To receive brief updates and discussion from selected partners

45.1    The AONB Partnership Manager reminded the meeting that this item was an opportunity for Partnership Members to update the full Partnership on their activity and that if any members wished to give updated to a future meeting to let him know.

45.2    Carol Griffiths gave an update from the NFU.  She advised the meeting that NFU members were becoming increasingly concerned with the number and complexity of schemes coming forward and a lack of clarity coming out of DEFRA on the schemes, a fact borne out in a report from the National Audit Office.  She added that one point of concern was the fact that some of the proposed schemes run for 25 years which may cause problems with succession planning. 

45.3    Mrs Griffiths added that other concerns were the loss of tenanted farms with an increase in landlords taking farms back in hand or developing share farming agreements and the loss of food producing land as part of carbon offset schemes where land was being brought up to plant trees on.

45.4    Clare Featherstone, Culture, Leisure and Tourism Manager Shropshire Council gave an update.  She informed the meeting that Shropshire Council were currently developing a new Shropshire Council Plan to clarify priorities which would focus on inequalities, climate change, skills and employment and the natural environment.  The Culture, Leisure and Tourism Manager advised that currently there was a significant gap in funding for 2022/23 and that currently 65% of overall funding was now being spent on social care.

45.5    The Culture, Leisure and Tourism Manager informed the Partnership that following the retirement of the Director of Children’s Services the Adults and Children's Directorates had been merged to form a People Directorate and a new Health and Wellbeing Directorate was being formed

45.6    The Culture, Leisure and Tourism Manager reminded members that Culture, Leisure and Tourism  Services were brought together in April 2020 and that the overall aim was to continue to develop Shropshire as a vibrant destination, with high quality, paid for cultural activities that will support community activities for those in most need and to help deliver the climate change agenda and there would be a focus on health and wellbeing, with the Services being jointly managed by Public Health.  She advised the meeting that a redesign of services was being undertaken which would reduce duplication, increase income generation and increase grant funding.

45.7    The Culture, Leisure and Tourism Manager advised members that “Vibrant Shropshire” the Cultural Strategy for 2021-31 had been published. (http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/vibrant-shropshire) and that the Team were currently working with the Arts Council on the development of a Cultural Compact which was a cross-sector independent partnership which would facilitate the co-delivery of Cultural Strategy, lead a step-change in the sustainability and contribution of culture to the life of Shropshire and help develop the local cultural sector and boost its engagement with health agencies, business, universities and other sectors. She added that this would be supported by DCMS and bring Shropshire to the forefront of culture nationally, working with Cultural Compacts in other places

45.8    The Culture, Leisure and Tourism Manager advised the meeting that from 1st November she would become the Head of Culture, Leisure and Tourism following the retirement of the current head and a new management team would be in place as follows: -

·         Culture and Communities Manager- Pete Banford

·         Culture and Tourism Manager- Andrea Fox

·         Infrastructure, Contracts and Compliance Manager- Grant Wilson

·         CLT Development Manager- Paul Gossage

·         Support Officer- Alastair Pac

She informed the meeting that a second stage restructure was planned, which would increase collaboration across services, and it was hoped that this would be in place by April 2022 and that it was not envisaged that there would be any impact on the AONB Team, other than to offer more opportunities for joint working and to benefit from more joined up marketing.

45.9    The Culture, Leisure and Tourism Manager advised the Partnership that from 1st November the lead officer for the AONB Partnership would be Pete Banford.