Agenda item

We received a report regarding the opportunity to peer review the ‘Principles of Good Governance for Designated Landscapes’ with Swansea City Council and Gower AONB Partnership.

In doing so, the following information was noted:

·          The Joint Advisory Committee agreed at the last meeting to adopt the ‘Principles of Good Governance for Designated Landscapes’ as outlined in Future Landscapes: Delivering for Wales.

·          Swansea City Council, the lead authority for Gower AONB Partnership, is also interested in adopting the ‘Principles of Good Governance’.

·          A joint initiative between the Wye Valley and Gower AONB Partnerships over the adoption of the ‘Principles of Good Governance’ would demonstrate good collaboration in line with Future Landscapes Wales (FLW) programme and introduce some peer-review scrutiny to the process.

·          The Review of Designated Landscapes (AONBs and National Parks) in Wales has continued with the Welsh Government consultation Taking Forward Wales’ Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, which closed on 30^th September 2017.

·          Lesley Griffiths, Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, stated that “The recent review has provided an opportunity to reaffirm the importance to Wales of our designated landscapes.”

·          The AONB Manager continues to contribute to The Future Landscapes Wales (FLW) Working Group, chaired by Lord Elis-Thomas, which is taking forward the priorities identified in Future Landscapes: Delivering for Wales.

Having received the report, the following points were noted:

• A task and finish group will be established consisting of two or three members from the Wye Valley AONB Joint Advisory Committee and the Gower AONB Partnership.  Two or three meetings will be required whereby the AONB Managers will report back the findings and any recommendations from the task and finish group meetings to their respective Committees, in due course.

• Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) Members expressing an interest in joining the task and finish group were asked to contact the AONB Manager.

• The joint working aspect will benefit both AONBs.  The task and finish group will consider the principles of good governance in relation to both AONB partnerships. Joint working will create good scrutiny of the peer review.

• A member of the JAC informed the Committee that the local authority Chief Executives are the chief executive officers responsible for the AONBs. However, it was considered that these executives were not, but should be, liaising with each other in relation to taking forward the development of AONBs, both locally within the AONB and at a national level.

• A member of the JAC suggested that a third AONB should be involved in the process to provide a suitable level of peer review. It was suggested the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB could be invited to provide this.

We resolved that the Joint Advisory Committee:

(i)            welcomes the opportunity to peer review with Swansea City Council and Gower AONB Partnership the ‘Principles of Good Governance for Designated Landscapes’, as outlined in the Future Landscapes: Delivering for Wales report;

(ii)          investigates with Swansea City Council and Gower AONB Partnership the establishment of a Task and Finish Group to undertake the ‘Good Governance Review’.