Lake District National Park Partnership
28 February 2011
Agenda item:5a
Page: 1
MONITORING THE PARTNERSHIP’S PLAN: THE FIRST MONITORING REPORT ON
ACTIONS
1
Summary
1.1
This is the first monitoring report, which summarises progress on all the actions in the
Partnership’s Plan.
Recommendation that: a
b
c
you note progress on actions in the Partnership’s Plan in
Annex 1;
Identify which, if any, actions should be discussed in
more detail at the next Partnership meeting, to help
ensure delivery;
you provide any feedback to improve the process of
monitoring.
2
Background
2.1
The Partnership's Plan is the Management Plan for the Lake District National Park 2010 –
2015, co-ordinating partnership activity in the National Park. The Partnership adopted the
Partnership’s Plan at the meeting on 7 September 2010.
2.2
In order to make progress towards delivering the Vision we must monitor progress on
delivering the Plan. This includes monitoring performance indicators and actions in the
Plan. Additionally, the risks to delivering the Plan need to be understood and managed.
The Partnership agreed on 13 December 2010 how we will monitor the Plan. This first
monitoring report focuses on delivery, giving an update on progress on all the actions in
the Partnership Plan in Annex 1.
2.3
The Partnership Plan Subgroup will meet on 30 March 2011. They will review the
performance indicators, in light of recent changes by Government which include replacing
the National Indicator Set with a single list of data and scrapping the Place Survey. They
will also consider how we manage the risks to delivering the Partnership’s Plan.
2.4
In June the Partnership will receive an update on all monitoring activity, including actions,
data for performance indicators and updates on risks to delivery. This will provide the
context for the Partnership Plan Subgroup to lead the review of the Partnership Plan, in
particular the actions, before the meeting in September. This annual review of the
Partnership's Plan will help us address issues that arise, whilst remaining on course
towards achieving our Vision.
3
Monitoring Progress on Actions in the Partnership's Plan
3.1
For each action Partners leading individual actions have assessed how we are doing by
giving each action, as described in the ‘action’ and ‘how’ columns in Annex 1, a status as
follows:

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we have completed the action within the timescale – complete
we are likely to complete the action as things are going according to schedule – a green
status
we may have problems completing the action within the timescale – an amber status
we are very unlikely to complete the action within the timescale – a red status.
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Lake District National Park Partnership
28 February 2011
Agenda item:5a
Page: 2
3.2
We thank Partners for completing their updates and returning to the Lake District National
Park Authority. This is the first time we have attempted this exercise and we would
welcome any feedback on the process. We will be contacting Partners leading actions for
their next update in May 2011.
3.3
Undertaking this exercise we note a number of things that we will address through the
review of the Partnership Plan:
 some actions need to be ‘SMARTer’, that is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic
within a given timescale – a number of actions are identified with a ‘red’ status due to
changes in timescales rather than lack of progress (for example action 27.83)
 whilst we want The Partnership Plan to be live we also need to appreciate the
resources required to update it. We intend to update actions annually when we can
amend, add new ones and remove others. An annual update will allow us to consider
the balance of activities across the whole Partnership Plan, but notes are contained in
Annex 1 where new actions are needed and where actions have been stopped
 prioritising actions will help us focus on what we need to deliver, which is particularly
important in a climate of reduced resources.
3.4
Looking at Annex 1, we have completed four of the 87 actions, 46 actions are ‘green’
status, 24 actions are ‘amber’ status and nine actions have a ‘red’ status. We did not
receive updates for three of the actions. This means that we completed five per cent of the
actions, just over half are going according to plan, and we are having difficulties
completing about 40 per cent of the actions. The following table shows how these are split
over the four outcomes of the Vision.
Prosperous
economy
World class visitor
experiences
Vibrant
communities
Spectacular
landscape, wildlife
and cultural
heritage
Totals
No of
actions
Complete
Green
Amber
Red
16
0
11
4
1
No
update
received
0
18
0
9
7
2
0
21
1
12
5
2
1
32
3
14
9
4
2
87
4
46
25
9
3
3.5
We recognise that we are working in a volatile climate at the moment, with government
cuts affecting several Partner organisations, uncertainty about funding streams and the
need to change how actions are delivered to take account of this. Several actions are
dependent on specific external funding streams and may not be completed, either partially
or fully, if funding bids are unsuccessful. These include the following actions:

action 10.29, ‘Western Connections’ Access to Nature project – bid unsuccessful so
action stopped.
action 14.40, data on second homes in south lakes – study not yet funded
action 19.60, carbon flows project – awaiting outcome of LIFE+ bid
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Lake District National Park Partnership
28 February 2011
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Agenda item:5a
Page: 3
action 19.61, bog project – awaiting outcome of external funding bid
action 21.67, Fix the Fells project – bid to HLF unsuccessful and seeking funding
elsewhere
action 22.71, water quality of lakes – awaiting bid to HLF for Windermere Reflections
Project.
3.6
The following sections summarise progress on actions for each of the four outcomes of
the Vision.
4
Prosperous economy
4.1
For the majority of actions for this outcome progress is going according to plan. Good
progress includes:

