On the 27 March a stakeholder engagement event was held specifically for existing partners of the Tees Valley Biodiversity to involve them as stakeholders in the process of the development of the Tees Valley Nature Partnership.
Specific aims were:
- To gather partners’ views on the broad direction the TVNP should follow,
- To develop a shared vision for the TVNP and explore key aims, objectives and priorities,
- To start the process of developing a governance and structure for the TVNP partners to ensure a broad and relevant membership and remit,
- To ensure commitment, skills and expertise of partners’ of the TVBP and the Tees Valley Environment Forum is transferred to the new partnership.
The meeting was attended by 27 people from 20 organisations.
Key outcomes
There was a high level of interest and support for a LNP in the Tees Valley, with all partner organisations expressing commitment to develop and widen existing local partnerships to embrace the aspirations that Defra have for LNPs.
- There appeared to be a consensus that a LNP for the Tees Valley should have the following key features:
- Have natural environment is the core of the TVNP but that it communicates and engages with other sectors.
- Champion the value of the natural environment in the Tees Valley and work at a level that can influence other sectors.
- Develop a strong strategic role but also be a partnership that ensures that coordinated delivery for the natural environment takes place.
The structure of the TVNP should have three aspects, strategic, tactical and operational. Further development on the structure is required but it was generally considered that a management board, steering group and delivery groups will be required.
The TVNP development group will take the ideas for the vision, aims and objectives, priorities developed in the workshop to create draft versions of the vision/mission, terms of reference, aims and objectives and outline work plan whilst taking into consideration responses from meetings with other potential stakeholders.
To create a strong sustainable partnership it is vital that communication with all stakeholders, both existing and new is maintained through the development of the TVNP. The workshop should be seen not as a one off consultation event but as part of a continuous dialogue with partners that will be maintained through the communication website.
Here is a report of the summary workshops with copies of power point presentations given and a report of the pre meeing consultation.