Natural England - new name for soon to be merged agencies (1 Viewer)

English Nature press release:

Natural England – for people, places and nature

Last year, the Government announced its intention to merge, by 2007, English Nature, the access, recreation and landscapes elements of the Countryside Agency, and the agri-environment parts of the Rural Development Service into a new independent agency, which will focus on improved environmental land management.

Today (23 March 2005) Margaret Beckett, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced that the new agency will be called Natural England.

Sir Martin Doughty, Chair of English Nature, said:

"We're excited to come together in Natural England. It's a natural partnership and it makes sense to bring together all the different services we provide to look after the natural environment under one roof. Unifying the three organisations will ensure we have one strong voice speaking out for the needs of rural, urban, maritime and coastal areas. Joining access with nature conservation and landscape will help create wonderful new opportunities for people to get out and enjoy themselves."

Margaret Beckett Names New Champion Of Landscape Management And Nature Conservation

DEFRA press release: 23 March 2005

MARGARET BECKETT NAMES NEW CHAMPION OF LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT AND NATURE CONSERVATION

Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, today outlined progress towards the establishment of a new organisation with the aim of conserving and enhancing England's landscape and wildlife and encouraging people to enjoy and gain benefit from it.

This fulfills a central promise in the Government's Rural Strategy, which was published last July, and furthers Defra's priorities as set out in our 5-Year Strategy last December.

Mrs Beckett announced that the name of the new agency will be Natural England, with the strapline "For People, Places and Nature". This was proposed by the Chairmen of the three organisations following consultation with staff of the organisations and its partners.

The agency will bring together English Nature, parts of the Countryside Agency and most of the Rural Development Service. It will be formally established by January 2007, subject to Parliamentary agreement, through the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill. This was published in draft on 10 February for pre-legislative scrutiny and will be introduced to Parliament as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Until the legislation is passed, the existing bodies will form a confederation of partners, working together under a common overarching vision and purpose to deliver joint outcomes in partnership. Land managers will find it easier and simpler to get funding, help and advice from a single body. One person will make visits from the confederation, instead of two or more from the three bodies it brings together.

Mrs Beckett said:

"Natural England will play a key role in fulfilling the Government's commitment to a better quality of life for everyone in both rural and urban areas. This name sums up what we want the new agency to be about - protecting and enhancing the national treasure of our green spaces in England for the enjoyment of current and future generations. It will be a champion for wild spaces, for havens of peace in towns and cities, and for our beautiful coastline. I wish everyone involved success with their work and know that with their commitment and determination we will achieve a sustainable natural environment for future generations."

Sir Martin Doughty, Chair of English Nature, said:

"We're excited to come together in Natural England. It's a natural partnership and it makes sense to bring together all the different services we provide to look after the natural environment under one roof. Unifying the three organisations will ensure we have one strong voice speaking out for the needs of rural, urban, maritime and coastal areas. Joining access with nature conservation and landscape will help create wonderful new opportunities for people to get out and enjoy themselves."

Stuart Burgess, Chairman of the Countryside Agency, said:

"So many people are excited about the prospect of the new agency since this will be the first time a body with all these responsibilities under one roof has existed - it's therefore really helpful to be able to start to talk about the name."

John Adams, Chief Executive of the Rural Development Service, said:

"There are great benefits to be gained from this partnership. We are already starting to see the immense potential of working closely together, as we saw earlier this month with the launch of Environmental Stewardship."





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Notes for editors

1. The range of benefits Defra expects the confederation of partners to deliver for customers from 1 April include:

the progressive transfer of SSSI Wildlife Enhancement Scheme agreements into the Higher Level Environmental Stewardship Scheme and establishing only one contact point for all agreement holders;
integrated policy advice to national and regional government consultations, including renegotiation of the EU Rural Development Regulation;
the piloting of a single regional voice in the Eastern Region with all other Regions to follow suit by the end of the year;
management of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund from the customer perspective as a single scheme;
four pilot projects with the Environment Agency on integrated catchment management which, in particular, will address diffuse pollution and water management issues and allow us to develop our approach in advance of the full implementation of the Water Framework Directive.
2. The Government's Rural Strategy (published in July 2004) set out a clear vision of a better quality of life for all, with sustainable development at its heart. This means:

thriving rural communities and businesses
fair access to services for all in the countryside and reaching those suffering social and / or economic disadvantage
rich diverse landscapes and wildlife, managed and enhanced for the benefit of current and future generations
3. Defra's Five Year Strategy (December 2004) took this forward by setting out how we are putting sustainable development into practice in rural areas.

