London Biodiversity Partnership

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Communications Topic Group

29 June 2000

Greater London Authority

Attendees:
Patrick Wilson BTCV (chair)
Chris Skinner RSPB
Karen Kemmis-Betty LWT
Tamsin Maunder LWT
James Farrell London Biodiversity Partnership
Malcolm Whitehead WWT
Julie Brownbridge GLA
Nick Radford EN

Apologies

Ruth Hayhurst (Wildlife 2000), Alister Hayes (LB Bromley), John Cotton (Going for Green).

Election of chair

Patrick Wilson is leaving BTCV and was thanked for his time as chair. Chris Skinner was elected as his successor.

Minutes of last meeting.

Agreed.

Matters arising.

JF wrote to Darren Johnson inviting the GLA to the Partnership. The GLA has agreed to join and is nominating David Goode as candidate for chair.

Members had drafted various sections of the Communication Planning Guidelines, which had been compiled as `draft 1ˆ.

Communication Planning Guidelines

Draft 1 was examined at length and corrections/amendments suggested. The following action was agreed:

	KB/TM to work up SMART objectives and monitoring details for each case study.
	MW to write a section on costing actions.
	CS to include background information on SMART objectives taken from JFˆs Guidelines for Action Plan Leads. Also to re-word some sections and insert a sentence on the need for Action Plans to be jargon and acronym-free.
	JF to insert the Partnershipˆs Terms of Reference with communications relevance and write sentence on how action plan working groups should consult the Communications Topic Group with draft communication objectives and actions.
	Drafts to be sent to CS by 11 July 2000.
	CS and JF to compile a final version for presentation to the Steering Group on 14 July 2000.

6. Communication Strategy/Action Plan

Work on this will begin at the next meeting. The target for completion of the strategy is 1 November 2000.

7. Progress Report

Action Plans

JF reported on the progress of Action Plans. Several first meetings have taken place, and aims, priorities and draft objectives established. The working groups will welcome communications guidance before the next stage; drafting of SMART objectives and actions.

Bridge House Estates Trust funding application

JF reported on the recent application for next yearˆs funding. Several communications-related points were made in the application, namely that potential projects for the Partnership in 2001 that may or may not require extra-Partnership funding include:

	A publication aimed at Londonˆs decision-makers, to highlight the links between nature in the city and the culture of its inhabitants ‚ health, recreation, the arts. Stimulated by the conference at the end of Year 2.
	Development of the Partnership website as a resource for members of public. Lists of events, competitions, places to visit. Costs will arise from internet consultants.
	Popular survey of selected species ‚ house sparrow, sand martin and stag beetle are strong candidates ‚ to assess species distribution, increase awareness of biodiversity and raise profile of Partnership. Much of the costs would be met by partner contributions.
	Annual Partnership Biodiversity Conference. The first Biodiversity Conference was very successful in communicating the issues surrounding Volume 1 of the London Biodiversity Action Plan. Future themed events will be invaluable for promoting the Partnership and raising the profile of biodiversity conservation with Londonˆs decision-makers and public. National media coverage is expected.
	Schools Biodiversity Charter. Pledge to improve school grounds for biodiversity. Designed in a schools competition with business sponsorship.
	Improving Green Spaces in schools. Publication incorporating species from Species Action Plans into the primary curriculum. To be a joint initiative led by London Wildlife Trust with business sponsorship.

8. A.O.B.

JB tabled an article on language that should be used in interpretation. It was felt that separate guidance on this may be useful in the future.

The group felt that Decemberˆs event to launch the next volume of the Biodiversity Action Plan should be centered on the links between culture and nature. It was agreed that this idea requires a lot of firming-up and will be an item for discussion at the next meeting.

Recommendation: That the Steering Group endorses the proposal for a December event that has the links between culture and nature as a central theme. The launch of Volume 2 of the Action Plan should be an element of the event.

Date of next meeting

1030 15 August 2000, Greater London Authority.

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