Written evidence submitted to the Environmental Audit Committee’s Parliamentary Inquiry on
Local Nature Partnerships by Lowland Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LNP.
Submitted by – Tony Walker, Chair, Lowland Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LNP
About us - Lowland Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LNP was formed in 2012. We cover all of
Nottinghamshire and the area of Derbyshire outside the Peak Park. Chair of our board is Tony
Walker from Toyota Manufacturing UK. Also represented on the board are Derbyshire and
Nottinghamshire County Councils, the Health and Wellbeing Board, relevant private sector
companies and local environmental organisations.
Executive Summary
The Lowland Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LNP consists of a group of committed and motivated members who
seek to define the role of the partnership and ensure it is successful and adds value. We recognise that LNPs are
relatively new organisations and there are several key problems that the Government and LNPs need to resolve
together to ensure that they are sustainable and will add value. We have listed below the key issues that the
Committee and Government must note and address.
Governance, Composition and Funding of the LNP
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The LNP relies on the good will and participation of Board members. This is a positive contribution and a
key driver for a successful LNP.
The LNP is concerned that the level of non-monetary resource and commitment from the Defra family
(Natural England, Environment Agency and Forestry Commission) that is required to support the LNP is not
defined and authorised.
A lack of secure long-term funding for our LNP staff represents a real risk that the LNP cannot be a
sustainable and effective organisation.
To ensure an effective LNP the Government must identify the minimum funding requirements to discharge
statutory obligations and implement national policy objectives delivered through an LNP.
Impact on NIAs, habitats more generally and on the planning system
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To support the LNP we have established a Natural Capital Working Group to establish the natural capital
baseline for 8 capital assets and 65 components with the aim to identify priority problems for the LNP Board
to focus on and develop its strategy. Natural capital is a new approach and requires Government support to
develop a cost effective and efficient method for the LNP to collate natural capital data which is nationally
consistent and has local relevance.
To ensure that the LNP Board delivers a consistent approach to strategic planning and local planning we
produced a planning policy framework, rules and procedure for the Board to handle planning issues (see
appendix 2).
As a matter of urgency the Government needs to clarify the LNP role and task(s) to meet the requirement
of the Localism Act 2011 duty to co-operate in relation to strategic plans and sustainable development, and
ensure that our current holding position is not jeopardising a planning authority’s statutory duty.
There is a knowledge and skill gap for LNP to undertake the task to evaluate and advise planning authorities
in relation to sustainable development. This needs to be addressed by Government and LNPs as a matter of
urgency.
Government needs to articulate a single, clear, measurable remit for LNPs. For example “to measure,
maintain and improve natural capital in the local areas” and support LNPs set key performance indicators
to measure success and value.
The LNP has no statutory or non-statutory mechanism through which the protection and/or improvement
of all natural capital is incorporated into strategic plans. The most appropriate mechanisms to achieve this
must be investigated by Government to ensure national consistency.
Links and co-ordination with other LEPs, environmental and planning organisations
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A diverse LNP Board with top and senior management representation from organisations has helped with
developing links and co-ordination.
Strong private sector representation on our board helps us to engage with the LEP and this is a real asset
in our LNP.
The Government should review boundaries between the LNP, the LEP and other organisations to establish
if we have the most efficient organisation for planning and partnership working.
The Government must review the most efficient way, including the role of the County Councils in working
with LNPs, to evaluate strategic plans with the aim to minimise burden and workload which results from
16 strategic development planning authorities in our area.
To ensure long term and effective partnership working, the Government should consider recognising and
formalising the working arrangements between key Government organisations.
LNP partners tend to focus on green nature (i.e. species and ecological communities). Links with other
organisations concerning other natural capital assets such as sub-soil assets, minerals, and air quality, and
their economic and social value, are less well represented. In particular, links and co-ordination around air
quality is difficult. The Government must promote stronger links and more integrated approach for these
natural capital assets, particularly for air quality.
1. Governance, Composition and funding of the LNP
1.1. Our LNP Board is led by a chair from the private sector: Tony Walker, Deputy Managing
Director, Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK. There is a broad representation from the private
and agricultural sectors, the public sector including the Health and Wellbeing Board, and
the third sector comprising non-governmental environmental organisations [see Appendix
1 for full board details].
