Report of Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture

The Committee considered a report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture giving further details of the proposed new Vision and Delivery Plan for the County Council’s Countryside Estate (schedule 2 to the signed minutes).

At their meeting in February 2022, Members considered revised proposals for the management of the estate following the significantly changed context brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, which entailed its retention in-house. The new Vision was for the Estate to support the wider Vision set out in the County Council’s Strategic Plan 2022-2026 for, “an innovative, ambitious and sustainable County where everyone has the opportunity to prosper, be healthy and happy”. At that time, they requested further details of the Authority’s investment proposals/Delivery Plan so they could give pre-decision scrutiny prior to their consideration by Cabinet.

During her presentation of the report, the Cabinet Member highlighted the key actions contained in the Delivery Plan for supporting each of the Priorities included in the Strategic Plan, as follows:-

Priority 1: Support Staffordshire’s economy to grow, generating more and better paid jobs.

(i) Enhance catering offers at Country Parks; (ii) Explore increased provision of business units and business opportunities that linked to the Parks’ offer; (iii) Parks Promotion Plan – improved website, social media and promotion of the Parks’ offer, including linking with local businesses and cultural industries that complement the offer, leaflets and signage; (iv) Placements and traineeships to support growth of the green sector and address skills shortage; (v) Major redevelopment of café and visitor centre facilities at Marquis Drive and; (vi) Expansion of facilities at Chasewater.

Priority 2: Tackle climate change, enhance our environment and make Staffordshire more sustainable.   

(i) Increase carbon sequestration to help meet net zero through tree planting and habitat enhancement; (ii) Support nature recovery through habitat enhancement linked to the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS); (iii) targeted species recovery work linked to LNRS; (iv) Promotion, education and behaviour change – events and activities to raise awareness of climate change and nature recovery and what people can do to help and; (iv) Greening the Countryside service – electric/Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) vehicles and equipment, renewable building technologies installed and adaption measures developed.

Priority 3: Encourage good health and wellbeing, resilience and independence. 

(i) Develop a Healthy Parks Programme to include health walks, mindfulness walks, activity promotion, outdoor gyms, etc. and explore social prescribing models. Link to Better Health Staffordshire plus groups already linked to sites for addiction recovery, mental health support etc. to expand offer; (ii) Undertake a programme of site improvement to improve accessibility and reduce barriers to use, including access for all facilities, dementia-friendly status etc. Ensure improved promotion of information about site accessibility and the site offer was available to target audiences; (iii) Provide an enhanced community/cultural/ arts offer including through volunteers and through externally funded programmes; (iv) Develop Volunteer Strategy and expand the volunteer programme to include volunteer wardens for key sites and broader volunteering to include conservation work, litter patrols, visitor welcome, fire watch, health walk leaders, guided walk leaders; (v) Support Friends Groups and develop a Parks Supporter Scheme.

Priority 4: Fix more roads, and improve transport and digital connections.

(i) Continue to support Highways with deer/vehicle collision reduction and management – deer safety project and emergency response work; (ii) Support sustainability through provision of EV charging at key park locations; (iii) Manage greenways and rights of way across parks to provide leisure and utility routes; (iv) Enhance digital connectivity at Cannock Chase County Park and potentially other main parks to enhance both staff operational efficiency and support improved visitor facilities and connectivity.

Priority 5: Offer every Staffordshire child and young person the best start in life, and the chance to achieve their potential.

(i) Develop a programme with family support teams, including walks, events and activities. Link to Holiday Activities and Food programme providers; (ii) Support and expand outdoor learning, forest schools etc. and; (iii) Work with providers to develop activities for children and young people – junior ranger sessions, orienteering etc.

In addition, she highlighted the key priorities from those listed above which were intended for implementation over the proceeding six to twelve months as follows:- (i) enhanced catering offers at main country parks; (ii) complete feasibility study for Chasewater Country Park; (iii) extension of pay and display to the north of the county; (iv) Parks Promotion Plan – online presence and welcome signs/orientation; (v) nature recovery work for designated sites and target species and planning work for woodland creation for net zero; (vi) greening the service – electric/HVO vehicles, charging points etc. (vii) sustainability promotion and behaviour change; (viii) commence development of Healthy Parks Programme and deliver Wayfinding Project at Cannock Chase (partnership scheme funded by Sport England); (ix) access audits and work to enhance access where funds currently available – bid for further funding; (x) develop volunteer strategy and recruit additional volunteers; (xi) deliver fibre broadband to Cannock Chase County Park and; (xii) Deer safety project and callout.

In the full and wide-ranging discussion which ensued Members gave further detailed scrutiny to the proposed future Vision for the Countryside Estate together with the various key actions in support of the County Council’s Strategic Plan 2022-2026 asking questions, seeking clarification and raising areas of concern, as necessary, including:- (i) the implications (if any) of the proposals on Staffordshire County Farms; (ii) opportunities which existed from the development of windfarms within the Countryside Estate; (iii) anticipated yields from the expansion of parking charges at County Parks and potential effect on usage; (iv) opportunities for re-wilding within the Countryside Estate; (v) the valuable contribution made to date by volunteers towards the management of the Countryside Estate and how this was to be recognised and further developed in the future.

In conclusion, the Committee welcomed the proposals and looked forward to their successful implementation. In addition they urged the Cabinet Member to have regard to their comments particularly in respect of opportunities for re-wilding and green energy generation. 

Note by Clerk: The meeting became inquorate during consideration of this Agenda item following departure of a Member from the meeting room. However, a quorum was restored once the Member had returned and before the following decisions were made.

RESOLVED – (a) That the report be received and noted.

(b) That the key actions identified in the Future Vision for the Countryside Estate’s Delivery Plan be supported.

(c) That progress against the various key actions and on-going performance of the service be monitored closely and further scrutiny be undertaken at the appropriate time, as necessary.