SDNPA – SDLMG meeting

27thJune2013

Capron House, Midhurst

Minutes

Present:

Margaret Paren / Mike Tristram
Trevor Beattie / David Ashcroft
Andrew Lee / James Cooper
Phil Belden / Tim Broomhead
Pete Currell / Simon Ward
Chris Manning / Andrew Thomas
John Geoghegan / John Archer
  1. Welcome

Margaret Paren welcomed all to the meeting.

  1. Minutes of the previous meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record. Actions from the previous minutes had been completed or were in progress, and the following actions were agreed subsequently:

ACTION: Regarding Public Liability Insurance for professional dog walkers, SDNPA were working with relevant local authorities, seeking to get this written their codes of conduct. The NFU and CLA may want to take this issue up on a national scale if the problem is widespread

ACTION: Any Land Managers wanting copies of SDNPA publications could contact Carrie Hulse in the Communications team –

The list of Chichester Local Plan policies that CDC consider are compliant to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), referred to at the last meeting, are attached at appendix 1.

  1. Nitrate Mapping

Chris Manning, Strategic Water Officer, gave a presentation on the Nitrate mapping initiative being carried out as part of the Nature Improvement Area project (attached at appendix 2). The following comments were made:

  • The project would be fully integrated with the areas outside the National Park (ie by catchment);
  • As well as the environmental benefits the project could offer, it would also enable Land Managers to minimise their wasted inputs in terms of nitrate fertilizers, by mapping which areas were contributing the most nitrate pollution to groundwater;
  • This would be furthering existing studies into the impacts of nitrate fertilizer use, which had focussed on surface water rather than groundwater;
  • The lead-in time for seeing improvements resulting from changed practices could be up to 40 years;
  • Water companies were taking the Catchment Management approach seriously, structuring their own Water Resource Management Plans accordingly. There had also been financial contributions from the water companies to help fund this research; and
  • A holistic approach should be taken by the NPA in the long run, balancing the landscape impact of water infrastructure such as reservoirs, with the sustainability benefits that they could offer. It was suggested the NPA could produce guidance on how such infrastructure could be delivered sensitively.

ACTION: Chris Manning to bring the results of the study back to a future liaison meeting

4. Private mains water supply

The issue was raised of water companies taking over short stretches of private water supply. It was agreed that this was predominantly an issue to be resolved between landowner and water company on a case-by-case basis, but that the SDNPA would, wherever possible, advocate a strong relationship between the water companies and the landowners.

5. Local Abstraction

A discussion took place exploring the ways in which Land Managers could abstract water from the environment as opposed to relying on mains. Chris Manning explained that much of the SDNP was ‘over licensed/over abstracted’ meaning that water resources are not readily available. However, provision could be made at high flows (e.g. water storage reservoirs) but there were reliability risks (i.e. being able to actually fill reservoirs). Chris explained that provision could also be made through the set up of ‘abstraction cooperatives’ where individuals give up their own licences in favour of a group licence– this allows more flexibility in abstraction from the environment). Chris added that such cooperatives/abstraction groups could also provide a strong ‘one voice’ to regulators and, for example, in response to regulator consultations concerning water abstraction/resources policy/legislation.

A discussion followed concerning the potential abstraction licence trading system being proposed by Southern Water in the RotherValley. Chris explained how this could work in practice and how any licence trade would have to be advertised within a National Park for one month – this could delay the process – i.e. ‘spot trades’ on any particular day.

It was agreed that Chris Manning could work with/provide advice to the SDLMG on water resources/abstraction matters

ACTION: Chris Manning to produce a brief note on water cooperatives for Mike Tristram to include in SDMLG Newsletter

ACTION: Chris Manning to advise Mike Tristram as to suitable contacts in South Downs water companies with whom SDLMG could discuss sub-licensing of local boreholes, and co-operative abstraction groups.

6.Partnership Management Plan latest

Pete Currell talked through the process the Partnership Management Plan had been through since the last meeting in April. Building on all previous engagement work, the plan now featured six farming policies, though all other sections featured policies with relevance to Land Managers. The formal consultation was now underway, publicised to Land Managers through a piece in South East Farmer among others, and would run until Monday 16th September. Mike Tristram thanked the NPA for setting up engagement mechanisms for listening tocomments and points made by Land Managers.

ACTION: Andrew Thomas to liaise with the SDNPA over messages that could be communicated to the wider SDLMG
ACTION: All to let Mike Tristram know of anything that it would be helpful to host on the SDLMG website.

7.Tabled notes on “Land Manager Incentives” and ”Possible agricultural officer role”

Mike Tristram shared two notes. A discussion followed, and points raised included:

  • Payments for Ecosystem Services may provide substantial incentives for Land Managers;
  • Payments from water companies to offset the treatment of water downstream may provide a major incentive in the future. Successful examples of this model exist in Exmoor;
  • The Local Economic Partnerships (LEPs) would be a crucial mechanism for bringing money into the National Park;
  • The SDNPA was working hard with Partners to target external money into the National Park. HLS was an example of where this was already working; and we await the details of the CAP reform and how this will work in future agri-environment schemes.
  • The SDNPA would use Job Descriptions from other NPAs to consider the potential role of Agricultural Officers
  1. Any other business

The following points were raised:

  • Funding for initiatives such as dew ponds was available, through schemes such as Heritage Lottery Fund and the SDNPA’s own Sustainable Communities Fund;
  • The SDNPA was currently looking towards the futureof the NIA project;
  • The South Downs Communications and Engagement Group was now up and running. Twelve organisations were represented at the first meeting, which focussed on the task of developing a brand and identity for the National Park.

ACTION: Phil Belden to investigate whether it is possible to have Land Management substitutes on the Local Access Forum

Dates of next meetings:

Thursday 5th September, 10.00 in Midhurst (venue tbc with agenda);

Friday 6th December 10.00 in Midhurst (venue tbc with agenda)