Issue - meetings

To receive a short presentation on the consultation’s findings, and to consider  and endorse, or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services on the proposed decision to adopt and deliver against The Country Parks Strategy 2017 – 2021.

Stephanie Holt (Head of Countryside, Leisure and Sport) and Ruth Tyson (Head of Country Parks and Countryside Partnerships) were in attendance for this item.

1. Mr M Hill, OBE (Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services) introduced the Country Parks Strategy 2017-2021 Consultation report that provided an overview of the findings, as well as the proposed changes to the implementation of the Strategy. Mr Hill referred to paragraph 1.2 that provided a summary of achievements within the service.

2. Stephanie Holt (Head of Countryside, Leisure and Sport) added that the first draft Consultation Strategy was presented by Tim Woodhouse to the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee in June 2017. She welcomed Ruth Tyson as the new(Job Share) Head of Country Parks and Countryside Partnerships to present to the committee the public’s response to the Kent Country Parks Strategy Consultation Questionnaire (Appendix 2, page 66 of the agenda pack).

3. Ruth Tyson (Head of Country Parks and Countryside Partnerships) presented a series of slides that set out; the Consultation Report, the continuous improvements and the visions, aims and objectives of the Kent Country Parks Strategy 2017-2021, and the public’s response to these.

4. Ruth Tyson advised Members that Appendix 1 contained further detail on the findings and the proposed changes that would help guide a well informed decision in allowing the service to adopt and deliver against the new Country Parks Strategy.

5. In response to questions the officers provided further information:

a.    Stephanie Holt addressed Members’ concerns regarding the response figures for the questionnaire. She confirmed that the Kent Consultation Team advised that the response rate was representative of a non-controversial Kent County Council consultation and owing to the high customer satisfaction level, the consultation was proposing a continual improvement of the Strategy rather than a radical change which led to a neutral response.

b.    In regard to the financial targets, in particular to the 77% self-generated income of the Country Parks budget, Stephanie Holt Informed Members that this was reflective of the performance figures for 2016-2017. Since the figure was produced, the Country Parks budget received a c. 20% cut but assurance was given to Members that the service was currently overperforming on income. Stephanie Holt reminded Members that the service was weather dependant and illustrated this with an observation that the majority of income targets were not met throughout December 2017, owing to the particularly inclement weather. This highlighted the importance of the out-of-season offers available to encourage visitors to the parks.

6. RESOLVED that:

a.)  the information set out in the presentation and given in response to comments and questions be noted; and

b.)    the Cabinet Committee endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services on the proposed decision to adopt and deliver against the Country Parks Strategy 2017-2021 as shown in Appendix A.