1.2. Governance structure is limited to a part-time co-ordinator acting as secretariat to the LNP
Board. This position is funded by four of the Board organisations for a period of three years.
There is no guaranteed funding after that time. The part-time nature of the role restricts
the LNP’s capacity, and a lack of secure long-term funding represents a real risk that the LNP
cannot be a sustainable and effective organisation.
1.3. Several Board organisations are supporting the LNP Board to drive its strategy and activity.
Support is temporary with no long term commitment. It includes:
o provision of a technical manager from Toyota Motor Manufacturing to support
strategy and natural capital baseline development;
o provision of technical support managers from Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire
County Councils;
o provision of a data hub and GIS resource from Derbyshire County Council to support
natural capital baseline development; and
o provision of natural capital data through staff resource from British Geological
Survey, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Natural England, Derbyshire
County Council and Nottinghamshire County Council.
The LNP relies on the good will and participation of the Board members. This is a positive
contribution and a key driver for a successful LNP.
1.4. It is imperative for a successful LNP to have the practical support of the Defra family to
enable it to discharge its functions. The LNP is concerned that the level of non-monetary
resource and commitment from the Defra family (Natural England, Environment Agency
and Forestry Commission) that is required to support the LNP is not defined and
authorised. This is limiting our capability to achieve our aims and objectives. Further, Defra
family participation at a Board level is minimal which can reduce the effectiveness of the
LNP.
1.5. Although funding may be available through the Local Enterprise Partnership, Heritage
Lottery Fund and EU it is unlikely to be available to support human resource for an LNP
secretariat or operational organisation. Further, making application for this funding is timeconsuming and we don’t have staff resource to make applications. A lack of secure longterm funding for our LNP staff represents a real risk that the LNP cannot be a sustainable
and effective organisation.
1.6. LNPs need a level of funding so that they can discharge, at least, the functions that the
Government expect them to fulfil. In particular the requirement under the Localism Act to
support and ensure that Planning Authorities’ strategic plans achieve sustainable
development. The work content for this task is not insignificant and in our area there are 16
local planning authorities alone producing strategic plans. To ensure an effective LNP the
Government must identify the minimum funding requirements to discharge statutory
obligations and implement national policy objectives delivered through an LNP.
2. Impact on NIAs, habitats more generally and on the planning system
2.1. We have focused on establishing the natural capital baseline in the first instance before
embarking on nature improvement areas and habitats in general. A key problem is that the
Board members do not understand natural capital and its condition in their area, the
condition of key ecosystem services, and the state of natural capital goods and benefits.
There is also an initial narrow view of nature as being ecological communities and species.
To support the LNP we have established a Natural Capital Working Group to establish the
natural capital baseline for 8 capital assets and 65 components with the aim to identify
priority problems for the LNP Board to focus on and develop its strategy. Natural capital
is a new approach and requires Government support to develop a cost effective and
efficient method for the LNP to collate natural capital data which is nationally consistent
and has local relevance.
2.2. We have selected two landscape scale areas (Trent Valley and Sherwood) to focus on
strategic natural capital improvements to support economic growth and health and
wellbeing. A team of public, private and third sector is being put together to undertake
sensitivity mapping and understand the critical issues for the Trent Valley. In the case of
Sherwood Forest we are investigating the opportunity of a regional park to facilitate natural
capital and economic improvements.
2.3. Handling of planning issues is a sensitive subject with a board comprising of private, public
and non-governmental environmental organisations. We aim to ensure that the LNP
delivers real improvement in the area of planning and sustainable development through
constructive co-operation and team work with all partners and stakeholders. To ensure that
the LNP Board delivers a consistent approach to strategic planning and local planning we
produced a planning policy framework and rules and procedure for the Board to handle
planning issues [see Appendix 2].
2.4. With our limited resource and the current lack of available natural capital baseline
information we cannot fully discharge the requirement to review strategic plans under the
duty to co-operate placed on planning authorities. This could jeopardise the Local Planning
Authority’s duty and result in its plan being called in by the planning inspector. As a
consequence our LNP, working with County Council Planning Departments, has published a
planning holding letter to respond to each request to co-operate [see Appendix 3]. This is
not an ideal situation. As a matter of urgency the Government needs to clarify the LNP
task(s) to meet the requirement of the Localism Act 2011 duty to co-operate in relation
to strategic plans and sustainable development, and ensure that our current position is
not jeopardising a statutory duty.
