Decision

To enter into a Grant Agreement with The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire to allow project delivery for nature recovery. 

Reasons for the decision

North Northamptonshire Council is the designated Responsible Authority (RA) for the production and delivery of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS). DEFRA has provided the RA with delivery funding to support, in collaboration, the delivery of the LNRS.

The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire, are a trusted partner and land owner in delivering a wide range of nature recovery projects throughout the area and for some future projects are best placed to deliver with their knowledge and expertise, this agreement will allow these projects to be resourced through the grant received.

The grant received from DEFRA amounts to £185,500 a year for the next three years, the amount to be passed to the Wildlife Trust is yet unknown and will depend on projects and other secured funding from other providers, the maximum that would be granted to the Wildlife Trust is £175,000. The Council would always work with partners to secure other funding for projects to allow maximum benefit to be realised from the initial grant for a wide range of project delivery. Individual projects are likely going to range in value between a few thousand pounds up to £30,000.