Notice of meeting and agenda Pentland Hills Regional Park Consultative Forum 10.00 a.m., Friday 22 February 2013 In the Bonaly Scout Centre, 71 Bonaly Road, Edinburgh. This is a public meeting and members of the public are welcome to attend. Contact E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 0131 529 4230 1. Order of business 1.1 Including any notices of motion and any other items of business submitted as urgent for consideration at the meeting. 2. Declaration of interests 2.1 Members should declare any financial and non-financial interests they have in the items of business for consideration, identifying the relevant agenda item and the nature of their interest. 3. Deputations 3.1 (If any) 4. Minutes 4.1 Pentland Hills Regional Park Consultative Forum of 24 August 2012 (circulated) (for approval)) 4.2 Pentland Hills Regional Park Joint Committee of 25 January 2013 (circulated) (for noting)) 5. Regional Park Issues 5.1 Pentland Hills Regional Park Consultative Forum and Joint Committee Membership – report by the Parks and Greenspace Manager (circulated)* 5.2 Social Return on Investment Study – Results – K Carrick, Consultant, will report on findings and Regional Park Manager will report – previous report, for background information (circulated) 5.3 Regional Park – Operational Report – report by the Parks and Greenspace Manager (circulated)* 5.4 Dreghorn – Fly-tipping Initiative – J Stirling, Friends of the Pentlands, will report 5.5 Fauch Hill – Wind Farm Proposals – Representation at Public Inquiry – report by the Parks and Greenspace Manager (circulated)* 5.6 Sustainable Management of Recreational Events in the Regional Park, including proposal for mountain biking event – S Falconer, Senior Natural Heritage Officer, will report – report by the Parks and Greenspace Manager (circulated) 5.7 Temporary Path Closures and Associated Matters – M Duncan, Natural Heritage Officer will report * Reports as were considered by the Joint Committee on 25 January 2013 6. Motions 6.1 If any. Pentland Hills Regional Park Consultative Forum 22 February 2013 Page 2 of 4 7. Dates of Next Meetings Dates for future meetings - 30 August 2013 (10.00 am) PHRP Consutative Forum 27 September 2013 (10.00 am) PHRP Joint Committee 28 February 2014 (10.00 am PHRP Consultative Forum 28 March 2014 (10.00 am) PHRP Joint Committee Carol Campbell Head of Legal, Risk and Compliance (CEC) and Clerk to Joint Committee Pentland Hills Regional Park Consultative Forum The Consultative Forum members comprise the members of the Pentland Hills Regional Park Joint Committee, together with representatives of: Farming (Robert Barr (NFU); Pentland Produce (Alex Moir); Landowning (Alastair Salvesen); Ministry of Defence Estates (Maj. (Ret.) K Torp-Petersen); Scottish Wildlife Trust (Ken Knowles); Friends of the Pentlands (John Stirling); Harperrig Management Group (Graham Hamilton); Walkers (Euan Scroggie); British Horse Society (Constance Newbold); Scottish Hill Runners (Dr John Blair Fish); Mountain Biking (vacant); Disabled Users (Debbie Wilson (Thistle Foundation)); Scottish Angling Society (vacant); Water Sports (vacant); Orienteering (Janet Clark); Sport Scotland (Campbell Gerrard); Historic Scotland (Archaeology) (Deirdre Cameron); Economic/Rural Development (Scottish Executive) (Jim Mason); Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board (Sinead Feltoe); Balerno Village Trust (Allan Laing); Community Councils - Balerno CC (Hugh Watt); Colinton Amenity Association (Bruce Rae); Currie CC; Fairmilehead CC (Alison Elfick); Juniper Green CC (Neil Ingram); Carlops CC; Damhead Community Council (Natalie Frankish); Penicuik CC; West Linton CC; East Calder CC (Alan Wright); Kirknewton Community Council (Caroline Gerrard); West Calder and Harburn CC (John Smith). Pentland Hills Regional Park Joint Committee Members The City of Edinburgh Council: Councillors Bill Henderson (Convener); Dominic Heslop (Vice-Chair), and David Walker; Midlothian Council: Councillors Lisa Beattie; Jim Bryant, and Russell Imrie; West Lothian Council: Councillor Frank Tonner, and (Non- voting members):- Scottish Water: Alan Fail; Scottish Natural Heritage: Janice Winning; East Lothian Council (to be nominated), and a representative of each of the NFU (Scotland) and Scottish Land Estates (to be nominated). Pentland Hills Regional Park Consultative Forum 22 February 2013 Page 3 of 4 Information about the Pentland Hills Regional Park Consultative Forum The Consultative Forum is made up of representative interests of landowners, farmers and recreational user groups involved with the Regional Park, plus public bodies and other interests including Community Councils. The purpose of the Consultative Forum is to offer advice and opinion on the operation of the Regional Park. Their views are