4. Achieving this vision means making our delivery structures fit for purpose. The Rural Strategy will remove duplication from the customer perspective. It will devolve responsibilities closer to rural people and rural businesses, and free up resources to make a real difference.

5. To deliver the Rural Strategy the Government is:

devolving more decision making and funding to regional and local level to encourage local solutions to local needs
setting up a focused programme to support the rural voluntary and community sectors in tackling social exclusion
launching a programme of action to enable the social enterprise sector to flourish
running a series of local authority-led pathfinder projects across England to pilot innovative approaches to rural delivery at the most local level (outline business plans published 14 March)
working across government to incorporate rural needs in planning and social housing measures, as well as increasing funding and targets, to help the supply of affordable rural housing
replacing 100 separate rural funding streams with three major programmes focused on need and improving access to advice for rural businesses
establishing a powerful rural watchdog and advocate in the new Commission for Rural Communities to hold to account those who deliver to the countryside and rural communities (launched 9 March)
creating a new agency - Natural England - through integration of existing bodies to bring new thinking into conservation and improvement of the natural environment for the benefit and well-being of this and future generations (named today)
6. These actions will further enhance the natural environment and address economic disadvantage and social exclusion in rural areas. They will give rural people and communities improved access to services and a strong voice.

7. Further details of the new agency and ongoing developments in the Modernising Rural Delivery Programme are available on the Defra website: www.defra.gov.uk/rural/ruraldelivery. See also the websites of English Nature: www.english-nature.org.uk; the Countryside Agency: www.countryside.gov.uk, and the Rural Development Service: www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/rds.

8. A copy of the draft Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill is available from the Defra website: www.defra.gov.uk/rural/ruraldelivery/bill. The Bill was published in draft on 10 February for a period of pre-legislative scrutiny. The Bill, and accompanying documents, are currently being revised in the light of comments received and, subject to the legislative timetable, will be formally introduced to Parliament in the next session.

9. Further information on the Rural Strategy is available at www.defra.gov.uk/rural/strategy.

Words, words, words - these politicians have got to show they are doing something with their time.

Chris Monk said:

with the strapline "For People, Places and Nature".

Click to expand...

They've cribbed that off the RSPB!

Might be a good move...

delia todd said:

Words, words, words - these politicians have got to show they are doing something with their time.

Click to expand...

How pathetic.....and probably a massive waste of cash!!!! :C Just smacks of how MAFF became DEFRA in 2001 after the foot & mouth......same useless idiots, different name!

GILL *political cynic* :C

Delia and Gill,

Thank you I am glad to see I am not the only cynic (realist that can read behind the words) on here. We females see beyond all the talk (we have been listening to men for years). It sounds good all the cash will go on expensive salaries, brochures, research (read plain facts) that any idiot could tell them).

Blair and his friends will only be happy when they turn the UK into a glorified theme park for tourists. No farms, no livestock just people wandering at will and where does he go for his holidays? his E U counterparts villas in Europe.

They seem to forget people need homes and jobs in the countryside look at Centre Parcs in the Lakes (they caught a load of illegal Brazilian immigrants there last summer) that's not helping local people or local wildlife.

Our country needs local people with local knowledge and homes looking after it and the wildlife it contains it can be done. Is another Kwango (have I spelt that right?)

Sorry rant over.

Ann

You're absolutely right Ann. Blair is completely out of touch with the countryside and the people who live and work on the land. Whether any political party these days has the guts to stick up for the UK's farmers (and the whitefish industry) is another matter. For some bizarre reason despite having historically one of the strongest economies in Europe, the UK's political masters are strangely hopeless at brokering deals for either industry at a European level.

In the meantime I'm off to emasculate myself on account of being male and an unperceptive man at that...

Hi there,

Thank you I thought I was in for hanging drawing quartering and all that.

You also just proved that there is one exception to every rule. Thank you Cornish Exile, sorry don't know your name.

