To receive and consider the recommendations of the Cabinet (Minute 9) as an amendment to the following Notice of Motion submitted previously to the Council by Councillor Connett and referred thereto in accordance with Standing Order 8(2), namely:
Our precious National Parks, including Dartmoor and Exmoor, are loved by millions and used by many thousands of people.
The LOCAL Park Authorities comprise LOCAL representatives who know and serve the community and keep LOCAL oversight of Dartmoor National Park and Exmoor National Park.
Government is understood to be considering setting up a National Landscape Service which would centralise services under one, nationally run, new organisation.
A National Landscapes Service that effectively replaces individual National Park Authorities would not be a positive reform:
· It is contrary to the Government’s ‘levelling-up’ agenda which involves government decentralising power and working more directly with local partners and communities.
· The 2019 Conservative Party Manifesto stated that “the days of Whitehall knows best are over” (p.26) and pledged to give communities of all sizes far more control. This Council questions how a centralist National Landscapes Service would achieve this.
· The move is contrary to international good practice in the management of protected landscapes which emphasises the importance of management being undertaken with and through local people and mainly for and by them.
· Locally run and locally managed National Parks are able to respond in the most appropriate way to their own unique qualities and without the burden and red-tape of national management.
Therefore, this Council urges Government not to proceed with a National Landscape Service or to take any step which will remove local engagement and involvement in our precious national parks and Council instructs the Chief Executive to write urgently to the Prime Minister and local Members of Parliament serving Devon and Somerset setting out our support for our local National Parks.
Having had regard to the aforementioned, any factual briefing/position statement on the matter set out in Report (CSO/21/10) and other suggestions or alternatives considered at that meeting the Cabinet subsequently resolved:
‘that Council be asked to note that this Authority, on behalf of Team Devon (Leaders and Chief Executives), has already explicitly addressed the issue raised by this Notice of Motion, indicating to Government and local MPs that any merger of the functions of our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty would be strongly opposed. However, there remains a case for a National Landscape service bringing together and strengthening existing national support and protection of our natural environment and providing a strong national voice for all protected landscapes’.
Decision:
‘that Council be asked to note that this Authority, on behalf of Team Devon (Leaders and Chief Executives), has already explicitly addressed the issue raised by this Notice of Motion, indicating to Government and local MPs that any merger of the functions of our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty would be strongly opposed. However, there remains a case for a National Landscape service bringing together and strengthening existing national support and protection of our natural environment and providing a strong national voice for all protected landscapes’.
The Motion in the name of Councillor Hart was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED.
Minutes:
Pursuant to County Council Minute 378 of 29 April 2021 relating to the Notice of Motion set out below as previously submitted and formally moved and seconded by Councillor Connett that:
Our precious National Parks, including Dartmoor and Exmoor, are loved by millions and used by many thousands of people.
The LOCAL Park Authorities comprise LOCAL representatives who know and serve the community and keep LOCAL oversight of Dartmoor National Park and Exmoor National Park.
Government is understood to be considering setting up a National Landscape Service which would centralise services under one, nationally run, new organisation.
A National Landscapes Service that effectively replaces individual National Park Authorities would not be a positive reform:
· It is contrary to the Government’s ‘levelling-up’ agenda which involves government decentralising power and working more directly with local partners and communities.
· The 2019 Conservative Party Manifesto stated that “the days of Whitehall knows best are over” (p.26) and pledged to give communities of all sizes far more control. This Council questions how a centralist National Landscapes Service would achieve this.
· The move is contrary to international good practice in the management of protected landscapes which emphasises the importance of management being undertaken with and through local people and mainly for and by them.
· Locally run and locally managed National Parks are able to respond in the most appropriate way to their own unique qualities and without the burden and red-tape of national management.
Therefore, this Council urges Government not to proceed with a National Landscape Service or to take any step which will remove local engagement and involvement in our precious national parks and Council instructs the Chief Executive to write urgently to the Prime Minister and local Members of Parliament serving Devon and Somerset setting out our support for our local National Parks.
and having had regard to the advice of the Cabinet set out in Minute 9 of 9 June 2021:
Councillor Hart MOVED and Councillor McInnes SECONDED that the Cabinet’s advice be accepted and;
‘that Council be asked to note that this Authority, on behalf of Team Devon (Leaders and Chief Executives), has already explicitly addressed the issue raised by this Notice of Motion, indicating to Government and local MPs that any merger of the functions of our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty would be strongly opposed. However, there remains a case for a National Landscape service bringing together and strengthening existing national support and protection of our natural environment and providing a strong national voice for all protected landscapes’.
The amendment in the name of Councillor Hart was put to the vote and declared CARRIED.
Councillor Connett then MOVED and Councillor Cox SECONDED that the following words be removed (as annotated below with a strikethrough).
‘that Council be asked to note that this Authority,
on behalf of Team Devon (Leaders and Chief Executives), has already
explicitly addressed the issue raised by this Notice of Motion,
indicating to Government and local MPs that any merger of the
functions of our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural
Beauty would be strongly opposed. However, there
remains a case for a National Landscape service bringing
together and strengthening existing national support and protection
of our natural environment and providing a strong national voice
for all protected landscapes’.
The amendment in the name of Councillor Connett was put to the vote and declared LOST.
The Motion in the name of Councillor Hart was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED.