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In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, the following interests were declared: - Councillor N L Matthews declared a personal interest in Minute No. 25 - Partners Reports and Updates.
Resolved that the Minutes of the Gower National Landscape Advisory Group meeting held on 30 September 2024, be approved and signed as a correct record.
Mike Scott, Countryside Team Leader presented a report which outlined the funding and work Plans for 2025/27. It was explained that funding offers from Natural Resources Wales and Welsh Government for the next two years had been received and funding would be confirmed during April 2025. The Group were provided with details of Welsh Government Funding, including Sustainable Landscapes, Sustainable Places 2025-27, General Capital Funding 2025-27 and Sustainable Development Fund 2025-27. Details regarding Natural Resources Wales funding was also outlined, including how the funding was delivered across 4 teams within the Council. Once confirmed, the funding information would be circulated. Resolved that the contents of the report be noted.
Ursula Jones, Communities and Nature Project Officer provided a verbal update on the Gower Management Plan Review. It was explained that land use consultants had been appointed as contractors to undertake the review. They had recently revised the Natural Resources Wales (NRW) guidelines for writing a management review for a National Landscape, so they are well positioned to complete the work. The contractors would be responsible for the full suite of works with the support of the Council. They will undertake the research, draft the report and producing the management plan. There will be draft documents to discuss with the Advisory Group and stakeholders, during the consultation period. It was added that meetings had already commenced with the contractor, including the project lead and smaller project teams with responsibility for delivering separate aspects of the plan. It commences with the State of the National Landscape Report, which outlines the position of the Authority and what had changed since the last Management Plan. Changes for the Authority since the previous Plan included the climate emergency and the nature recovery statements. In addition, the other areas covered will be the Strategic Environment Assessment Report, the Habitats Regulation Assessment and consultation events. The consultants have been provided with a huge amount of data and a detailed programme was awaited. Once received that will be circulated to the Advisory Group. It was noted that there will be an overlap between the Management Plan and engagement the AONB Team will be undertaking to save on costs. The Advisory Group queried if the farming and tourism communities were included in the consultation process due to previous issues. It was confirmed that both would be included. Resolved that the contents of the report be noted.
The Countryside Team Leader verbally reported that the Annual National Landscapes Conference was scheduled for July 2025 in Winchester. It was a 3-day conference and previously 4 representatives had attended. The number of attendees representing the Authority was subject to grant funding. If successful with the funding, volunteers would be sought from Advisory Group members. The value of attending was emphasised by the Chair and Countryside Team Leader. Resolved that the contents of the report be noted.
Jake Cosgrove, Communities and Nature Project Officer and Evelyn Gruchala, Natural Environment Volunteer Co-ordinator provided a presentation on Events and Engagement. Details provided included: - · Gower Practitioners Event. · International Dark Sky Community. · Welsh Government – Planning for the Conservation and Enhancement of Dark Skies in Wales. · Wales Dark Sky Week. · Wales Coastal Path – Muslim Hikers event. · Conservation Task Day – 9 April 2025. · Gower Dormouse Project. · Inaturalist Recording Workshop. · City Nature Challenge. The Chair thanked the Officers for providing the informative presentation.
Countryside Team Leader presented a ‘for information’ update report on progress made by the Gower AONB Team since the previous meeting, on the following areas: - · Gower AONB Management Plan. · Gower Dark Skies Community Status. · Dark Skies Good Practice Guide. · Welsh Dark Sky Week 2025. · Dark Skies – retro-fit projects. · Backingstone Chapel. · Parking Issues. · Pennard Castle. · Gower Nature Recovery Programme. · Volunteer engagement (nature). · General public engagement. · Gower Places of Worship. · Clyne Valley Country Park. · NGED Undergrounding Group. · Grant Funding. · Rights of Way - Annual Clearance Contract. · Rights of Way - Countryside Access Plan. · Rights of Way - Path Maintenance & Improvements. · Rights of Way - Path damage due to severe weather. · Rights of Way - Coast Path.
