Decision details

Assessment of Applications for the Countryside Sites and Implications for the County Council

Decision Maker: Cabinet Member for Environment, Planning and Cultural Services

Decision status: Recommendations approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Purpose:

In February 2016 the County Council resolved to cease funding the countryside service from April 2018.  Revenue funding was stopped in April 2016, and the service is funded from reserves in 2016/17 and 2017/18.  In the two year period before funding stops, it was resolved that attempts should be made to secure alternative arrangements for the future of the County Council’s 84 countryside sites so the public could continue to enjoy free access to as many sites as possible.  In practical terms this meant identifying other organisations that could manage or own the sites.

 

On 28th June 2016 the Cabinet Member for Environment, Planning and Cultural Services agreed the selection and evaluation criteria to be used in the identification of organisations with whom the County Council could enter into negotiations to transfer the countryside sites which have been identified for closure.

 

The County Council has received eleven applications from organisations and individuals wishing to take over a number of the sites, and these applications have been evaluated in accordance with the agreed criteria.

 

This report provides details of the evaluations, and provides a number of recommendations for a way forward.  The report is in two parts, firstly setting out the results of the evaluations and the impact on the sites; and secondly a range of activities that need to be carried out to keep the process of transfer and service transformation moving forward.

 

This is deemed to be a Key Decision and the provisions of Standing Order No. 26 have been complied with.  Compliance with SO25 was not possible, the reason for this is that the proposals were not sufficiently advanced to allow publication of a notification 28 days in advance as required under SO25.  In addition, there is an immediate need to inform five organisations that site leases will potentially transfer to them and they can begin to plan for the new financial year from April.

 

 

Decision:

County Councillor Marcus Johnstone, Cabinet Member for Environment, Planning and Cultural Services and County Councillor David Borrow, the Deputy Leader of the County Council:

 

(i)  Approved the proposals set out in Appendix A with a view to effecting transfers as soon as practicable for 13 of the 84 sites to five organisations; and that the seven individuals/organisations who have not met the agreed criteria be thanked for their interest and informed that their proposals will not be taken forward.

 

(ii)  Approved the proposals set out in Appendix B in relation to the 71 countryside sites for which the County Council has not received any acceptable expressions of interest; and that the County Council manages the assets at minimum cost where public access is maintained and the sites are safe and free from liability whilst these recommendations are progressed.

 

(iii)Approved the updating of the County Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy for managing the retained assets at a net cost of £0.197m per annum from 1 April 2018.

 

(iv)Authorised officers to continue to develop proposals to further reduce costs for maintaining the retained sites by, for example, generating income, attracting grants for the sites and continuing to work with other organisations who may be able to assist with maintaining the sites.

 

This KEY Decision was taken in accordance with the process agreed by the Executive Scrutiny Committee.

 

Reason Key: Significant effect in 2 or more electoral divisions;

Divisions Affected: (All Divisions);

Contact: Andrew Mullaney Email: andrew.mullaney@lancashire.gov.uk Tel: 01772 534190.

Date of decision: 09/03/2017

Effective from: 15/03/2017

Accompanying Documents: