SUSTAIN Riga Trans-national Partnership Working: NW England and SUSTAIN Caroline Salthouse Sefton Borough Council & North West Coastal Forum
SUSTAIN Riga Presentation Format Introduction to Sefton a Coastal Council Why Sefton is taking part in SUSTAIN Lessons learnt from Cyprus What we did and why Conclusions
Sefton a Coastal Council
Sefton a Coastal Council Overview - location Between the Ribble Estuary and the Mersey Estuary Part of Merseyside (geographic unit only) Shares borders with Liverpool and Lancashire Administrative area 153 km 2 Coastline 36 km Good transport system
Sefton a Coastal Council Overview governance Unitary Authority in North West England 66 councillors 3-yearly elections 10 parish / town councils Cabinet and Committees (theme or area-based) Works with partnerships: Landscape Partnership Local Enterprise Partnership Shoreline Management Plan Long history of ICZM
Sefton a Coastal Council Overview people and economy Population 283,000 and falling 25% over age 60 (higher than rest of UK) Working age population 59% (lower than rest of UK) Mix of very deprived (Objective 1) areas and very affluent areas Major employer public sector (39%) Major port Port of Liverpool (32m tonnes, 20k jobs) Tourism worth 417m and supports around 6 k jobs: Major resort Southport at the heart of England s Golf Coast Natural Coast brand developed by Sefton for tourism
Sefton a Coastal Council Overview - Sefton s Natural Coast Vast intertidal areas 10 m tidal range Biggest continuous dune system in England Very biodiverse saltmarsh
North West Coastal Forum Overview North West Coastal Forum Not for profit partnership Multi-sector stakeholders Aim to promote and deliver ICZM for the long term sustainability of the region s coast (SUSTAIN!) Sefton is a key partner We bring a regional dimension to Sefton s input to SUSTAIN
Lessons learnt from Cyprus 1 What was interesting in Cyprus? Stakeholders working across borders Interesting but not relevant for us or is it? communities divided by legislation political will for engagement complex local groups want to work together NOW to improve sustainability People getting together despite the constraints - bottom up approach working together Greater understanding of common issues: good for the long term future of all Cypriot communities
Lessons learnt from Cyprus 2 Relevance to the UK situation Stakeholders working across borders Marine Spatial Planning: communities divided by legislation political will for engagement complex local groups want to work together NOW to improve basis of marine planning We want to get together despite the constraints - bottom up approach - working together To ensure greater understanding of common issues: good for the long term future of all Irish Sea communities
Marine Planning in North West England Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009: sets out a system of marine planning for UK waters Marine Policy Statement agreed by all UK devolved administrations BUT planning is done at national level i.e. England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Ist plan currently underway in East of England No idea when marine planning for the Irish Sea will arrive!
NW England has legislative borders with: Wales (UK & EU) Scotland (UK & EU) Northern Ireland (UK & EU) Republic of Ireland (EU) Isle of Man (British Crown Protectorate)
Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (cont): Irish Sea has multiple administrative / legal boundaries We can have one plan process but MUST produce separate plans: inshore including English sides of the Dee Estuary and the Solway Firth, together with separate Welsh and Scottish plans for the other sides of the Dee and Solway offshore Marine Planning in North West England Major stakeholder engagement needed The Irish Sea is heavily used by people from all around the Irish Sea region PLUS fishing fleets from across Europe (France, Belgium, etc.)
Source: 2004 Defra study on MSPP carried out by ABP Marine Environmental Research (ABPmer), Terence O Rourke, Risk & Policy Analysts, Geotek, Hartley Anderson and Coastal Management for Sustainability Landuse Tourism Oil &Gas Mariculture Coastal Defence Ports & Navigation Military Activities Culture Conservation Dredging & Disposal Submarine SUSTAIN meeting, Riga, Latvia 26 Cables Fishing th October 2011 Renewable Marine Energy Recreation Mineral Extraction
What did we do? 1 Irish Sea Trans-national Partnership Working Seminars (1) 2 workshops to explore stakeholder views on the future of transnational partnership working for Irish Sea marine planning: reasons for doing it how others in Europe have collaborated how we might do it Initial plan: target a SMALL number of key organisations NWCF involved in early planning and event facilitation
What did we do? 2 Irish Sea Trans-national Partnership Working Seminars (2) As a result of Cyprus: over 100 directly invited plus wide publicity - any stakeholder who wanted to attend could Great attendance at both workshops Lots of enthusiasm Kick-started trans-boundary working to support Irish Sea MSP BUT Administrators welcome it but not yet We are planning to keep dialogue open across the Irish Sea!
Conclusions 1 Stakeholders working together: Can surmount difficulties created by borders and boundaries at all levels Does not prevent conflicting needs BUT Provides a mechanism to find the best solution by: building understanding building trust building a willingness to seek solutions including effective compromise or win-wins Can encourage greater dialogue between administrations by showing the way HOPEFULLY!
Conclusions 2 Sefton and the North West and the Irish Sea! Have big coastal sustainability challenges SUSTAIN experience exchange is already helping us to move forward more effectively We also hope to improve policy across the region through the strategic work of the NWCF The indicator tool will be invaluable to measure progress towards a more sustainable coast
Contact Caroline Salthouse North West Coastal Forum & Sefton Council caroline.salthouse@sefton.gov.uk +44 151 934 2966 www.nwcoastalforum.org.uk www.sefton.gov.uk