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progress on developing the Allocations of Land Development Plan Document (action 1.02)
Cumbria identified as one of four areas in the country to pilot next generation internet
access (action 2.04)
establishing a Farming and Forestry Taskforce (action 4.10)
study of renewable energy capacity and deployment for Cumbria underway (action 5.13).
4.2
Work on the following actions is not going as initially planned:

three business areas for small businesses, as we are now reliant on private sector funding
to support the purchase and building of these areas (action 1.01)
developing a Business Improvement District for Windermere and Bowness (action 1.03)
no progress has been made on maximising benefits from the Rural Development
Programme for England (action 4.07)
establishing a Cumbria Community Energy Trust, in particular finding projects to invest in
with adequate returns (action 5.12)
skills training for the tourism sector will be severely reduced because of funding limitations
(action 6.16).
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5
Visitor experience
5.1
Half of the actions for this outcome are going according to schedule. Progress includes:

seven accommodation improvement schemes approved in National Park during 2010 – 11
(action 7.17)
a three-year rights of way flood recovery programme established, with funding (action
9.23)
confirmation of Registration Byelaw amendments for Windermere and new lake patrol
team established to enforce the byelaws (action 9.28)
work to set up an outdoor events web-based portal (action 12.34).
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Lake District National Park Partnership
28 February 2011
Agenda item:5a
Page: 4
5.2
Work on the following actions is not going as initially planned:

delivery of improvements at Waterhead, part of the Windermere Waterfront programme,
as funding is not available, although progress is being made on other parts of this
programme (action 7.18)
Cumbria Tourism will not co-ordinate the Visitor Information Partnership from April
onwards (action 7.19)
improvements to countryside access, through the Cumbria Countryside Access
Partnership, may be limited because of reductions in spending on rights of way (action
9.24)
exploring visitor pay back schemes (action 11.32)
establishing a framework and accreditation scheme for events which includes impacts on
the environment and communities (action 12.33).
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5.3
The ‘Western Connections’ Access to Nature project will not go ahead as the bid for
funding was unsuccessful (action 10.29).
6
Vibrant communities
6.1
One action is complete: the Core Strategy and Housing Provision Supplementary
Planning Document were both adopted in October 2010 (action 13.35). Over half of the
remaining actions for this outcome are going according to plan and progress includes:

three Community Land Trusts established and three more in the process of setting up
(action 13.37)
Local Area Partnerships developing that cover parts of the National Park in South
Lakeland, Copeland and Allerdale (action 14.42)
37 parishes involved in community-led planning (action 15.45)
launching the GoNoWLakes integrated ticket, incorporating travel by boat and bus in the
central lakes (action 18.52).
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6.2
Work on the following actions is not going as initially planned:


two of the housing needs surveys in South Lakeland planned for 2010-11 are yet to start
and it is unclear how housing needs surveys will be undertaken in Eden beyond April
2011 (action 13.39)
the study on second home in south lakes is not funded so is unable to proceed (action
14.40)
developing a follow-on project from ‘Investing in Communities’ will happen later than
initially planned, in 2011 (action 15.44)
we will not publicise the transport framework to residents and wider public by 2011, as
marketing strategy is not yet in place (action 18.48)
recommendations from car parking study may not be fully implemented (action 18.54).
7
Spectacular landscape, wildlife and cultural heritage
7.1
We have completed three actions:

established an ‘expert’ group of LDNP Partnership representatives to develop the carbon
budget and work on collaborative projects in relation to climate change (action 19.57)
revised the Historic Environment Strategy for the Lake District (action 26.81)
completed a condition survey of listed buildings in the National Park (action 27.84).
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Lake District National Park Partnership
28 February 2011
Agenda item:5a
Page: 5
7.2
Just under half of the remaining actions are going according to plan and progress
includes:
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establishing a carbon budget for the Lake District (action 19.56)
work piloting valley management in Borrowdale and Ullswater (action 20.64)
work on ecosystem services pilot at Bassenthwaite (action 20.65)
agreeing one year and five year plans for Windermere and Bassenthwaite (action 22.71)
restoring over 100 hectares of wetland habitat in 2010 (action 23.75)
7.3
Work on the following actions is not going as initially planned:

we are awaiting outcomes of funding bids in order to deliver the following two actions:
carbon flows project (action 19.60), project to restore blanket bogs (action 19.61),
developing a strategic framework for landscape-scale projects will happen later than
initially planned, in 2011 (action 20.63)
we need to find funding for Fix the Fells beyond 2011 (action 21.67)
Mungrisdale Common identified as the site to run a pilot project to monitor the condition of
common land and raise public awareness, but this will be developed later than planned,
with actions taking place in 2012 and 2013 (actions 21.69 and 21.70).
the Lake District has not been identified as one of the eight national pilot Integrated
Biodiversity Delivery Areas, so work on this action will not start until summer 2011 (action
23.73)
we are awaiting publication by Government of the tentative list of sites to put forward as
World Heritage Sites (action 26.80)
conservation area appraisals and management plans will be in place for all conservation
areas by 2014, rather than 2013 (action 27.83).
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Author/Post
Date Written
Kate Payne, Performance Management Adviser, Lake
District National Park Authority
Stephen Ratcliffe, Director of Planning and Partnerships,
Lake District National Park Authority
21 February 2011