Purpose

Proposed decision   
That the Cabinet Member consider the proposal
to:
 

Agree to the signing of the two
expired Kent Countryside Management Partnerships Memorandums of
Agreement, and the signing of three Memorandums of Agreement when
they expire.
Agree continued hosting through the
MoA for the four Countryside Management
Partnerships.
Agree to increase annual
contributions for the four hosted Countryside Management
Partnerships in line with KCC's pay strategy annual pay award.
Agree to increase annual
contributions for the Countryside Management Partnerships in line
with inflation.
Delegate responsibility for the
negotiation of any annual increase to contributions to the
Corporate Director for Growth, Environment and Transport.

 
Reason for the
decision
Kent County Council rely on the skills,
knowledge and volunteers that the Countryside Management
Partnerships (CMPs) give us. Through these projects are delivered
that support priorities contained in Framing Kent’s Future.
The Memorandums of Agreement (MoA) for
the partnerships are required as part of the overall governance of
the Partnerships and for them to access external funding, so a
formal agreement is necessary.
 
Background
Whilst many CMPs across the country have been
subsumed into local authority countryside teams, Kent’s seven
partnerships have retained a local identity whilst operating as a
county wide service.  
  
CMPs are a suite of delivery organisations for
Kent’s green spaces and play a vital role in the conservation
of the Kent countryside and coast. Each CMP is hosted by a local
authority; four are hosted by Kent County Council. They operate as
an independent non-profit organisation, while working within their
host authority’s structure.
  
Kent County Council contributes a defined
amount of core funding annually; this amount has remained unchanged
for several years and is not inflationary.   
Individual governance, partnership and funding
arrangements are set out in each MoA,
which serves as the governing document for each partnership.
  
As partnership organisations, each CMP works
to contribute towards the strategic priorities of its partners, and
reports to them as per individual agreements and Service Level
Agreements. As a host authority and a core funder, Kent County
Council’s strategic priorities exert a significant influence
on the work of the CMPs and as such, they are vital in delivering
many environmental objectives.  
 
Options

Do nothing - without current
MoA CMPs will find it difficult to
access some funding streams as grant giving bodies often ask for a
governance document which the MoA
fulfils. This will impact on their income generation and ability to
fund staff and resources.

 

Do not extend the agreements
– In addition to the do-nothing option, by not signing the
MoA we would have to find alternative
methods of continuing our projects. This could be through taking on
the service ourselves, which would still have a financial burden on
KCC as a new team would have to be formed of KCC employees. If this
was done on budget then that would impact the quality and quantity
of work delivered. There would also be a loss of access to the
knowledge and partnerships already built up through the
partnerships, creating delays in projects and some, coming to a
stop all together. There is a risk that KCC could be viewed in
negative light if the MOA’s are withdrawn, potentially
jeopardising existing relationships.

 

Sign the new MoA – Sign to extend the expired, and
soon to be expired, MoA. This will
allow seamless continuation of the work being delivered by the
CMPs, and so, continuation of projects that are helping us meet the
environmental aims we have set out for Kent County Council.

 
Preferred Option
Option 3 is the preferred option, as it gives
the council best value for money, as CMPs have access to a wealth
of skills and knowledge, with teams who are already familiar with
the areas they work, the way the council works and have already
delivered projects successfully that help meet our targets and
aims.
 
The adoption of
this strategy will meet one of the four key priorities within
KCC’s Strategy – Framing Kent’s Future 2022
– 2026:
 
Priority 3: Environmental step change, in
particular: To consider Kent’s environment as a core asset
that is valued, strengthened and protected.
 
How the proposed
decision supports Securing Kent’s Future 2022 -2026: Securing
Kent’s Future - Budget Recovery Strategy
 
The decision supports Securing Kent’s
Future as although KCC do contribute funds, and this would continue
with the new MoA, this is significantly
less than it would be if KCC directly delivered the service and had
to wholly fund the CMPs.
 
Having the MoA in
place also opens up more funding opportunities for the CMPs as this
formal governance is required for funders. 
 
Financial
Implications:
The CMPs receive a small contribution from KCC
but are required to generate sufficient income to cover all their
costs, capital and revenue as well as maintain adequate
reserves.  Income is generated from other partners, who may or
may not be signatories to the MoA,
grant giving bodies, donations and project delivery. 
 
In addition, the four KCC hosted CMPs receive
KCC in kind contribution as staff are employed by KCC and they
adhere to KCC financial regulations.  This is the same
arrangement as the Kent Downs National Landscape, which is hosted
by KCC. 
 

CMP 

KCC core contribution
24/25 

23/24 turnover
*inc reserves and
rolled project funding

% of turnover funded by KCC contribution in
23/24

MCVP 

£9,300 

£259,474

3.6%

KSCP 

£12,000 

£850,417

1.4%

NWKCP 

£11,400 

£425,417

2.7%

KHWCP 

£11,900

£329,101

3.6%

WCCP 

£10,500 

£631,575

1.7%

 
The MoA helps to
provide a governance structure with the other relevant core
partners, enabling the SLAs that are in place and external funding
to be secured.  Without the MoAs that funding could not be accessed and funds
to carry out required work will need to be sourced from
elsewhere.
 

Decision

As Cabinet Member for
Environment, I agree to:
 

i)              
SIGNING of the two expired Kent Countryside Management Partnerships
Memorandums of Agreement, and the signing of other Memorandums of
Agreement when they expire;
 
ii)             
HOSTING through the MoA for the four
Countryside Management Partnerships;
 
iii)           
INCREASE annual contributions for the four hosted Countryside
Management Partnerships in line with KCC's pay strategy annual pay
award.
 
iv)           
INCREASE annual contributions for the Countryside Management
Partnerships in line with inflation; and
 
v)            
DELEGATE responsibility for the negotiation of any annual increase
to contributions to the Corporate Director for Growth, Environment
and Transport