and how they are going to be tackled with limited public funding. 3.4 As the National Park‟s Management Plan, the Partnership‟s Plan: forms the over-arching strategy for the National Park during a period of significant financial pressure on the public sector; sets a Vision and outcomes which show how National Park purposes and the associated duty will be delivered; and establishes the framework for all policy and activity in the National Park, co-ordinating and integrating other plans strategies and actions, particularly for the Partnership. 3.5 In producing the Plan, the Partnership agreed that all partners, including the National Park Authority, have a vital role; all partners need to own the Plan and many of the actions in it. The Plan has been many months in preparation and partners have been consulted upon it and have considered the responses to consultation upon it. Councillor Smith responded to the consultation on behalf of the Council. 3.6 Plan Content Part One looks at what is going on in the National Park now. The Partnership has outlined its collective understanding of what are the special qualities of the National Park, updated to reflect World Heritage Site nomination. Part Two explains the vision, which forms the foundation of the plan. Within this section 24 delivery aims are identified, updated to take account of external drivers; these help structure the direction for the next five years of activity. Part Three describes actions on the ground, incorporating delivery actions of partners. Strategic activities describe the ambitions over the next five years and then detailed actions describe delivery in the first two to three years. Part Four explains how we will find out if the plan is delivering the outcomes. 3.7 The Plan, through its vision and ambition, has taken a very significant step forward in articulating the sustainable development requirements and opportunities of the National Park area and the actions of partners which will help address them. 3.8 The Plan has reached this stage at the time of significant change in national priorities, public spending, Local Government and the new agenda of Localism and Big Society. Partners will have to further consider the means of delivery and reporting of performance of the Plan in light of these changes. 3.9 The Plan requires the support of the constituent partners if it is to be meaningful in influencing the delivery and enabling of services and community benefits by the partners. The Plan places significant emphasis on the importance of a prosperous economy, vibrant communities, the environment and cultural heritage. There is clear synergy with the priorities of the Council. It will add value to the delivery of the Council‟s priorities as it describes and promotes a shared direction by local bodies. Importantly, it will be influential to 2 the role of the National Park Authority as Planning Authority in progressing the housing and employment development agendas. 4 Policy Framework 4.1 The Council has four corporate priorities which are: Affordable Housing Quality Environment Economic Vitality Quality Council Council on 7 February 2008 agreed fifteen strategic actions to achieve these priorities. 4.2 The activities in the Plan will contribute to the achievement of the first three outward focussed Corporate Plan Outcomes. 5 Implications 5.1 Legal 5.1.1 The National Park purposes are set out in section 5 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 (“ the 1949 Act”) and are: conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the National Park and; promoting opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the National Park. 5.1.2 The effect of section 11A of the 1949 Act is that the Council must have regard to the National Park Purposes when carrying out its functions within the National Park and if it appears that there is a conflict between those purposes, shall attach greater weight to the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area comprised in the National Park. 5.2 Financial 5.2.1 As part of the 2008-11 corporate planning process the Council adopted a resource prioritisation process in which every area of council activity was allocated to one of four resource categories. These categories (which were agreed at Council on 7 February 2008) remain in force until the next corporate plan is adopted. 5.2.2 There are no direct financial implications from endorsing the plan. The plan recognises that delivery of its actions is dependent upon the availability of resources. 3 5.3 Equality and Diversity 5.3.1 The Council has to have regard to the elimination of unlawful discrimination and harassment and the promotion of equality under the Equality Act 2006 and related statutes. 5.3.2 Page 8 of the Plan describes that an Equalities Impact Assessment has been carried out by the National Park Authority‟s Joint Equalities Board. 5.4 Environmental 5.4.1 The Council has to have due regard to conserving bio-diversity under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. 5.4.2 A sustainability impact assessment been carried out on the Plan (see page 8). This proposal is considered to have a positive impact on sustainability. 5.5 Crime and Disorder 5.5.1 Under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 the Council has to have regard to the need to reduce crime and disorder in exercising any of its functions. 5.5.2 None. 5.6 Children 5.6.1 Under the Children Act 2004 the Council has to have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the exercise of any of its functions. 5.6.2 None. 5.7 Risk Management 5.7.1 Risk Management is a process whereby attempts are made to identify, actively control and reduce risk to protect the Council. This covers not only the traditional areas of insurable risk but also the organisational risk that the Council faces in undertaking all its activities. 5.7.2 None. 6 Reasons for decision/recommendation 6.1 Endorsement of the Plan will enhance partnership working between the Council and the National Park Partnership for the benefit of the residents. Ruth Atkinson Director of Policy and Performance Governance Checks: Checked by or on behalf of the Chief Finance Officer ✓ Checked by or on behalf of the Monitoring Officer ✓ 4 Background Papers: Contact Officer: Ruth Atkinson, Director of Policy and Performance Telephone Number: 01768 212202 5 The Partnership’s Plan The Management Plan for the Lake District National Park 2010 – 2015 This includes the actions the Partnership expects to deliver in 2010/11 and 2011/2012 FINAL VERSION 1 The Partnership’s Plan The Management Plan for the Lake District National Park 2010 - 2015 (Insert Chairman’s introduction if necessary) (Insert logos of all partners involved in Partnership here) 2 Contents Page WELCOME TO THE PARTNERSHIP’S PLAN 5 The Lake District National Park Partnership 7 Guiding principles 8 PART ONE - What the Lake District looks like now 1.1 Special Qualities of the Lake District National Park 12 1.2 Difficult decisions – ensuring a balance 15 PART TWO – Where we want to be – the Vision 2.1 The Vision for the Lake District National Park in 2030 16 2.2 Financial commitments 17 2.3 Key delivery aims 17 PART THREE – How we are going to realise the Vision How to use this section 22 Prosperous Economy 3.1 Farming and Forestry 24 3.2 Employment and Business 27 3.3 Strategic activities 30 3.4 Actions 31 World Class Visitor Experiences 3.5 Sustainable Tourism and Visitor Facilities 35 3.6 Education, Access and Outdoor Recreation 39 3.7 Strategic activities 41 3.8 Actions 42 Vibrant Communities 3.9 Supporting Communities 46 3.10 Housing 48 3.11 Transport and Movement 50 3.12 Strategic activities 52 3.13 Actions 53 Spectacular Landscape, Wildlife and Cultural Heritage