Natural England
On Sunday 1 October Natural England, the integrated countryside and land management agency, and the Commission for Rural Communities, the independent adviser, watchdog and advocate for rural people were formally established, taking on their full statutory responsibilities. At the same time, as part of the wider Modernising Rural Delivery reforms, the Regional Development Agencies also took over the former Rural Development Service’s socio-economic funding responsibilities. [Further information]
We are currently revising all the Modernising Rural Delivery pages, with the programme closing this Autumn. For up to date information go to the Natural England website or contact the MRD communications team at mrd.comms@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Update as at 31 October 2006
As part of Natural England's corporate governance framework, a Part 8 Agreement under Section 78 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 
(1.2 MB, large file size), has been put in place. This is an agreement made between the Secretary of State and Natural England. It is a published written statement which authorises Natural England to discharge the listed statutory functions which were formerly undertaken by the Rural Development Service. Review points are built in every five years, although the agreement can be revised at any time if necessary.
Broadly, the Agreement authorises Natural England to undertake various statutory functions relating to:
- Pest and Weed Control
- Control of Pesticides and Plant Protection Products
- Farm Woodland Scheme and Farm Woodland Premium Scheme
- Wildlife Licensing
- Agri-Environment
- Heather and Grass Burning
- Energy Crops Scheme
- Minerals and Waste Planning
- Overgrazing and Unsuitable Supplementary Feeding
- England Rural Development Programme Enforcement
Background
One of the radical reforms announced by the Secretary of State in Rural Strategy 2004 was the establishment of a new integrated agency, comprising all of English Nature (EN), the landscape, access and recreation elements of the Countryside Agency (CA), and the environmental land management functions of the Rural Development Service (RDS), and now known as Natural England.
The establishment of a single independent statutory organisation championing integrated resource management, nature conservation, biodiversity, landscape, access and recreation is a significant step forward, building on the world-class strengths and scientific and other expertise of the existing organisations.Pending its formal establishment by October 2006, which is subject to Parliamentary agreement on the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, the constituent bodies that are to form the new agency have been operating as a confederation of partners from 1 April 2005. They are working together under a common overarching vision and purpose to deliver real change for the environment and for customers.
Examples of the benefits of these bodies working together as a confederation include:- Joint working and improved service delivery. For example, joint field staff will mean only one official making visits to customers, rather than two or more from the constituent bodies of the confederation.
- The provision of integrated policy advice to national and regional government consultations, including the renegotiation of the EU Rural Development Regulation. This will ensure that the strong, unified and independent voice envisaged in the Rural Strategy will be realised at an early stage.
- The progressive transfer of SSSI Wildlife Enhancement Scheme agreements into the Higher Level Environmental Stewardship Scheme and the establishment of a single contact point for all agreement-holders.
We are currently developing a number of case studies of the impact of Confederation Working, for examples as part of the ‘Single Regional Voice’ project – watch this space.
Collaboration with other bodies
Natural England will work closely with its key partners. For example, it will work with the Environment Agency to maximise the impact of activities to protect the environment. Some of the ways in which this can be achieved are: taking joint action to tackle diffuse water pollution and working on local projects to generate improvements in biodiversity and flood defence.
The Natural England Confederation, the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding which provides a framework for future relations between these three organisations. The Memorandum defines individual responsibilities and shared priorities, and how the organisations will work together to deliver these in line with statutory purposes. The organisations are currently working out more clarity over areas where they need to work especially closely together but with specifications on accountabilities. For more information on the MoU see the February edition of the Modernising Rural Delivery newsletter under what's new. A formal review of the Memorandum of Understanding will take place once Natural England is formally established.
In addition to this, we are seeking to align the English delivery functions of the Forestry Commission with those of Natural England. The formative phase of Natural England will include looking at the success of its partnership working with the Forestry Commission. In the meantime, as recommended by Lord Haskins, responsibility for forestry policy has transferred from the Forestry Commission to Defra. A Forestry Policy Unit has been created, which will give forestry a stronger voice in rural and land management policy matters on which Defra leads. The Unit will work in partnership with the Forestry Commission to draw on their expertise.
Progress on the organisational changes
Due to the rapid progress of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill through Parliament, the Secretary of State, Margaret Beckett, announced on 21 June 2005 that the formal establishment of Natural England would be brought forward to October 2006, from January 2007.
A number of key appointments are being made in advance of the vesting of Natural England. The appointment of Sir Martin Doughty as the Chair Designate of Natural England was announced on 7 November. Sir Martin Doughty, formerly the Chair of English Nature, has also been a board member of the Countryside Agency, and Chair of the Peak District National Park Authority. Sir Martin will play a lead role in setting up Natural England before it assumes its full statutory responsibilities. Dr Mike Moser, formerly the Deputy Chair of English Nature, succeeded Sir Martin Doughty as the Chair of English Nature.
Dr Helen Phillips was announced as the new Chief Executive Designate on 12 January. Dr Phillips joins Natural England from the Environment Agency. During her 11 years at the Environment Agency she has held senior operational and strategic policy roles. Her most recent position was that of Director of Environment Agency Wales.
We are also in the process of recruiting a deputy Chair and twelve non-executive directors as well as five executive directors.
Work is also underway on the national and regional structures of Natural England. The national groups will be based on a spatial structure, with three clusters around:
- rural - land management, land use, and people in the rural environment;
- seas and coasts - recovery and conservation, management and planning advice, and engaging people; and
- cities and towns - open space management, planning transport and urban design, and environment and people.
Page last modified:
1 November, 2006
Page published: 29 March, 2005