1. Purpose of the report and policy context

1.1 To update the Downland Advisory Panel (‘DAP’) Terms of Reference which includes a new mechanism to receive and review advice from stakeholders on matters relating to the City Downland Estate Plan (‘CDEP’).

1.2 The most notable change being the removal of the Asset Member Board (AMB) and replacing this step of the mechanism with the City Environment, South Downs and the Sea (‘CESS’) Committee member group.

2. Recommendations

2.1 That Committee agrees to the revised DAP Terms of Reference set out in Appendix 1.

3. Context and background information

3.1 The DAP is made up of key stakeholders who are tasked with providing advice to the Council on matters relating to the CDEP. This includes statutory bodies, organisational stakeholders, and community groups.

3.2 The DAP is the main way in which the Council seeks advice on the CDEP and the Council recognises the importance of stakeholder consultation. The Terms of Reference of the DAP is subject to review by the Strategy, Finance and City Regeneration Committee. The membership of the DAP is subject to review by the Council on an annual basis.

3.3 The advice provided by the DAP to the Council was reviewed by the Asset Member Board (‘AMB’). The AMB also provided views to Council Officers who have delegated authority to make certain decisions on CDEP-related matters. The AMB was made up of a cross-party group of Council members. It has now been disbanded and an alternative process needs to be established within the Terms of Reference.

3.4 The revisions that have been made in Appendix 1 sets out that alternative mechanism. This has been consulted on with members of the DAP and the DAP Chairs Group.

3.5 Further revisions have been proposed for clarity.

4. Analysis and consideration of alternative options

4.1 The Council has sought advice from DAP members on updating the Terms of Reference and the process for seeking views from the Chair of CESS and legal on certain CDEP-related matters. These views are reflected in the revised Terms of Reference (Appendix 1).

4.2 This alternative process will allow the Chair of CESS, to review advice from the DAP to the Council and should enable Council Officers to seek views from the committee group in an efficient way. The requirement for Council Officers to report to Committee and to the DAP on decisions made provide transparency and accountability.

4.3 Alternatively, the Committee could choose to reject these proposed changes and ask the Council to review them.

5. Community engagement and consultation

5.1 Members of the DAP have been consulted on these revisions to the Terms of Reference. This has included opportunities for them to put forward alternative or additional revisions.

6. Conclusion

6.1 The DAP Terms of Reference require revisions due to the AMB no longer existing. We have reflected the alternative process for which the Council reviews advice from the DAP and where officers consult with the Chair of CESS for the administration’s views.

7. Financial implications

7.1 There are no direct financial implications associated with the recommendations within this report. Any costs to the DAP as a result of the changes to the Terms of Reference will be met from within existing budgets including officer support time.

Name of finance officer consulted: Rob Allen Date consulted: 23/11/2023

8. Legal implications

8.1. The Downland Advisory Panel is an advisory Panel established and overseen by the Strategy, Finance & City Regeneration (SFCR) Committee. It is not a decision-making body. Changes to the Terms of Reference, as proposed by the report, are required to be approved by the SFCR Committee.

Name of lawyer consulted: Elizabeth Culbert Date consulted: 22/11/2023

9. Equalities implications

9.1 The revisions to the DAP Terms of Reference do not have equalities implications.

9.2 The Council’s behavioural framework is embedded into the ways of working of the DAP to make it an inclusive and open stakeholder forum. The venues that are used to host meetings are considered for their level of accessibility. The membership of the DAP will be reviewed on annual basis which will include assessing if other organisations should be represented on the DAP.

Supporting Documentation

1. Appendices

1.1 A revised version of the Downland Advisory Panel Terms of Reference with track changes.