Partners reports and updates were provided as follows: - 1) Gower Society Howard Evans provided the Group with the following: - 1. As reported to the group in September 2024, the Society was concerned about the damage to wild orchids at Whiteford Burrows. Malcolm, Ruth, Joan and Dai had a meeting with Nicole and Chris from National Trust (NT) on Friday, 21 February 2025. The fencing had been paid for by the Society and delivered. NT has appointed a private contractor to do the ordnance survey and contractors will fence in Slack 22 by April. Slack 7 would have to wait until the lapwings had finished nesting. It was unlikely to be ready until October. There was enough money left for kissing gates. NT will let us have the plans for the work in future, piecemeal in phases. National Landscapes would also be funding the project. 2. The public inquiry into the West Cross Common development finished in late November. We are awaiting the Inspector to deliver her report to the MS member. The decision lies with the Senedd minister which is likely to be made early Summer. 3. In partnership with the National Landscapes Association and Llyr Jones in particular, the Society had submitted a bid for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund under their Landscape Connections scheme. We have had strong support from other Gower stakeholders, including National Trust, NRW, Gower Commoners, Swansea Nature Partnership and Swansea Council NL team. If this stage was successful, there wouls be an 18 month HLF funded “capacity” study when a small group of project officers would be employed to work on a 10-year management plan for our commons, saltmarsh, dune systems, coastal grasslands and cliffs (much of which is also “public access land”). The key would be the willingness of all these stakeholders to collaborate. If successful, the funding would benefit Gower hugely and bring together the partners caring for Gower. 4. The Society welcome Welsh Government’s announcement of the Ffermio Bro scheme to implement sustainable farming practices in designated landscapes with effect from April, while they are trying to thrash out the industry wide Sustainable Farming Scheme. Individual farm proposals are to be coordinated under the direction of Pembrokeshire Coast NPA, with previous experience in this area. Due to the modest budget granted to Gower, the Society offered to contribute to the cost of additional hours for a Gower coordinator, but the NL team have confirmed that they are confident that a dedicated part-time appointment for Gower would achieve what is required. 5. The Society confirmed that after some difficult negotiations, they had purchased a plot of land on Gower (43 acres) of former, now partial, woodland at Cartersford. While they had previously given money to other organisations to help purchase land, this was the first time The Gower Society had bought land for itself. This would be a major contribution to the wildlife and landscape of Gower. The land would be leased to the Wildlife Trust for South and West Wales to be managed as a wildlife reserve. 6. The Society had received many emails from concerned residents regarding the proposed Candidate Sites in the draft of the Local Development Plan. The Society was currently preparing its response. 7. The Society had been involved with a citizen science project lead by Tonia Antoniazzi MP, where volunteer swimmers and dippers in 14 areas around the Gower peninsula and Swansea Bay, had taken samples of water weekly and had the water tested. We hope to have a report by the summer on the water quality around Gower. We contributed financially and two committee members had been closely involved in implementing this. 8. Planning Application 2024/2340 - Youth Hostel Association, The Old Lifeboat House, Port Eynon: Reconfiguration and retention of existing hostel. The comments of the Gower Society were provided. It was added that in view of all the talk of accessibility for all, we do hope that this does not foreshadow the end of the youth hostel as we know it. 2) Natural Resources Wales Hamish Osborn provided the Group with a verbal update on the following: · Water Quality Testing at Designated Beaches on Gower – He stated that the water testing would run from 15 May to the end of September 2025. Mosted beaches had excellent quality last year apart from Oxwich, but it was not clear why the samples were different there. The fact that large numbers of dogs having access to the beach could impact the water quality. More work was required and dirty samples would be dna tested. Limeslade also had issues which was connected to houses with wrongly installed drains. · Nature Conservation – It was proposed that Natur Am Byth provide a presentation to the Group on the ongoing work on Gower. 3) Membership of Gower National Landscape Advisory Group Barbara Parry reported that she would be standing down from the Clyne Valley Community Project, who she represented on the Group, in May and would therefore be ending her membership of the Advisory Group. The Chair, members of the Advisory Group and Officers expressed their thanks to Barbara Parry for her contribution to the Group and the legacy she had created.
Jake Cosgrove, Communities and Nature Project Officer presented the Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) Panel Financial Summary report ‘for information’. It was outlined that the 2024/25 SDF budget was £100,000. 14 projects had received funding, which fully committed the 2024/25 annual budget. One project had reported that they were likely to have an underspend of around £2,000. The Committed Funds figure included the City & County of Swansea (CCS) Management Fee of £10,000. Total Funds available £100,000 Committed Funds £101,589.00 Uncommitted Funds - £1,589.00 Applications in progress £0 It was added that the SDF budget for 2025/26 had been confirmed as £95,000 by the Welsh Government. New draft guidance had been produced which included some changes, including: · 60% of programme funding must be ringfenced for projects that give precedence to the twin emergencies of Biodiversity loss and Climate Change. This would be phased in from the 2026-27 financial year to allow pipeline projects from earlier financial years to be completed. · An emphasis on innovative and new projects which explore ways of contributing to the opportunities and challenges set out in the Welsh Government’s current agenda for the environment and sustainability. To date, 7 projects had funding committed, with 5 applications in progress. The Committed Funds figure included the CCS Management Fee of £9,500. Total Funds available £95,000.00 Committed Funds £73,120.13 Uncommitted Funds £21,879,87 Applications in progress TBC
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