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ITEM EX13
EXECUTIVE
– 1 OCTOBER 2002
THREE COUNTIES
LOCAL BIOLOGICAL RECORDS CENTRE
Report by
Director of Cultural Services and Director of Environmental Services
Introduction
- English Nature
is currently promoting an initiative which would integrate the collation,
storage and retrieval of biological data across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire
and Oxfordshire.
- For a number of
years there has been a demand for data to be more allied to the Biodiversity
Action Planning process. The responsibility for safeguarding, maintaining
and expanding priority habitats and species has largely been devolved
to a county level. Although many counties, including Oxfordshire, have
prepared detailed habitat/species action plans (HAPs/SAPs) the process
of implementing them has largely stalled. One of the main reasons for
this inertia is a serious lack of accessible data relating to these
priority habitats/species.
- In Oxfordshire,
many of these key habitats are currently being surveyed and the information
then stored on a database at the Biological Records Centre at the Oxfordshire
Museums Store, Standlake. However, all of this survey data is site based
and a lot more work is needed in order to establish the link between
these sites and the priority habitats/species which they support. This
information has to be stored in a way which is easily accessible and
understood by a wide range of potential users. Up until now the resources
for carrying out this task have been limited. As well as serving the
BAP process the information is also vital in order to provide sound
and up to date advice to District Council planners in all the Authorities.
Biodiversity indicators are also part of Best Value and are an important
component of Community Strategies.
The Proposal
- Although English
Nature is very keen to see Local Records Centres improved at a county
level they prefer to operate more strategically to complement their
Natural Areas framework. This framework is based on discrete units of
countryside throughout England each with their own unique landscapes
and associated habitats e.g. the Chilterns. In Oxfordshire, there are
6 Natural Areas which also cross over into adjacent counties such as
Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.
- In order to bring
biological recording in these three counties up to a common standard
English Nature is willing to commit £60,000 p.a. for three years to
help establish a new system. To try and reach a consensus English Nature
commissioned the Somerset Environmental Records Centre (SERC) to identify
various possible options. After much discussion, involving representatives
from all three counties, the most acceptable compromise is the so called
"hybrid option".
- This would mean
establishing a new unit based in one of the existing records centres
in either Buckinghamshire or Oxfordshire. This unit would consist of
a Director, an I.T. specialist and three surveyors. There would be one
surveyor per county. New I.T. equipment would also be required.
- However, English
Nature will only proceed if there is sufficient financial backing from
most, if not all, the Local Authorities in the three counties as these
are perceived to be the main customers for such a service. If the new
unit is not sustainable English Nature will not commit funding.
- Each county is
now going through a process of seeking support and backing from all
the councils in their area. In Oxfordshire, Craig Blackwell, the County
Ecologist, is co-ordinating discussions between separate departments
within the County Council and representatives from all the District
Councils. He has put together a package of potential, jointly-funded
biodiversity projects including a bid for the Local Records Centre.
The aim is to secure funding, initially, for a three year period (April
2003-2006). English Nature is seeking a contribution of £24,000 per
annum from each county. It will be up to the individual local authorities
to decide on how this will be apportioned within their respective areas.
- English Nature
funding will taper after the three year period. The director will be
required to plan income and grant aid from 2006 and consideration will
be given to transferring the Local Records Centre to ‘trust’ status.
- Following completion
of the SERC report, representatives from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire
and Oxfordshire met to consider the best location for the proposed new
Local Records Centre. They agreed that the best location would be at
the Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock, in space identified in the Pratten
Building. A commercial rent will be charged for the accommodation. The
County Museums and Heritage Officer has since met with English Nature
to discuss the details and a Memorandum of Agreement is being prepared
with advice from Legal Services.
- It is proposed
that, subject to funding from English Nature and all the local authorities,
the Local Record Centre be set up initially for a three year period.
- The proposal was
discussed at the Museums Joint Working Group meeting in June and received
support from the Oxfordshire County and District Councillors present;
officers from the District Councils in Oxfordshire have echoed that
support.
Financial
and Staff Implications
- If it is agreed
that Oxfordshire’s will be shared equally between the six local authorities,
the county council’s required to make an annual contribution towards
the Local Records Centre of £4,000. This can be found from existing
resources, namely income for biological recording carried out by the
Curator of Natural Sciences/Biological Records Officer and income from
the proposed rent for the new Local Records Centre accommodation at
the Oxfordshire Museum. Other local authorities in Oxfordshire are being
asked to contribute a similar amount.
- It is proposed
that the new staff for the Local Records Centre (3FTE: director, IT
officer and support officer) are employed by Oxfordshire County Council.
All staffing costs, including recruitment and (should it prove necessary)
redundancy, will be financed within the overall project budget. It is
also proposed that existing staff from Oxfordshire County Council (1FTE:
0.5 FTE County Biological Records Officer and 0.5 FTE Wildlife Sites
Officer) and staff from the other authorities are seconded to the Local
Records Centre. The director of the Local Records Centre will report
to the County Museums and Heritage Officer.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- The Executive
is RECOMMENDED to:
- agree,
in principle, the establishment of a new Local Records Centre
to service Biodiversity Action Planning requirements in Berkshire,
Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire;
- agree,
subject to appropriate legal arrangements, the location of the
new centre at the Oxfordshire Museum;
- agree
the principle of the funding for the project over a 3 year period
(April 2003-2006) as set out in paragraph 13 of this report;
- authorise
the secondment of current Oxfordshire County Council staff and
recruitment of additional staff as detailed in paragraph 14
of the report;
- authorise
the Solicitor to the Council, in consultation with the Executive
Members for Learning & Culture and Schools, to agree and
execute a Memorandum of Agreement with English Nature and any
other necessary legal documentation to carry out the services
as described in the report.
RICHARD
MUNRO
Director of
Cultural Services
DAVID
YOUNG
Director of
Environmental Services
Background
papers: Somerset Environmental Records Centre report 2002
,
Contact Officers:
Craig Blackwell, County Ecologist, Environmental Services.
Tel: 01865 810469
Martyn Brown,
County Museums and Heritage Officer, Cultural Services. Tel: 01993 814114
September
2002
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