A regular look at the work of
Groundworks
Coastal Partnerships
Working Group
In existence since the early 1990s,
coastal partnerships throughout the
UK have been at the forefront of
delivering Integrated Coastal Zone
Management (ICZM). Despite their
excellent work, they are now facing a
funding crisis and we are seeing their
rapid demise all over the country.
Those partnerships responsible for the
coastline from Suffolk to Kent for
example, look likely to see a 60%
reduction in staffing by October 2006.
By April 2007, the original 17 staff
may have diminished to just 3.
Now, more than ever, coastal
partnerships need to work together
and support one another. Here, Erin
Pettifer talks to Natasha Barker, Severn
Estuary Officer, about the new Coastal
Partnerships Working Group she has
set up (with support from CoastNet)
and which could provide just the
support and coordination needed.
How did the working group
come about and what are its
main objectives?
As an estuary partnership officer since
1998 I recognised the need for a
working group as there was no current
English network to share experiences
and raise recognition of the work of
coastal partnerships. After seeking the
views and feedback of other
partnership officers I set up the first
meeting of the group in May this year.
With the Marine Bill consultation and
the consultation on Defra’s ICZM
Strategy this is a critical time for policy
development in the marine and coastal
sector. It is essential that partnerships
are in a position to formulate a
collaborative response and that they
have a stronger voice into
Government. The opportunity
presented by the Marine Bill must be
used to ensure a statutory
underpinning for ICZM and therefore
coastal partnerships
the work of coastal partnerships.
What was covered at the
first working group meeting
and what are the next
steps?
Core issues were discussed including
the potential role and immediate
activities of the working group. There
was unanimous agreement that such a
group is urgently needed and that it
should be endorsed by coastal
partnerships nationally as soon as
possible. The Coastal Partnerships
Forum run by CoastNet in June 2006
formally endorsed the group and
agreed that the draft Terms of reference
should be adopted. Forum delegates
also elected the Chair and Secretary.
What does the working
group mean for coastal
partnerships?
The group will enable more regular
liaison between coastal partnership
officers, which will help develop
consensus on issues and input into
policy development. It will also
provide an ongoing support
mechanism for coastal partnership
officers, who often work in isolation.
Comparing approaches and sharing
tools will work to strengthen the
quality of service delivered by coastal
partnerships.
As a partnership officer, how
can I get involved?
The group has set up a trial email
discussion group. If this is successful it
will be widened to include any coastal
partnerships that are interested. The
more people who use the discussion
group, the greater will be the depth of
experience and ideas to share with
others. At the Forum I also invited
people to contact me if they are
particularly keen to sit on the working
group.
It is important that coastal partnerships
officers get involved in the annual
Coastal Partnerships Forum organised by
CoastNet, as the working group will
report to this every year and use it as a
way to gain wider consensus on issues
for subsequent years.
Lastly, this working group is run by
partnerships for partnerships. Its success
relies upon the support of officers
throughout the country. Instead of
officers having to continue to work in
isolation we now have a method to
work together and support one another,
which will deliver massive joint learning
and practical benefits.
Contacts for further information
For further details about anything discussed
here please contact one of the group’s elected
members, see below:
Chair: Natasha Barker,
severn@cardiff.ac.uk
Vice-Chair TBC
Secretary: Tracey Hewett
solentforum@hants.gov.uk
Organisations presently in the Working
group: Severn Estuary Partnership; CoastNet;
Durham Heritage Coast; Dorset Coastal
Forum; Thames Estuary Partnership; Solent
Forum; Dart Estuary Environmental
Management; Sefton Council; Essex Estuaries
Initiative; North West Coastal Forum.
CoastNet’s support
CoastNet will help to support the working
group, developing a comprehensive list of
coastal partnership contacts for the group’s
use and distributing information for them.
CoastNet will also look to expand their
‘Good Practice in ICZM’ directory for the
portal. There will also continue to be a
regular page in The Edge devoted entirely to
the work of coastal partnerships.
The edge Summer 2006 11