Two aspects to consider

1. Two aspects to consider • The relationship between the Staff forum and the Association (and to a degree the CA & CCW) • Priority issues to address - internally and externally • Personal views: gathered through the SFSG, discussion with others, but not with their mandate

2. Acknowledging successes • An Association with a growing reputation; two dedicated part time staff; good membership numbers (and slowly growing); a sense of family (across two countries) • Conference; Outstanding; AONB news; Training seminars; Whitehall presence (ministerial ear ?); consultation presence

3. My process today • Look at the weaknesses • Set a vision for AONBs • Pressing issues • Identifying a possible future agenda

4. Analysis of weaknesses • The Staff Forum / SF Steering Group • The AAONB /Executive • Staffing • Working with others

5. Staff Forum • All AONB officers already doing a very full job and many have not recognised the importance of national work (or perhaps its their managers ?) • Not sure of their role in briefing their JACs etc about the national scene • In danger of re-inventing the wheel too often

6. Staff Forum Steering Group • Struggling to find the extra time to do the developmental work needed • The process of raising issues, seeking guidance, developing advice not effective • Not fully in the picture of what skills exist in the network and what stage an AONB is at • Skills wanted by everyone

7. Association • Feeling its way…..towards what exactly ? • Mandate to speak / act • Unsure of what it can deliver • Is it a stable base ? -membership, finances, constitution • Differing needs of members due to differing stages of development

8. Executive committee • Feeling its way as well • A model that needs support that doesn’t exist • Can its strengths be utilised better ? • Members action between meetings - is it expected? Clear ? Realistic ? Supported ? • How is it communicating ? • Where does its mandate come from ? • How is its progress monitored ?

9. Staffing • Multiple roles - is everyone clear who is in charge, who does what, who manages whom and who should be approached ? • Relationship between ‘Association staff’, ‘Agency Staff’, ‘New Regional Staff’, ‘AONB Staff’ ‘bought in staff’ • Does the new constitution help or hinder? • What would be best ?

10. Wider aspects • CA staff - in the centre, in the regions, in the programme areas: and those grant aided • SW protected areas / SE support staff • Training staff • Contracts / research: what, why and who • Expectations - Government, public, public bodies, JACs, Partners

11. A way ahead - my vision • A common vision • One body • A body to meet needs rather than follow tradition • Mutual help • Recognising skills rather than positions • Recognising positions mean strengths

12. Pressing issues - external • Regionalism- dealing with it politically; dealing with it pragmatically • Awareness - so who still doesn’t know what an AONB is ? • What’s the focus for AONBs ? Who’s deciding it ? • Rural revival ? Landscape enhancement ? Community involvement ? Biodiversity ? • Haskins’ review of DEFRA & CA

13. Pressing issues - internal • Regionalism • Awareness • A new constitution - and a new way of working ? • Meeting the needs of members • joining up the support to make 1+1 to be at least 2

14. Future agenda • Common vision with everyone clear about what they can do to help • Agreeing the current headline news and getting the message across • informing and influencing • resources and political will • Creating one effective body

15. A little detail • Working group to draw up the details under the constitution • Formulate a new awareness programme and get the necessary resources • Determine what skills already exist in the family and dove-tail in the training to strengthen it • Get our friends on board - new regional CA supported staff working with AAONB; links to ANPA