Community Benefits Sub-Gp notes, 25th Oct 2010
Document No: 117
Status: Adopted
Title: Notes of the Community Benefits Sub-Gp meeting 25th
October 2010
Author: Fergus McMorrow, on behalf of CB Sub-Gp
Notes: Notes from 29th September 2010 appended for info
Present:
Fergus McMorrow, Copeland BC
Charles Holmes, Allerdale BC
Guy Richardson, CALC
Stewart Kemp, Cumbria CC
Rhuari Bennet 3KQ
Steve Smith, Copeland BC
- APOLOGIES
No apologies
- NOTES OF THE LAST MEETING
Notes of the last meeting held on 29th September agreed.
- GALSTON SCIENCES REPORT.
Feedback was discussed and the points to be communicated to Phil Richardson were agreed. Fergus McMorrow is to pass the information to him.
- MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
This will pull together the ‘heads of Terms’ of the principles the group have been working on. Fergus McMorrow will do the first draft and circulate by e mail for comment prior to the next Steering Group. This would be based on the original list of issues set out in the terms of reference (document 71). Discussion took place on whether we needed an MOU, an MOA or some other form of agreement. Before a final conclusion is reached the implications of each need to be considered. Fergus McMorrow will seek some internal legal advice on the different options.
- COUNTRY GDP INFORMATION
This is to provide a measure of country wealth in order to help interpret the international experience we are reviewing. Agreed that this work is relatively modest and can be incorporated into the work under 6.
- BROAD SCALE OF BENEFITS
It has been the intention to use the GS research to try and draw out principles in relation to the broad scale of benefits. A discussion took place about how this might be done given the range of parameters we have now collected. It was considered that this needed a mathematical/ statistical approach to seek some kind of loose formula that could point to a minimum expectation. It was necessary so that there could be a justification for going forward in the process. I.e. there must be some demonstration that the benefits could outweigh detriments. It was agreed that Stewart Kemp would set up a discussion with the Cumbria Observatory to explore the best way of achieving this objective.
- DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS
This will be covered in very broad terms in the MOU. It is clearly more of an issue for agreement between the partners and decision making bodies rather than DECC. However it links into our request to DECC for clarity on any restrictions to the use of any funding at an early stage. It was agreed Fergus McMorrow would draft something short as part of the principles for others to debate, using the wording already published in the Principal Authority MoU.
- PAPER ON PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Work being done by Copeland and partners in relation to Nuclear New Build will produce clarity and papers on the new system and our expectations as planning authorities. This will be produced by June and allow the development of our views at that time. In the meantime FergusMcMorrow will draft some initial word in the draft MOU principles.
- RESOURCES
Resource difficulties were recognised especially with regard to changes at Copeland. Steve Smith was attending to ensure continuity. It was expected that Paul Walker would take an active involvement in the group in the future.
- NEXT MEETING
To be arranged
Notes of the Community Benefits Sub Committee Meetings 29thSeptember
29th September
Present:
Fergus McMorrow, Copeland BC
Charles Holmes, Allerdale BC
Guy Richardson, CALC
Stewart Kemp, CumbriaCC
Andrew Craze DECC
Rhuari Bennet 3KQ
Richard Harris 3KQ
- This meeting focussed on the Steering Groups requests to DECC following the approval of the recommendations made by the Sub Group in August.
- The requests include:
1. A response from DECC to the Partnerships request that DECC agree to the principle of providing community benefits at key milestones in the process. The partnership may take the view that this is required before a decision could be taken to move to the next step. It would also be necessary to identify and agree the nature of the benefit that would be provided at the next milestone as soon as possible.
2. DECC offered to provide legal advice on the most watertight forms of agreement that might be considered in relation to community benefits.
3. DECC have also been asked to advise the partnerships of any likely restrictions on the use of funding provided as a community benefit.
4. DECC have also been asked to prepare a more formal paper to the Partnership, (building on the work they have already done) and in doing so advise on the nature of the government approval process that might each required for each type and any practical or political issues that may arise as a result.
Action: AC to confirm when the partnership will have a response
to these requests.
- The next steps in the process were discussed and it was agreed that it would be helpful if an initial “heads of terms” draft of the memorandum of understanding were produced. This could be used an a means of seeking the views of the wider partnership to ensure that there was full agreement to the types of principles that would need to be agreed before a decision could be made to go to the next stage or not.
Action: FM to prepare initial draft for consideration at the next CB sub group meeting on 9th Nov prior to consideration of the issue by the Partnership on December 10th.