Councillor Adcock will propose and Councillor Jordan will second that:

The Council endorse the Cotswolds National Landscape Management Plan - https://www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CNL_Management-Plan-2023-25_final.pdf

108.1         The Mayor referred to the Notice of Motion, as set out on the Agenda, and indicated that, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, it was necessary for the Council firstly to decide whether it wished to debate and determine the Motion at this evening’s meeting, or whether it wished to refer the Motion, without debate, to a Committee for consideration with authority either to make a decision on the matter or bring a recommendation back to Council.

108.2         Upon being proposed and seconded, it was

RESOLVED          That the Motion would be discussed at this evening’s meeting.

108.3         The Motion, as set out on the Agenda, was proposed and seconded.  The proposer of the Motion advised that Cotswolds National Landscape was a name change and a reflection on the value of protected landscapes - some Members may know these areas as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) of which, locally, the Cotswolds was one. The AONB was recognisable and noticeable from many locations as it was the backdrop to much of the borough.  He understood it was easy for people to become too familiar and comfortable with these areas and perhaps may no longer recognise their beauty or the need for conservation and protection. The natural landscape, the agricultural landscape and cultural, community and economic aspects of the Cotswolds were recognised globally as an important landscape area and therefore merited being properly looked after.  The borough’s area within the AONB, being predominantly Oolitic Limestone, would have a significant part to play in species movement in response to climate change.  The Cotswolds National Landscape Board accepted that endorsement did not represent full alignment with the management plan -  that would not be practical or desirable given there were 15 authorities within the Cotswolds National Landscape area, each with different characteristics even within the AONB.   Tewkesbury Borough Council was one of the local authorities which had the special landscape area within its borders but was one of the few left to endorse the Management Plan.  The Cotswolds National Landscape area was the third largest such area in the country outside of National Parks.  Each landscape area had a range of special qualities that were worth conserving and enhancing and were distinctive at a national scale.   There were three overarching headings within the plan - Climate Emergency, Nature’s Decline and the Ecological Crisis, Health and Societal Change - and three broad themes - tackling twenty-first century issues through progressive partnerships, conserving and enhancing natural beauty and increasing understanding and engagement.  Desired outcomes were detailed in the plan under the headings of: climate action, natural and cultural capital, working together, landscape, local distinctiveness, tranquillity, dark skies, historic environment and cultural heritage, biodiversity and nature recovery, rural land management, development and transport, health and wellbeing, access and recreation and sustainable tourism.  One of the areas which the management plan policies related to was in the policy-making and decision-taking of local planning authorities.  For example, it was hoped that local planning authorities would have regard to the management plan policies when reviewing and developing their own policies, including those within their development plans.  The management plan policies were aspirational and, as such, might go further than current policies in individual development plans – it was intended that these aspirational policies would aid in helping to develop and evidence new local plan policies.  The management plan should be a material consideration in planning decisions; however, it was recognised that planning law required that applications for planning permission be determined in accordance with the local planning authority’s development plan, unless material considerations indicated otherwise.  The management plan ran for two years rather than the usual five because the Cotswolds National Landscape Board anticipated significant national and local policy development for protected landscapes during this period, particularly with reference to climate action. During the two-year span of the interim plan, the Cotswolds National Landscape Board intended to further develop the evidence and data so it could build meaningful targets towards net zero into its next plan.  As such, this interim plan would run from 2023 to 2025 with a steer towards 2030 and, although interim, it echoed and strengthened the Council’s aims in terms of communities, wellbeing, planning and infrastructure.

108.4         The seconder of the Motion welcomed attention being drawn to the Cotswolds National Landscape Management Plan.  She could see that a lot of hard work had gone into the development of the document which set a positive vision for how the protected landscape should be managed over the next few years.  She was particularly encouraged to see the emphasis placed upon tackling the climate and ecological emergencies and how the document could help guide and inform thinking on the development of the new Strategic and Local Plan (SLP).  She recognised the importance of the protected landscape and its contribution to the quality of the natural environment and was very happy to endorse and support the Motion.

108.5         A Member sought clarification as to the meaning of ‘endorse’ and clarity in terms of what the Council was being asked to vote on, for example, in supporting the Motion, would the Cotswolds National Landscape Management Plan inform policy and become part of planning procedures.  In response, the proposer of the Motion explained that the Council would be acknowledging the plan, signifying that it accepted and understood it and would have regard to it when making policy.  The seconder of the Motion reiterated her earlier comments in terms of using the plan to guide and inform thinking in development of the new SLP.  The Executive Director: Place understood the concern in relation to specificity and explained that, in accepting the Motion, the Council would be acknowledging the existence of the document and noting it in relation to its business and he felt the wording of the Motion reflected that.  Another Member drew attention to Page No. 65 of the Cotswold National Landscape Management Plan and asked whether the last two bullet points under ‘stakeholder delivery’ offered more clarity.  The proposer and seconder of the Motion confirmed they were happy for that wording to be incorporated into the Motion and this became part of the substantive Motion as follows:  That the Council endorse the Cotswold National Landscape Management Plan by having regard to the Plan including its vision, outcomes and, perhaps most importantly, its policies; and incorporating the Plan’s vision, outcomes and policies into the Council’s own plans, policies, proposals, work programmes and decisions, where appropriate.  The Chief Executive reminded Members that the AONB had statutory planning weight under the Countryside Rights of Way Act irrespective of what the Council chose to do in relation to the Cotswold National Landscape Management Plan.

108.6         A Member indicated that changing the AONB to a National Park was something which had been discussed for a number of years and she queried whether this was an interim measure paving the way for that.  The proposer of the Motion confirmed this had been talked about but was not on the table as it stood.  The interim management plan had come about as a way to bridge the gap and look at the various changes which were coming forward over the next couple of years - the next plan would cover the period 2025-30.

108.7         Accordingly, the substantive Motion was proposed and seconded and it was

RESOLVED          That the Council endorse the Cotswold National Landscape Management Plan by having regard to the Plan including its vision, outcomes and, perhaps most importantly, its policies; and incorporating the Plan’s vision, outcomes and policies into the Council’s own plans, policies, proposals, work programmes and decisions, where appropriate.