communicated to the Pentland Hills Regional Park Joint Committee which comprises elected members from the constituent local authorities, and other public bodies, and as iare responsible for the funding and governance of the Regional Park. The Consultative Forum meets at least twice each year at a venue within the Regional Park area. The Joint Committee members attend meetings of the Consultative Forum. Further information If you have any questions about the agenda or meeting arrangements, please contact David Emerson, Committee Services, City of Edinburgh Council, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1YJ Tel 0131 529 4230, e-mail [email protected] A copy of the agenda and papers for this meeting will be available for inspection prior to the meeting at the main reception office, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh. The agenda, minutes and public reports for this meeting and all the main Council committees can be viewed online by going to www.edinburgh.gov.uk/cpol. Pentland Hills Regional Park Consultative Forum 22 February 2013 Page 4 of 4 Item no Committee Minutes Pentland Hills Regional Park Consultative Forum 24 August 2012 at Swanston Golf Club, Edinburgh Present:- The City of Edinburgh Council – Councillor David Walker (in the Chair). Farming – Bob Barr. Fairmilehead Community Council – Alison Elfick. Orienteering – Janet Clark Harperrig Management Group –Caroline Hamilton. Friends of the Pentlands – John Stirling. Ministry of Defence Estates – Major K Torp-Petersen Walkers – Ewen Scroggie Sportscotland – Campbell Gerrard. Scottish Wildlife Trust – Ken Knowles. Landowning – Scott Patterson. Scottish Natural Heritage – Janice Winning Scottish Government – Helen Jones In Attendance:- Alan McGregor, (Regional Park Manager); Martin Duncan (Access Officer/Ranger Service); James Kinch (Midlothian Council), Chris Alcorn (West Lothian Council), Keith Logie (City of Edinburgh Council) and David Emerson (City of Edinburgh Council). 1 Minutes – 1.1 Pentland Hills Regional Park Consultative Forum of 18 November 2011 – the minutes of the meeting were approved as a correct record subject to – 2 Pentland Hills Regional Park Consultative Forum 24 August 2012 Item 11.2 – Sportscotland – Mountain Biking Trail Cambell Gerrard pointed out that the minutes erred in recording his comments and asked that the second sentence in the pararagraph be deleted from the record. 1.2 Pentland Hills Regional Park Joint Committee of 16 December 2011 – the minutes of the meeting were noted. Matter Arising:- Item 8 – Scottish Borders Council – Landscape Designation Review The Regional Park Manager reported that, following their public consultations, Borders Regional Council had revised the original proposal to remove from the ‘Area of Great Landscape Value’ designation of the Pentland Hills within their draft local development plan. Therefore the AGVL designation would remain in place and therefore in effect be constant over the range of the Pentland Hills. Noted. 1.3 Pentland Hills Regional Park Joint Committee of 16 March 2012 – the minutes of the meeting were noted. 1.4 Pentland Hills Regional Park Joint Committee of 26 July 2012 – the minutes of the meeting were noted. 2 Regional Park Annual Report 2011/12 The Regional Park Manager had prepared and published the Annual Report 2011/12. The Annual Report described the main areas of work undertaken over the year and had been circulated to stakeholders and interested parties and available to view on the Regional Park website. Decision To note the Annual Report. (Reference – Pentland Hills Regional Park Annual Report 2011/12.) 3 Regional Park Funding and Operational Arrangements Keith Logie (Parks Development Manager) gave an outline of funding arrangements for the Regional Park against reductions in the budget available for all parks in Edinburgh. The City of Edinburgh Council was now meeting the majority of the funding of the Regional Park, its share of expenditure having increased considerably over the last three years to 73.6%, as a result of the loss of SNH funding support and reductions in Midlothian Council’s contribution. It was unavoidable that there would be a reduction in the service available through the Regional Park. 3 Pentland Hills Regional Park Consultative Forum 24 August 2012 The Council’s intention was that front line services were to be protected. It had merged the Regional Park Ranger Service with its other Ranger Services to form one ‘Natural Heritage Ranger Service’ to work under a single work-plan. This would allow a flexibilty of staff cover. Also, the Boghall Farmhouse, which formed the Regional Park headquarters, was to be vacated by November 2012 and the service re-located to The Hermitage of Braid, Edinburgh. Bob Barr (Farming) said that he was disappointed