ITEM 11 EXMOOR NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY 5 December 2017 PROGRESS IMPLEMENTING THE BUSINESS PLAN 2017-2020 Report of the Head of Personnel and Corporate Support PURPOSE OF THE REPORT: To inform Members about the progress made in implementing key actions within the current Business Plan for the period April 2017- September 2017. RECOMMENDATION: The Authority is recommended to: 1. NOTE the progress in implementing the Authority’s key commitments set out in the Business Plan 2017-2020 2. DELEGATE to the Finance and Performance Advisory Panel and Leadership Team further scrutiny of Authority performance across all the Business Plan actions for the next reporting period to 31 March 2018. Authority Business Plan: The Business Plan outlines the priorities for the Authority for the period to March 2020. It closely follows the priorities set out by Defra in its 2016 8-Point Plan for England’s National Parks to ensure the Authority delivers the ambitions of Defra as well as those additional priorities for this Authority. Legal and Equality Implications: Section 65(4) Environment Act 1995 – provides powers to the National Park Authority to “do anything which in the opinion of the Authority, is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to:- (a) the accomplishment of the purposes mentioned in s. 65 (1) [National Park purposes] (b) the carrying out of any functions conferred on it by virtue of any other enactment.” The equality impact of the recommendations of this report has been assessed as follows: There are no foreseen adverse impacts on any protected group(s). Engagement through the outreach work within the plan is designed to have a positive impact on protected groups. Consideration has been given to the provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998 and an assessment of the implications of the recommendations of this report is as follows: There are no implications for the Human Rights Act. Financial and Risk Implications: No financial or risk implications have been identified. Performance management exerts a positive influence on financial and risk management. 1. Introduction 1.1 The 2017-2020 Business Plan was approved by the Authority on 04 April 2017. The plan sets out the key priorities for the Authority for the period of the plan. 1.2 Performance is monitored quarterly by Leadership Team to ensure that the actions within the Business Plan are being achieved and, if necessary, to provide an opportunity for resources to be re-allocated or to review the proposed action. 1 1.3 The Finance and Performance Advisory Panel will further scrutinise all finance and performance information for the Authority throughout the remainder of the financial year and in preparation for the end of year performance report to the Authority. 1.4 The following sections provide an overview of performance against key actions in the 2017-2020 Business Plan for the period 1 April 2017 to 30 September 2017. 2.0 Business Plan at a Glance 2.1 The current Business Plan outlines the priorities for the Authority for the period from April 2017 to March 2020. It closely follows the priorities set out by Defra in its 8-Point Plan for England’s National Parks to ensure the Authority delivers the ambitions of Defra as well as those additional priorities for this Authority. 2.2 The actions within the plan are grouped as follows: Inspiring Natural Connect young people with Exmoor Environments Create thriving natural environments Everyone’s Exmoor National Treasures Exmoor’s Landscape and heritage Health and wellbeing - delivering through Exmoor Drive sustainable growth in international and domestic tourism Drivers of the Rural Deliver new apprenticeships and placements on Economy Exmoor Seek to foster the social and economic wellbeing of Exmoor communities Broaden our income base to ensure sustainable delivery of National Park purposes Corporate Priorities Work with communities, businesses and partners to deliver National Park purposes Develop and maintain effective and efficient services 2 3.0 Progress – Key Priorities 3.1 An assessment against the priority actions within the plan are outlined below. In addition to the numerous successes marked in green, Members are recommended to note areas where progress was not on target. These are marked in amber and include areas where additional work is being undertaken or where progress was not made due to factors outside the Authority’s control. 3.2 Connect Young People with Nature The focus of this area of work is to support schools and groups to deliver high quality outdoor learning on Exmoor with a target of reaching 8000 young people per year by 2020. Priority Actions Progress Status Our Education Partners scheme is underway with 6 local Engage teachers and schools signed up. group leaders, both within Exmoor and New curriculum based study days have been developed regionally, to develop (Porlock Marsh, River Lyn Rivers Study and Prehistoric knowledge, skills and Exmoor). These study days are delivered for a fee confidence in outdoor payable by the schools in accordance with our new learning and in using charging policy. To 30 September 2017 £2,085 has been Exmoor as an outdoor raised. classroom Support partners to 5 waves of the National Citizenship Scheme have been deliver the National completed on Exmoor, led by delivery partners Somerset Citizenship Service on Rural Youth Project. 