Agenda and minutes

To receive and consider the attached Schedule of Correspondence and any recommendations thereon (below).

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and noted apologies.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items on the agenda.  Members’ attention is drawn to the sheet attached to the attendance sheet and the need to record their declarations verbally and in writing, specifying the nature of the interest.

If Members have declared an interest in an item please ensure that you inform the Chair when you are leaving the room, so that this can be recorded in the minutes.

Cllr J Hill declared a personal interest in item 16 as he served on a committee with one of the candidates.

To approve the following minutes and authorise the Chair to sign them

as a correct record:

·       National Park Authority (AGM) – 30 July 2021

·       National Park Authority – 9 August 2021

A member asked about the Accommodation Working Group and the CEO advised that she would be bringing a paper about future working groups to the Authority meeting in November.

Officers confirmed the need for the Affordable Housing Working Group to meet and would arrange this.

RESOLVED: To approve the following minutes and authorise the Chair to sign them as a correct record: 

a)        National Park Authority (AGM) – 30 July 2021  

b)        National Park Authority – 9 August 2021 

To give opportunity for members of the public to address the meeting in accordance with the Authority’s Public Speaking Scheme.

There were no requests to speak.

To receive a verbal report on meetings and events attended by the Chair since the last meeting of the Authority.

The Chair thanks officers for managing a very challenging summer season with increased number of visitors.  He reported that he had chaired the appointment panel for the recruitment of independent members of Standards Committee, and thanked the panel for their work on this.

In response to a request he would circulate the notes of a meeting he had attended with Sir David Henshaw.

To receive a report from the Chief Executive on meetings attended and progress made on Authority business since the last meeting of the Authority.

The Chief Executive briefed members on a range of internal and external initiatives, including the appointment of the Senior Leadership Team, the emerging Corporate Plan, the risk framework, and work with partners.

She paid tribute to the staff for their work over the summer months and dealing with issues in communities;  this included the contribution from the temporary Meet and Greet staff, funded by the Welsh Government, for which the Authority was very grateful.

An update was given on staff leavers and starters, and the CEO reiterated the need to work hard to keep morale up and retain existing staff.

Cllrs A Webb and S McNicholas joined the meeting.

The CEO responded to a number of questions from members.

Members considered the updated Code of Corporate Governance for the Authority.

RESOLVED:  To approve the revised Code of Corporate Governance for publication.

Members considered the draft Annual Governance Statement and noted the advice from the officer that the document needed some additional work following helpful feedback from Audit Wales.

Members felt that this was a comprehensive document but some asked for reference to be made to the amount of resource that goes into the corporate governance of the organisation, with a suggestion that a target to reduce this be included in the Corporate Plan.  A comment was also made that the timetable for developing a phosphate plan by May 2022 was not realistic; officers agreed to review this.

In response to a question the officer advised that she needed to check with Audit Wales on the time period of the report as while retrospective, Audit Wales had made reference to work in this financial year.

RECOMMENDATION:  That members note the feedback from Audit Wales and send any comments on the Annual Governance Statement to the Democratic Services Manager pending her further work on the document, to be brought back to the Authority for final approval on 26 November.

The Chief Executive advised that in order to streamline governance  she would be bringing a paper to the Authority in November defining committees and groups.  Recognising comments made earlier about the resource needed to support governance she would be including this in her report, with reference to the Audit Wales recommendations.

The current Deputy Chair formally resigned from his role with Policy Forum and members noted the fact that he was the only candidate for the role of Chair and was therefore appointed.

There was some debate on whether a self-nomination process be carried out for a Deputy Chair, with a view expressed that it might be better to wait until the CEO’s paper had been received.  It was also noted that the suggestion that the CEO might co-chair Policy Forum would be covered in her paper to the Authority.  On balance members felt that a Deputy Chair should be recruited in line with Standing Orders.

RESOLVED:

a) To note the appointment of Cllr Graham Thomas as Chair of Policy Forum until the next Annual General Meeting of the Authority;  

b) To carry out a nomination process for the post of Deputy Chair, in line with Standing Orders. 

The Democratic Services Manager advised that due to a number of significant clashes with the Powys County Council timetable more work would need to be done on this.  In response to a question she said that the programme of meetings for Policy Forum would need to be reviewed to ensure that progress was maintained with key plans.

RESOLVED:  That the Democratic Services Manager be delegated to make the necessary changes to the committee timetable for 2022 and circulate a final version.

The CEO introduced the ambitious draft National Park Management Plan for consultation and thanked stakeholders and those who contributed through the Citizen Assembly for their comments which were genuinely taken into account.  She also thanked the staff who had worked on this draft with skill and pace. There were still a number of changes that the Policy Team wished to consider in order to make policies more active.

The Strategy and Policy Manager gave a presentation outlining the process over a timeline and highlighting the opportunities for engagement by members and the public. She emphasised the ‘big shifts’ in policy since the last iteration of the plan, and the actions needed to achieve these, as well as setting out how the consultation phase would be delivered.

Members were unanimous in their appreciation of the draft plan in terms of quality and ambition, and its dynamic approach. They also applauded the collegiate approach to policy development and congratulated the Policy Team on their work. A member raised some specific points in relation to achieving Carbon Zero by 2037 and the sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and these were noted by officers.

The need for clear messaging was highlighted, both via the Authority’s website and through social media, as well as the need to reach diverse communities outside the Park boundary. These points would be considered by officers. 

RESOLVED:  To approve the publication of the Consultation Draft Management Plan Future Beacons for a 16 week period of consultation.

Members considered the draft position statement which would sit alongside the National Park Management Plan.

A number of members commented that the document needed to be aimed at all farm businesses, both large landowners and small family businesses, and that perhaps it should be a ’sustainable land management position statement’.  Officers responded that it was aimed at farmers who don’t have the agency to effect change. A suggestion was made to map the park in terms of land ownership and use which could be used in more informed discussions.  The officer agreed and said that this might be worth raising with research partners.

A point was made that consumer choice would drive the future of farming and officers advised of local food initiatives they were discussing.

A member highlighted the need for substantive change in land management in order to effect improvements to habitats.  He pointed out that large estates included small tenanted farms. Sophisticated and bespoke solutions were needed to achieve outcomes for the environment.  The officers advised that this position statement would have a role in influencing the Welsh Government agenda.

RESOLVED:  To endorse the Farming Transition Position Statement for use in policy and project development.

To receive any reports from members.

No reports were made.

No declarations were made.

RECOMMENDATION: to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of item 16 in accordance with section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 12, 13 and 14 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED: To exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of item 16 in accordance with section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 12, 13 and 14 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Members considered recommendations from the Appointments Committee on the recruitment of two independent members of Standards Committee.

RESOLVED:

a) To appoint Claire Moore as independent member to the Standards Committee to commence 1 October 2021 for a period of four years, until 30 September 2025.  

b) To appoint Martin Veale as independent member to the Standards Committee to commence 1 October 2021 for a period of four years, until 30 September 2025

Any other business that the Chair considers of sufficient urgency and has been

notified to him in advance.

There was no further business.