6 Partner Updates
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Minutes:
Wyre Borough Council
Alison Boden, Wyre Borough Council provided an update on the planned programme for Festival Bowland, conservation activity and access works. The Star Gazing event was very successful with over 30 people attending in February. Following the commencement of lockdown, events had to be postponed including the Garstang Walking Festival. From August, all activities that have been run are following the rule of six people, including the health walks. These walks have been welcomed, particularly with those people who feel isolated. Volunteering also had to stop due to COVID-19 and was able to restart it mid-July (again to the rule of six) and work continued with the River Wyre Catchment Partnership on flood management.
Work is also continuing on access improvements on the Wyre Way Upper Catchment and redoing the way marking. It was noted that all contacts with the Rangers and Countryside Services are booked in and registered for Track and Trace and everything is fully planned in advance.
The Ranger Service has also carried out a food hub delivery service and continues to provide this service throughout the Borough including Scorton and Bleasdale and volunteers also helped provide this service as well. Signs and notices were also erected in response to the guidance given by Government and the Service responded to people's non-compliance and members of the public's concerns.
The biggest impact has been the Staycation which has had an increase on visitors to the sites and litter has caused issues and has been removed by staff, volunteers and the Local Authorities as well as other issues, ie fires and people getting lost.
Planning work continues for activities going forward into 2021/2022 in whatever format that may be due to the ongoing pandemic and understanding the limitations and learning from each other about good practice. A huge thank you was noted to the Forest of Bowland Team for their Zoom sessions and delivering great activities.
North Yorkshire County Council
Hugh Clear Hill from North Yorkshire County Council updated the Committee on the Local Government Reorganisation that was taking place in North Yorkshire and that the formal invitation had now been issued by the Secretary of State to the Local Authorities to put forward proposals for a change to Unitary status. There are two models, the County Council's preferred model is the single unitary and the districts are proposing an East/West split. The change could potentially be in place in April 2022. It was noted that the White Paper had been delayed.
RSPB
Jeremy Sutton from RSPB gave an update on Hen Harriers in Bowland. There were eight nests in Bowland this year, seven on the United Utilities Estate and one on the Duchy Estate. Five of the nests in Bowland were successful and produced only six chicks, which possibly was due to the inclement weather at the end of May/early June. A grant application had been submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a Green Recovery Grant for capital works for Curlew in Bowland. If successful ... view the full minutes text for item 6
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