PEMBROKESHIRE ISLANDS CANDIDATE SPECIAL AREA OF CONSERVATION

INTERESTS LIAISON FORUM and COMMUNITY LIAISON FORUM

PURPOSE & TERMS OF REFERENCE

PURPOSE

Special Areas of Conservation are designated to meet the aim of the European Community Habitats and Species Directive^[1] to promote the maintenance of biodiversity.  The Directive requires that management of SACs to meet this aim should take account of the economic, cultural, social and recreational needs of local people.  In order to achieve this objective for the Pembrokeshire Islands candidate Special Area of Conservation there is clearly an essential need for liaison between those local people and the authorities responsible for management (the ‘relevant authorities’ as defined in the Habitats Regulations^[2]).  The primary purpose of these fora is to provide a focus for that liaison.  The fora will provide a formal means of dialogue between the Relevant Authorities Group (RAG) and local community interests (Community Liaison Forum) and sectoral interests (Interest Liaison Forum).

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1) The Pembrokeshire Islands cSAC Liaison Fora are established to assist with the development,  implementation , monitoring and review of a management scheme for the Pembrokeshire Islands cSAC through the exchange of relevant information and views. 

2) Membership of the Interests Liaison Forum will comprise members of the Relevant Authorities Group and 12 - 15 representatives of the sectoral interests listed in Annex 1.

3) Membership of the Community Liaison Forum will comprise members of the Relevant Authorities Group and a maximum of 10 representatives of Town and Community Councils as detailed in Annex 1.

4) The RAG and sectoral and community interests will exchange information and advice on:

Ø     the features of the site and their environment;

Ø     issues relevant to the conservation of the SAC features;

Ø     the use of the site by sectoral interests, local communities and the public;

Ø     the potential interaction between public use of the site and the features, whether positive or negative;

Ø     implications of management of the site for nature conservation of the features for sectoral interests, local communities and the public;

Ø     proposals associated with the development and implementation of a management scheme for maintenance of SAC features in favourable condition.

5) Sectoral and community interest representatives will:

Ø     ensure representation of their interest at meetings of the Fora;

Ø     equitably collate, represent and accurately convey the views of those they represent to the Fora;

Ø     effectively transmit information and feedback to those interests they represent;

Ø     provide an informed sectoral and community response to proposals associated with the development and implementation of a management scheme for the cSAC.

6) Whilst acknowledging the range of legitimate issues and information which the fora will address will be wide, to ensure a clarity of purpose the fora will only consider issues which are clearly relevant to the purposes of the fora, RAG or cSAC.

7) Whilst the Fora will provide the main means of communication between public interests and the RAG, members of sectoral interest groups, local communities or the public may additionally make their views known to the Relevant Authorities Group at public meetings, through their elected local community representatives or directly, in writing, to the appropriate  Relevant Authority.

 

ANNEX 1:   LIAISON FORA - MEMBERSHIP

INTERESTS LIAISON FORUM

Membership will include the members of the Relevant Authorities Group and between 12 and 15 sectoral interest representatives, from the following interest groups:

Industry

Commerce & business

Fisheries

Nature Conservation / Environment

Recreation

Tourism

Education

Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Advisory Committee

Milford Harbour Users Association

Milford Haven Waterway Environmental Monitoring Steering Group

COMMUNITY LIAISON FORUM

Membership will include the members of the Relevant Authorities Group and up to 7 representatives from Community Councils and 3 from Town / City Councils.  Representation should be drawn equitably from both the open coast and Milford Haven waterway parts of the cSAC.