Decision details

The Chairman welcomed Mr M Dunn, the council’s appointment to the SDNPA.

Mr Whitty presented the report giving an update on the background to this issue. Due to timeliness and appropriateness the protocol had not been included in the SDNPA Agency Agreement. The SDNPA had made a number of commitments, reflected at 5.1 in the report, which would be drawn into a protocol to improve communications between the council and the National Park Authority. Members were asked to confirm whether their concerns previously raised had been satisfactorily addressed.

Mr Dunn welcomed the liaison undertaken with the SDNPA advising that the agency arrangement between the SDNPA and the council equated to a significant sum in the SDNPA budget so there were going to be queries about the level of service provided by each party to the other and he supported the sensible set of commitments agreed by the SDNPA. He continued that although he was the council’s representative on the SDNPA he was regularly reminded that he was a member of the SDNPA and should not be ‘Chichester specific’. He reminded members that there was always an opportunity for them to attend the SDNPA Policy & Resources Committee to give their views.

Mr Shaxson was concerned that it was important to ensure that there was no gap in enforcement issues dealt with by either authority.

Mr Whitty advised that following this meeting he would send the SDNPA commitments which had been agreed by this committee to the SDNPA for their final agreement. The SDNPA had undertaken to hold further meetings as required.

RESOLVED

1)          That the outcomes from the meeting with the SDNPA, pursuant to the recommendations of the committee to the SDNPA on 13 June 2017 and Cabinet on 11 July 2017, be noted.

2)          That a report comes back to the committee in 12 months’ time with an update on progress.