400 young people have participated. Exmoor and further develop the concepts of The Exmoor Young Champions Project is approaching the Young Champions completion and a final report will be produced following an scheme in partnership evaluation themed residential event at the Authority’s with the Somerset Rural Pinkery Centre. Youth Project The trading account for the Pinkery Centre for Outdoor Learning shows an improvement for 2017/18 following the implementation of the new charging regime. The gross value of bookings has increased by £14,000. Users report Integrate Pinkery high satisfaction with the experience and service provided. Centre into the Authority’s Learning and The facility has, however, incurred unexpected operational Outreach service, costs due to failures with the energy system and the reducing net costs to receipt of a condition survey outlining the need for a the Authority while planned maintenance programme for the next 5 years. providing a fun learning experience for young An independent health and safety audit has been people commissioned alongside an internal audit to examine and explore delivery against the business model. The Authority will be presented with the internal audit report in January 2018. 3 Priority Actions Progress Status The John Muir Award has been trialled and adopted as Provide information, a framework for engagement with schools and groups. The first group has successfully completed the John toolkits, and access to Muir based week at Pinkery. small grants to enable teacher, group leaders The Learning pages of the Authority’s website have and young people to been refreshed to enable easier enquiries, bookings access Exmoor and access to our online resources. New online independently resources have been developed that focus on Porlock Marsh. 3.3 Create thriving natural environments This area of work will be delivered in partnership with farmers, land managers, local communities, Defra and other agencies to ensure integrated management of the natural environment that keeps Exmoor special. Priority Actions Progress Status The project has completed the first two of five years of delivery and is ahead of schedule. In total to date: 26 farm holdings have been visited, with Water and Work with South West Environment Plans produced for 19 of these; Water to coordinate the Five woodlands have been visited, with four plans Headwaters of the Exe produced; programme which will Nine capital grants have been offered and six other provide advice and grant grant applications are being processed; aid to farmers and Work has been completed on 18 rights of way that foresters in the Exe and presented significant water run-off issues; Barle catchments to help Six public events have been held. Two further maintain and improve the events are being planned for 2017/18; management of water on Monitoring has been carried out by the University of their land for the health Exeter and through the Riverfly Partnership. and wellbeing of the Following a successful training event earlier in the environment, local and year, the Riverfly surveys are now complete across regional communities the catchment for 2017. Thanks to the help of dedicated volunteers the network of survey sites has expanded into 10 new areas with a particular focus on water quality. Explore, with farmers, The Authority hosted an Agri-Environment and Rural Development Group meeting with Natural England and land managers, agencies Defra and has actively been engaging with the Exmoor and interest groups, Hill Farming Network, individual landowners, Exmoor options for a new system Society and National Trust. of locally targeted farm support which rewards The “Beyond 2020” report was produced, following the delivery of valued research and dialogue with Exmoor farmers. Robert public goods and Deane was commissioned to prepare a ‘prospectus’ for services a new agri-environment scheme for Exmoor –The Exmoor Ambition, and Professor Janet Dwyer to 4 Priority Actions Progress Status explore governance arrangements. The Steering Group, comprising ENPA Members and CEO, the EHFN, Exmoor Society, NE and individual land owners has met regularly. The group is developing the model, securing local and regional support, exploring branding, and working with the NFU, NPE, the Uplands Alliance, CLA, Defra officials and Ministers to explore the potential for an Exmoor pilot. Good progress has been made with the Exmoor Knotweed Control Project this year. Permission was given to treat 800 sites. With additional treatment of sites by Somerset County Council, Environment Agency and landowners, a total of 914 sites were treated.