Agenda item

The Committee considered the Joint Report of the Director of Transformation and Partnerships and the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Local Services that provided Members with details of the progress made in relation to the recommendations contained within the Environment and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s Review Group report on the management of the woodland estate owned by Durham County Council (for copy of report, see file of minutes).

The Landscape Delivery Officer provided Members with an update on the progress made in relation to the recommendations contained in the review report together with details of the ‘Durham Woodland Revival’ project resulting in an investment of £1m in woodlands and the forestry sector in County Durham.

Mr Kinch referred to the employment of a forestry officer and asked if the ‘Durham Woodland Revival’ project included apprenticeship opportunities. The Landscape Delivery Officer responded that 6 months traineeships were included within the project and that three trainees would be employed with either Durham County Council or partners.

Councillor Jopling referred to £1m not being a substantial amount of money over a 4 year period and asked how successful the programme would be when funding was limited. She also asked if there was any commercial element to the project as the woodland was on Durham County Council land.

The Landscape Delivery Officer responded that the management plans were funded elsewhere so were not part of the £1m and there was only a small amount of capital works. The focus of the project was on providing advice and signposting the sector to various support available. There would be a commercial element to the project as the woodland would need to be thinned which would require a licence to allow felling to be undertaken and for the timber to be sold.

Mr Bolton referred to recommendation 6, that the contact details of the Countryside Service are displayed on community woodland sites and suggested that contact details be made available to Town and Parish Councils of the appropriate key contacts in relation to fly-tipping in woodland areas, the illegal cutting down of timber and volunteering. The Landscape Delivery Officer responded that they would engage with parish councils.

Councillors Brown and Carr asked if this information could also be shared with the Area Action Partnerships.

Resolved: That the contents of the report be noted and that the relevant key contact details be circulated to both Town and parish Councils and the Area Action Partnerships.