2.5. We have not received any education or training in relation to requirements set by statute.
Further we have no standards or processes to evaluate that strategic development plans
are sustainable. There is a knowledge and skill gap for LNP to undertake the task to
evaluate and advise planning authorities on strategic plans in relation to sustainable
development that needs to be addressed by Government and LNPs as a matter of urgency.
2.6. Going forward it is unclear how the LNP will influence strategic plans in relation to
sustainable development. Natural capital assets are not always incorporated into strategic
plans in a spatial and quantifiable way. Exceptions include minerals and the statutory
obligations on mineral planning authorities. Influencing strategic planning can be an
effective way for LNPs to improve the stock of natural capital in their area. The LNP has no
statutory or non-statutory mechanism through which the protection and/or
improvement of all natural capital is incorporated into strategic plans. The most
appropriate mechanisms to achieve this must be investigated by Government to ensure
national consistency.
2.7. An important issue in relation to the impact of our LNP has been to establish a single, clear,
measurable objective. In contrast, the LEPs’ objective can be neatly summed up as
‘Supporting economic growth by bringing private and public sector together’ and LEPs can
measure their success in numbers of jobs created. The LNPs have neither a similar, clear
objective, nor any indicators with which to measure success. We are developing our strategy
and are beginning to formulate a single measurable objective “To measure, maintain and
improve natural capital in our local area”. Government needs to articulate a single, clear,
measurable remit for LNPs. For example “to measure, maintain and improve natural
capital in the local areas” and support LNPs to set key performance indicators to measure
success and value.
3. Links and co-ordination with other LEPs, environmental and planning organisations
3.1. Lowland Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LNP aims to develop productive relationships
with the local LEP, the Local Authorities, relevant private sector companies and
environmental organisations as well as the Health and Wellbeing Board and Defra family. A
diverse LNP Board with top and senior management representation from organisations
has helped with developing links and co-ordination.
3.2. We have private sector representation from key sectors relevant to our area which includes:
manufacturing (Toyota); construction (David Wilson Homes); mining and aggregates
(Lafarge) and tourism (Centre Parcs) Strong private sector representation on our board
helps us to engage with the LEP and this is a real asset in our LNP.
3.3. Organisation boundaries don’t coincide with those of the local LEP (which covers
Nottinghamshire and all of Derbyshire including the Peak Park) making communication with
the LEP more complex than it would be if our borders coincided. Similar border
inconsistencies exist for other environmental and planning organisations. The Government
should review boundaries between the LNP, the LEP and other organisations to establish
if we have the most efficient organisation for planning and partnership working.
3.4. With the removal of regional spatial and strategic plans we must liaise with 16 planning
authorities in our area and review 16 strategic local plans in addition to other strategic
plans. We do not have resource to liaise with 16 planning authorities on matters of strategic
planning or the statutory review of strategic plans. It would be more effective and efficient
to carry out all strategic planning at county level as minerals and mining planning is currently
done. The Government must review the most efficient way and the role of the County
Councils in working with LNPs to evaluate strategic plans with the aim to minimise burden
and workload which results from 16 strategic development planning authorities in our
area.
3.5. We have worked hard to communicate and promote team working with key Government
organisations (i.e. Environmental Agency, Forestry Commission, Natural England, British Geological
Survey, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire County Councils). To ensure long term and effective
partnership working the Government must recognise and formalise the working arrangements
between key national Government organisations.
3.6. Initially the LNP had strong links and networks with partners concerned with ecological communities
and species. More recently we have extended links and networks with organisations with an interest
in other natural capital assets (minerals, sub-soil assets, air quality). This has promoted wider
engagement and a stronger and more integrated approach to sustainable development. LNP
partners tend to focus on green nature (i.e. species and ecological communities). Links with other
organisations concerning other natural capital assets such as sub-soil assets, minerals, and air
quality, and their economic and social value, are less well represented. In particular links and coordination around air quality is difficult. The Government must promote stronger links and more
integrated approach for these natural capital assets, particularly for air quality.
Submitted by:
Tony Walker, Chair Lowland Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LNP board
Appendix 1 – Lowland Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LNP Board
Appendix 2
Lowland Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LNP Planning Framework and Rules
Appendix 3
Lowland Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LNP Planning Consultation Holding
Letter