Month: July 2016
New question on the members forum
Has anyone had experience of drugs misuse on or near their beaches and if so what measures were used to manage the resulting public risks? Please see:
https://ukbeachmanagementforum.wordpress.com/memebers-forum/beachs-and-drug-misuse/
Post BREXIT paper on Tourism
The Tourism Alliance the (English) trade association for tourism trade associations (which works closely with its other Home Nation equivalents) is putting together a high level strategy paper for the UK Government on tourism impacts and changes needed associated with BREXIT. British Destinations and therefore UKBMF is represented on the Tourism Alliance Board and is in a strong position to influence some of the tourism related issues and suggestions put to the UK Government over the next few months, albeit that for the time-being at least these will be the headline issues not the detail below that.
The Tourism Alliance’s current position is that EU environmental standards, including those contained within such thing as the Water Frame Work and Bathing Waters directives need to be retained and the UK equivalents then developed. The current draft document articulates that as:
Preservation of the UK Environment
The UK tourism industry depends on the quality of the UK’s natural environment. The UK’s natural environment has benefitted considerably from European environmental regulation, most obviously through the Bathing Waters and Water Framework Directive which requires rivers, lakes, ground and coastal waters to be of a high standard. Similarly, the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive, through the Natura 2000 programme, provide protection for the UK’s biodiversity and natural habitats.
The environmental management of the UK’s countryside and seaside destinations is one of the main factors in attracting visitors to rural and coastal areas. This means that it will be important to maintain existing environmental standards and for these to evolve over time in line with international standards and especially with the standards of our near European inbound and outbound competitor destination.
This draft may well change again as other organisations chip in. However, I need to know whether UKBMF members are broadly supportive of the general principal of retaining equivalent standards, if so if any tweaks are needed to the headline description above or if you are not supportive, what headline changes would you wish to see; I.e. higher or low standards and preferably why you want these and what benefits to UK tourism would arise.
Coastal Communities Funding and (CCF) Teams (CCTs) update
Just to make sure everyone is fully aware that the bidding processes for the 2017/18 -2018/19 CCF which opened in England back in 23 May and has already closed on 30 June was opened on the 4th July in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Application for Scotland and Northern Ireland close on 17 August and in Wales on 29 August 2016.
According to the latest update on the Big Lottery website bids the next joint two year round will be taken in 2017. We are trying to ascertain if that is correct, since we would have assumed that if the money is available for 2019/20 -2020/21 then more logically bidding should take place in 2018? Clearly for planning purpose absolute clarity is needed and we will let you know the outcome when we get a reply from DCLG. Meanwhile for more detail on past and forthcoming CCF rounds see the Britishdestination.net page: https://britishdestinations.net/new-funding/coastal-communities-fund/ccf-201718-202021-update/ .
And just in case it is of interest, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) announced on 30 June that they were making funding available for a further 20 Coastal Communities Teams in England to join the 116 already funded in 2015 to the tune of a one-off £10k grant. The grants are designed to help form or support existing local partnerships and enable them to them formulate economic development plans and/or advance initial priorities. Applications from areas without an existing CCT are sought and the closing date for applications is 30 September 2016. There can be more than one CCT in any one coastal local authority area but no more than one CCT responsible for any one defined coastal area. For more detail see: https://britishdestinations.net/new-funding/coastal-communities-fund/coastal-community-teams/
UK Beach Management Forum 