Happy Easter

Ann

YES indeedy,Blair and his cronies and meddling Eurocrats,should be all strapped to a huge plucking post,and all nature can have a bite back

Make Protecting The Natural Environment Mean Something

CPRE press release:

MAKE PROTECTING THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT MEAN SOMETHING

If the Government is serious about protecting wildlife and landscape, it should make sure its new watchdog "Natural England{1}" is really independent and gives priority to the environment over all other purposes. That is the verdict of MPs and CPRE{2} agrees wholeheartedly.

In a clear message to Ministers, the Select Committee for the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee{3} has come down fair and square on the side of giving meaningful protection to the English landscape and the wildlife that it contains{4}.

"This is one of the best days for the landscape and for wildlife for a long time{5}" said Tom Oliver, Head of Rural Policy at CPRE.

"Natural England can only succeed if it is truly independent of the shifting priorities of governments. And crucially, it needs to have clear direction in law, that when there are conflicts of interest between the long term interests of our amazing diversity of landscapes and wildlife, that it should be their champion and not a mere referee, agonising over each dilemma," Tom Oliver continued.

The organisations which have the future of our wildlife and landscapes at the heart of what they do have been completely united on these key points{6}. We urge the Government to take full account of the Committee's verdict if and when they publish the Bill{7} which will set up the Integrated Agency", Tom Oliver concluded.

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. The Government announced on 23 March that the new integrated agency which brings together English Nature, that part of the Countryside Agency responsible for landscape, access and recreation and the Rural Development Service will be called Natural Engalnd

2. CPRE exists to promote the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England by encouraging the sustainable use of land and other natural resources in town and country. We promote positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside to ensure change values its natural and built environment. Our Patron is Her Majesty The Queen. We have 59,000 supporters, a branch in every county, nine regional groups, over 200 local groups and a national office in London. CPRE is a powerful combination of effective local action and strong national campaigning. Our President is Sir Max Hastings.

3. The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee report, "The Government's Rural Strategy and the Draft Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill" is published at 00.01am on Saturday 26 March,2005. The report investigated the Government's Rural Strategy, which was published in July 2004 and the draft Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, published in February 2005, which sets up Natural England and the Commission for Rural Communities as new non-departmental public bodies. These organisations will replace English Nature, The Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service which is currently part of Defra, responsible for agri-environment schemes.

4. The Select Committee recommends that the Bill should include direction that in the event of irreconcilable conflict between the various purposes of Natural England that the aim of conserving and enhancing the natural environment should take precedence over other purposes. CPRE has argued consistently that unless such a direction is in the legislation, that Natural England's actions would be paralysed where, for example, pursuit of some forms of open-air recreation were in conflict with wildlife protection. In the event of public inquiries into controversial development proposals, it is essential, in the view of CPRE, that Parliament's intention for Natural England to be a strong champion of the environment should be unambiguous.

5. CPRE believes that the protection of the landscape and the priority given to environmental protection over other purposes, together with a truly independent status for Natural England is crucial for the long term survival of our cherished landscapes, the wildlife that inhabits them and enjoyment of these things by the public.

6. CPRE gave oral evidence to the Select Committee with the RSPB, the Wildlife Trusts, the Woodland Trust and the Council for National Parks. Two written joint submissions were also made to the committee. Wildlife and Countryside Link also made a written submission to the committee.

7. The Government is expected to publish the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill in May 2005.

Published on this Website: 29-Mar-2005

Ramblers' Association warns that recreation must be a key issue for new agency

Ramblers' Association warns that recreation must be a key issue for new
Government agency

[23 March 2005]

The Ramblers' Association (RA) today gave a cautious welcome to the new name for the Government agency taking on the functions of English Nature, parts of the Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service.

‘Natural England’ will be the new name, reflecting the wide range of activities to be undertaken by the new body. The RA is concerned, however, by the similarity of this name to that of English Nature.

Nick Barrett, Chief Executive of the RA, said, “The new agency is about far more than simply repackaging English Nature. Natural England will have a key role to play in securing access to the natural environment and encouraging people to use, enjoy, and better understand England’s marvellous countryside and green spaces.

“We look forward to working with Natural England, and trust that it will become a real champion for access and outdoor recreation, to government and beyond.”