Issue - meetings

The 2023/24 annual business plan had been debated and endorsed by the Officer Working Group. The plan outlined the delivery of ongoing measures established in previous plans, as well as a range of additional measures. In total, the plan released funding for new projects estimated at £36,000.

Projects included the continued funding of keystone mitigation measures such as the Delivery Manager, Wildlife Wardens and Project Officer (Devon Loves Dogs).

New measures approved as part of the plan included the redesign and rebuilding of the Devon Loves Dogs website, a footbridge crossing point to safeguard southern damselfly habitat, development of educational resources for GCSE/A level students, and Nightjar productivity modelling on the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths. At Dawlish Warren, funding for improvements/repairs to fencing along the front and at the distal end was identified.

Ongoing mitigation measures previously approved by the Executive Committee were also listed in the report with progress to date.  These will be carried over to the 2024/25 plan considered later in the meeting.

In response to a question about the regular newsletter, Members were informed that diminished staff resources had impacted on the publication; now that staff were back in place, the publication would become more regular.

RESOLVED that the Executive Committee

1.     Notes the progress made in delivering the 2023/24 annual business plan;

2.     Notes the status of mitigation measures from each of the plans, as well as explanations given for measures subject to delay and revised completion dates.