Issue - meetings

This report proposes that City of York Council supports the application to declare Hassacarr Nature Reserve as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) albeit that the land is within the ownership of Dunnington Parish Council.

Resolved:  That the Executive Member approves Option 1, to endorse that the City of York Council delegates its functions under Section 21 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949 to Dunnington Parish Council in this one instance such that Hassacarr Nature Reserve be designated as a Local Nature Reserve.

Reason:     The designation as an LNR will bring positive benefits to the local community and to the site itself.  It will help preserve and enhance the site for future years, send a positive message to the local community, and ensure good management practices are followed in consultation with Natural England.

The Executive Member considered a report which proposed that City of York Council supported the application to declare Hassacarr Nature Reserve as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) albeit that the land is within the ownership of Dunnington Parish Council. 

The Executive Member considered the following options:

·        Option 1: City of York Council endorses the application to declare Hassacarr Nature Reserve as a Local Nature Reserve by delegating powers to Dunnington Parish Council in this one instance.  This would avoid the need to have a nature reserve agreement regarding the management of the land.

·        Option 2: City of York Council enters a (nature reserve) agreement with the Parish Council regarding the management of the land under the auspices of section 7 of Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006.

·        Option 3: City of York Council does not endorse the application to declare Hassacarr Nature Reserve as a Local Nature Reserve.

Resolved:  That the Executive Member approves Option 1, to endorse that the City of York Council delegates its functions under Section 21 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949 to Dunnington Parish Council in this one instance such that Hassacarr Nature Reserve be designated as a Local Nature Reserve.

Reason:     The designation as an LNR will bring positive benefits to the local community and to the site itself.  It will help preserve and enhance the site for future years, send a positive message to the local community, and ensure good management practices are followed in consultation with Natural England.