Decision details

To consider whether the City Council should support the creation of a designation for a Morecambe Bay Regional park and to assess what role the City Council should play in its management.

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Archer)

The Head of Planning Services submitted a report informing members of the conclusions of the scoping study commissioned by the Morecambe Bay Partnership and to obtain approval to support the creation of the designation and take part in its implementation. 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment, were set out in the report as follows:

Option 1To support the concept of a Regional Park and to allocate Officer and Member time to working with adjoining local authorities and other partners to develop it to designation.  This option has the benefit of identifying a clear spatial network of local authority areas with shared interests and challenges, and to demonstrate to Government and funding agencies a joined up approach to regeneration.  It would also demonstrate to Government that the local authorities in the North Lancashire and Cumbria sub region know how to work together to achieve the greatest benefits for their communities and the economy of their area.  

Option 2   Not to support the concept and to take no further part in discussions with the Morecambe Bay Partnership.  Whilst this option would not directly harm the existing levels of progress that the City Council is achieving with its LDF and other regeneration strategies, it would lose the opportunity for the City Council to take a leading role in improving cross boundary cooperation in the sub region, and could reduce the potential for external funding for schemes and projects in the future.  It would also remove the potential for a realistic Multi Area Agreement based on recognisable geographical links, and leave Lancaster District appearing as a lone District operating beyond other emerging partnerships in an insular manner.  

Officer Preferred Option (and comments)

The Officer preferred option is Option 1.  Lancaster City Council has an opportunity to take a leading role in the development of the Morecambe Bay Regional Park and to use its experience and reputation with various Government Agencies to strengthen the level of external investment in the economy around the Bay.  The Park would also help to strengthen the hierarchical status of the District in the Sub Region and create opportunities to share workload and resources in tackling shared challenges such as Affordable Housing, regenerating low demand settlements, and managing sensitive conservation assets. 

It was moved by Councillor Archer and seconded by Councillor Burns:-

“That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved.”

By way of amendment to recommendation 2, which was accepted as a friendly amendment by the mover and seconder of the original proposition, it was moved by  Councillor Kerr and seconded by Councillor Mace:-

“That Cabinet recommends to Council that Councillor Archer be the lead Cabinet Member appointed to sit on developmental working groups or Committees in the event that adjoining authorities agree to pursue designation”. 

Members then voted as follows:-

Resolved:

(9 Members (Councillors Archer, Blamire, Bryning, Burns, Charles, Fletcher, Gilbert, Kerr and Mace) voted in favour, 1 Member (Councillor Barry) voted against)

(1)        That Cabinet resolves to support the designation of a Morecambe Bay and Duddon Regional Park. 

(2)        That Cabinet recommends to Council that Councillor Archer be the lead Cabinet Member appointed to sit on developmental working groups or Committees in the event that adjoining authorities agree to pursue designation.

(3)        That the Chief Executive be authorised to pursue the designation in cooperation with other partner authorities.  

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Corporate Director (Regeneration)

Head of Planning Services

Reasons for making the decision:

With this decision, Lancaster City Council has an opportunity to take a leading role in the development of the Morecambe Bay Regional Park and to use its experience and reputation with various Government Agencies to strengthen the level of external investment in the economy around the Bay.  The Park will also help to strengthen the hierarchical status of the District in the Sub Region and create opportunities to share workload and resources in tackling shared challenges such as Affordable Housing, regenerating low demand settlements, and managing sensitive conservation assets.