APPENDIX 1
Memorandum of Understanding between the
Natural England partnership, the Environment Agency and the Forestry
Commission
1. This Memorandum of Understanding is between
the Natural England partnership[1],
the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission. It is about
how we will work together to protect and enhance the natural environment
during the period prior to the legal establishment of Natural
England, and signals our intent to work together beyond that date.
2. Each body has its own distinctive roles
and responsibilities. We all recognise the benefits of working
together to achieve our common interest.
3. This Memorandum sets out:
— our respective roles and responsibilities;
— the outcomes we will achieve by working
together;
— the working practices we will use
to achieve them.
OUR ROLES
AND RESPONSIBILITIES
4. Our roles are defined in statute (principally
the Environment Act 1995, the Forestry Act 1967 and the Natural
Environment and Rural Communities Bill[2]).
The RDS's role from 1 April 2005 is defined in a Framework Document.
— The Natural England partnership leads
on:
— conservation and enhancement of biodiversity
and geodiversity throughout England (EN);
— protection and enhancement of England's
landscapes and promotion of outdoor recreation and access (CA);
— the sustainable land management schemes
which form part of the Rural Development Regulation (RDS).
— The Environment Agency leads on the
integrated protection and enhancement of natural resources (air,
land and water), the management of waste and flood risk, water-based
recreation, fisheries and navigation.
— The Forestry Commission leads on
delivery of woodland and forestry policy.
5. In many cases, the roles of each organisation
are different and distinctive. Where our roles overlap, we each
have distinctive but collaborative responsibilities within the
same area. These are defined in Annex 1. By working in partnership
we can achieve more effective delivery of outcomes, improve service
to our customers and avoid duplication. This Memorandum defines
how we will work together to do so.
Our shared vision and outcomes
6. We share a common vision of contributing
to sustainable development and achieving a better quality of life
through:
— protecting, recovering and enhancing
biodiversity, geodiversity, landscapes and natural beauty;
— promoting access, recreation and
public well-being;
— delivering environmental protection
and improved air, soil and water;
— contributing directly and indirectly
to social and economic wellbeing.
7. The strategic environmental priorities
we will address in partnership are:
— Sustainable agriculture policy and
practice which delivers the protection of natural resources, landscapes
and natural features and the conservation of biodiversity;
— Support and incentives to land managers
to deliver sustainable land management;
— Catchment flood management planning
and river basin management planning which deliver reduced diffuse
pollution and good ecological status, reduced flood risk, sustainable
water supplies and enhanced biodiversity and landscape quality;
— Protection of marine natural resources
and conservation and enhancement of marine biodiversity;
— Protection and enhancement of special
sites and delivery of specific UK Biodiversity Action Plan targets;
— Enhanced opportunities for outdoor
recreation and improved access to land, water, coasts and the
sea;
— Regional strategies and policies
which contribute towards natural resource protection and sustainable
development;
— Delivery of evidence-based advice
on matters affecting the environment to national, regional and
local government.
Collaborative programmes and working practices
8. These priority outcomes will be delivered
by the working principles defined in paragraph 11. We also have
in place joint working agreements and protocols set out in Annex
2.
9. In a number of areas, partnership working
will be especially rich and opportunities for collaboration and
risk of duplication will be high. For these areas we need clarity
and distinctiveness of role and to establish who leads on what
and how they will work with the other bodies. For these collaborative
programmes we will define our roles, establish accountabilities
and agree ways of working for each body at national, regional
and local level.
10. Areas identified for collaborative programmes
are:
— integrated catchment management;
— agriculture and land management policy;
— Water Framework Directive implementation;
— Habitats Regulations implementation;
— coastal and fluvial flood risk management;
— land and water based recreation.
We will periodically review and agree these
areas, by considering each organisation's strategic priorities
and environmental imperatives. As other high priority areas emerge
over time, we will develop new collaborative programmes to address
them.
11. We will:
— build towards a shared evidence base
by exchanging information and data;
— collaborate on research and development,
partnership projects and joint approaches nationally, regionally
and locally;
— encourage interaction at all levels,
including developing strategies, advising others and operational
delivery;
— pool our expertise and resources
when working jointly to avoid duplication;
— share our positions in response to
policy initiatives and consult each other at the earliest opportunity;
— communicate our collaborative work
together to government, partners and the public;
— be consulted on and contribute to
formal guidance issued by the Secretary of State to any of the
signatories of this Memorandum;
— consult each other and contribute
to strategies and major policies of mutual interest;
— establish mechanisms for collaboration
at national, regional and local level, including:
— An annual meeting of the Chairmen and
CEOs;
— Quarterly meetings of CEOs to monitor
progress on this Memorandum;
— Regular meetings of national, regional
and local teams to develop collaborative objectives and working
practices, where these help us achieve our outcomes and improved
customer service.
LIAISON AND
REVIEW
12. The relationship between our organisations
will evolve over time and we will keep this Memorandum under review.
Key milestones for reviews are the appointment of the Chairman
and Chief Executive of Natural England in November 2005, and legal
establishment of Natural England in October 2006 (as currently
envisaged and subject to parliamentary approval).
Governance of this Memorandum
13. The CEO's of each of the organisations
will own and sign off this Memorandum, and meet to monitor progress
every quarter. Relevant Executive Directors, including Regional
Directors, will meet regularly to put this Memorandum into operation
and monitor outcomes. Chairs and Board members will meet as necessary
to discuss specific national issues and the overall progress on
this Memorandum.
Andy Brown, Chief Executive;
English Nature
Barbara Young, Chief Executive;
Environment Agency
Paul Hill-Tout, Director
England; Forestry Commission
John Adams, Chief Executive
; Rural Development Service
Margaret Clarke, Acting
Chief Executive; Countryside Agency
September 2005
1 The Natural England partnership is working together,
from 1 April 2005, until the legal establishment of the new agency.
It comprises the Landscape, Access and Recreation division of
the Countryside Agency, English Nature and most of the Rural Development
Service. Back
2
And preceding legislation related to the three partners within
the Natural England partnership. Back
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