Archived decisions

REPORT OF THE

EXECUTIVE MEMBER.

RECREATION AND HERITAGE.

PART II

THE CHICHESTER HARBOUR AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY MANAGEMENT PLAN.

1. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 requires local authorities in whose Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are located to prepare and publish a management plan for each area with such plans having to be in place within three years of the legislation coming into effect (i.e. by 1st April 2004).

2. The Chichester Harbour Conservancy was established in the early 1970s to enable better co-ordinated management of the land and water making up the Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; it has acted as the Joint Advisory Committee for the area and has been consulted about relevant planning proposals. It has dealt directly with the Government's countryside and nature conservation advisers and has obtained funding both for project officers and projects from these sources. The Executive Member has agreed that the production of the new plan should be undertaken by the Conservancy on behalf of the County Council and a memorandum of agreement is to be entered into with the Conservancy for it to act as the management body for the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, subject to the management plan being approved by the County Council.

3. As regards funding, the Countryside Agency has agreed to provide core funding to local authorities for the management of all Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty at a grant rate of up to 75% and the Agency will require confirmation that local authority precepts to the Conservancy will at least remain constant and are linked to inflation. The County Council has accepted this point and has urged the Conservancy to keep its precept within inflation limits over the next few years.

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