This report seeks approval to accept three year funding allocations from DEFRA, Natural Resource Wales and the Welsh Government for the Wye Valley AONB.

That:

a) The council accepts the funding offers from DEFRA for a total of £895,163 as detailed below, and to deliver the projects as set out in this report across Herefordshire and the rest of the AONB;

a. Wye Valley AONB core funding allocation of £455,565 for the period 2022-2025

b. Farming in Protected Landscape (FiPL) allocation of £439,598 for the period 2022-

2024

b) The council accepts the funding offers from Welsh Government for a total of £1.025m as

detailed below, and to deliver the projects as set out in this report across Herefordshire

and the rest of the AONB;

a. Wye Valley AONB Revenue funding allocation of £210,000 for the period 2022-2025

b. Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) allocation of £240,000 for the period 2022- 2025 and this amount is added to the capital programme

c. Wye Valley AONB Sustainable Landscapes Sustainable Places (SLSP) for £575,000 for the period 2022-2025 and that this amount is added to the capital programme

c) The council accepts the funding offers from Natural Resources Wales for a total of

£114,106 as detailed below, and to deliver the projects as set out in this report across

Herefordshire and the rest of the AONB;

a. Strategic Allocated Funding (SAF) for core Wye Valley AONB of £98,000 for the  period 2022-24

b. National Peatland Action Programme Grant – Wye Valley AONB of £16,106 for the period 2022/23 and this amount is added to the capital programme

d) The council creates and appoints a fixed term AONB Planning Officer jointly funded by the Wye Valley AONB and Malvern Hills AONB Partnerships to match the three year funding period fully funded through the core grant provisions and matched funded by Malvern Hills AONB, and;

e) The Service Director Highways, Environment and Waste is authorised to take all

operational decisions necessary to implement the schemes.

1. Not to accept the grant funding- this is not recommended as the council is the accountable body for the Wye Valley AONB, has statutory responsibly to conserve and enhance the AONB and will otherwise need to allocate revenue funding to meet these duties.

2. Part accept the grant funding[1]

a. Accept the project funding only - This is not recommended at this time as the core funding allocations are required to maintain the existing services and contribute to deliver the council’s duties for the AONB.

b. Accept the core funding only – this is not recommended as this would result in a significant loss of investment in the AONB in line with the Council’s strong Climate and Ecological emergency commitments and the delivery of the statutory AONB Management Plan.