Issue - meetings

1.         That variations to the Agreement, and associated leases, relating to revised financial formula, governance arrangements, Asset Management Plan, performance management and woodland management, as described in paragraph 3-7 of the submitted report, and subject to the same variations being agreed by Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT) Trustees in July 2015 be approved.

2.        That the net contribution of Surrey County Council to the SWT Agreement be reduced to zero by 2020/2021; that the distribution of funds thereafter will be determined; and that a robust business plan be required to achieve this and be reported to Cabinet by November 2015; and that failure to implement recommendation 1 or 2 will lead to an immediate review of alternative methods of achieving value for money in the management of the Council’s Countryside Estate.

3.       That authority be delegated to the Strategic Director for Environment and Infrastructure, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning, the Cabinet Member for Business Services and Resident Experience, the Director for Legal and Democratic Services and the Head of Property Services, to enter into final negotiations with SWT to vary the Agreement.

Reasons for Decisions:

Approval of the recommendations will implement changes to the Agreement with SWT which improve its effectiveness, deliver improvements for visitors, aim to reduce the Council's contribution to zero by 2020/2021, and agree the distribution of funds thereafter.

[The decision on this item can be called in by the Economic Prosperity, Environment and Highways Board]

Prior to the Cabinet Member introducing the report, Mr Harmer, as Chairman of the Economic Prosperity, Environment & Highways Board, was invited to address the Cabinet. He said that the Surrey Wildlife Trust had been scrutinised extensively by this Board and its review group. He agreed with the comments and concerns as set out in the Cabinet report and confirmed that the Board was supportive of the recommendations before the Cabinet today.

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning began by saying that, following the Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT) report to Cabinet in December, this report outlined the next steps in the contract negotiations between Surrey County Council (SCC) and SWT.

Today’s report provided an update on progress and sought approval to implement changes to the agreement to achieve the aims of the SWT being self funded by 2021 and would reduce the cost to Surrey residents to zero by 2021, whilst at the same time managing the countryside estate to the highest standards and ensuring that visitors were able to enjoy the wonderful countryside in Surrey. This was part of SCC’s overall strategy to reduce costs at a time when the Council’s budgets were under financial pressure.

He said that robust business plans to achieve income generating opportunities across the Estate would be bought to Cabinet in November and during the next five months considerable work between SWT and SCC would be required to develop these plans. The Economic Prosperity, Environment & Highways Board would continue to be involved in this work and a task group has been formed to assist this process. Also, a time frame was being drawn up so that milestones were met by October.

He said that the County Council would continue to work with Surrey Wildlife Trust to improve facilities for visitors and ensure maximum value for money for taxpayers and commercial opportunities, particularly at places like Newlands Corner and Oakham Common, were being considered.

He also informed Cabinet that Surrey was the most wooded county in England and that SWT were developing a woodland management strategy plan for the woodlands, which would not only protect the woodlands but also make them commercial.

Other additional plans for the Countryside Estate were developing its role in environmental education and improving the health and wellbeing of local communities, which would give the County Council the opportunity of working with SWT to link with the SCC strategic goals, particularly wellbeing and the resident’s experience.

He considered that, achieving zero contribution was not solely based on commercial opportunities. SWT and SCC including Property Services were working to improve the overall efficiency of the estate, to reduce costs and by November 2015, a new five year Management Asset Plan would be completed and this would be a critical milestone for the partnership.

Also, to assist and monitor progress and compliance a new robust Governance model had been developed, which would ensure the following:

·                an annual report to the County Council

·                regular updates to the Economic Prosperity, Environment & Highways Board

·                the ability  ...  view the full minutes text for item 133