Minutes:
Regional Park –
The Colne Valley Park was founded in 1965 led by the Local Authorities in the area as the first taste of countryside to the west of London. There is a variety of environments. It is a coherent landscape but divided by LA boundaries. The sheer scale of partners involved in the Park is both a strength and a weakness. The challenge is getting organisations to work together particularly from a planning point of view.
Parts of Colnbrook and Poyle are within the Park.
Six Objectives of the CVP are;
· Maintaining and enhancing the landscape
· Safeguarding the countryside – where development is permissible with adequate mitigation for the benefit of the local countryside and community.
· Conserving and enhancing biodiversity
· Providing opportunities for countryside recreation
· Achieving a vibrant and sustainable rural economy
· Encouraging community participation
The cumulative effect of all the major developments affecting the CVP is not currently being recognised at local level or central govt. level. The effect of Cross Rail for instance, is minimal within the Park because the scale of other developments has grown so much. These regionally and nationally significant developments need to be viewed together and planned for properly to give the best long term outcomes for the Park and local communities.
The CVP was an informal partnership until recently, but is now a Community Interest Company which legally exists, can have its own views, employ staff and raise its own funding.
CVP is a broad based CIC representing the interests of all the stakeholders. Over time the membership will grow with Local Authorities being fundamental. SBC has signed up and recognises the 6 objectives, though does not contribute financially. User groups are the biggest segment of membership with the CVP looking to expand the corporate membership which currently stands at three.
There is a board of 12 directors taken from across the CIC membership highlighting the need for private/public partnerships when considering the wider landscapes and acknowledging the development pressures. Each member organisation contributes a small amount and this is multiplied up by Groundwork the managing company so that the funding is increased significantly.
Projects –
· The Park is increasingly aiming at long term revenue type projects rather than one-off capital investments; looking for sustainability value with future maintenance built in and involvement by local groups.
· Circular walks to be collated into a single publication and downloadable individually from the website. This will encourage people to use the countryside on their doorstep park which in turn will help them value it, understand it and then want to protect it from development. Encouraging as many people as possible to identify with the Park is paramount.
· Develop and promote the Colne Valley Trail as a flagship route. There is work to extend the Trail to link up with the Thames path in the south. There is a plan agreed with the relevant local authorities which will be implemented bit by bit when funding becomes available.
The main thing is to use the limited funding and resources available for the CVP to the best possible value.
DM queried the use of mapping on the CVP website and SP explained that the website is out of date and it is hoped to access funding for a re-design soon to make information more accessible from the site. DM suggested that bus routes and car parks ought to be included on maps of walking routes through the CVP.
WS thought there was little mention of the SSSI’s in the CVP literature, in particular the Magna Carta site, which is of major cultural interest and could therefore be highlighted to increase revenue for the Park. SP agreed and explained that CVP are talking to the National Trust and RBWM council to establish a southern gateway to the Park at this site with linking routes according to local need.
SP made the point that one of the main aspirations of the CVP is to make the argument for joined up thinking across county and borough boundaries on a landscape scale by drawing attention to the importance of the CVP as a whole with high levels of biodiversity of European significance.
DM asked how many people were visiting the CVP and SP stated it is certainly in the millions per year. One of the most popular destinations used mainly by Slough residents within the CVP is Black Park.
Members asked for confirmation that the entire Slough Arm of the Grand Union canal is inside the CVP, though SP stated that he is uncertain. TH thought that the whole canal length was added in 1987 when SBC joined the CVP. JW will investigate whether the whole canal is actually part of the CVP as members are keen that it is promoted as part of the CVP.
SP invited members to the upcoming CVP CIC annual meeting on the 12th November 2013. DM proposed that the Slough LAF become a member of the CVP CIC as a community group. A vote was taken and all agreed. SP would keep in touch via email and would send the appropriate forms.
Resolved: That the Slough LAF supports the objectives of the CVP and would like to work in partnership with CVP in recognising the importance of the Parks promotion and accessibility to Slough residents. To help accomplish this Slough LAF will become a member of the Colne Valley Park CIC.