Agenda item

The Head Ranger to be heard.

The Head Ranger was heard regarding the Countryside Stewardship Scheme Grant application for Ashtead Common and the following points were made:

• The current Environmental Stewardship Scheme which funded conservation work across Ashtead Common and represented £28k funding per annum would end on 31 March 2021.  Expressions of interest for the new Countryside Stewardship Scheme Grant must be submitted to Natural England by March 2021, and if accepted, applications must be submitted to Natural England by September 2021 for approval, alongside a Woodland Management Plan and ten-year Site Management Plan.  Should the application for the Ashtead  Common be successful, conservation work would be funded for a further ten years, starting on 1 January 2022; however, there would be a 9-month gap in funding between the end of the existing agreement and the start of the new one.

RESOLVED, that the update be noted.