West Berks commons hand-over to wildlife trust

The Newbury Weekly News reported in May that West Berkshire Council wanted to transfer the management of 10 sites to the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT). And this week, a 50-year lease was signed between West Berkshire Council and BBOWT for the management of the sites.
The areas involved are commons in Greenham, Crookham, Padworth, Snelsmore, Bucklebury and Wokefield, as well as nature reserves Paices Wood, Thatcham Reedbeds, Audrey’s Meadow in Greenham and Hosehill Lake in Theale.
Although the lease lasts for half- a-century, there will be 10-year break clauses when funding agreements will be reviewed. The council said it could not provide detailed figures for the funding plan, saying only that in the first year, approximately £450,000 will be given.
A spokesman for West Berkshire Council, Keith Ulyatt said that by the end of the first 10 year period if not before, the intention is for BBOWT to have secured funding from other sources to “help reduce the level of financial support required from the council, and additionally secure a greater level of service delivery than currently achievable."
He added: “BBOWT is an experienced fundraising organisation, and has access to funding that [the council] doesn’t have.”
Earlier this year countryside manager at West Berkshire Council, Paul Hendry, said that the district council spent £448,000 a year on maintaining the sites. He added that this amount would be given to BBOWT in the first year but for the following nine years this amount would drop to £403,000 annually - a reduction of £45,000 - a potential saving for he council of £405,000 over the first ten years.
But Mr Ulyatt denied the arrangement was a cost cutting measure and said that the aim of the agreement was to protect the sites.
He said: “BBOWT is a very experienced wildlife trust with vast experience and expertise and will be working in partnership with the council. This should be good news for local residents as the council will be able to retain funds for essential services.
Each site will have a management plan and BBOWT will undertake monitoring, including visitor and species surveys.
The council said that although responsibility for the management of Bucklebury Common will also transfer, day-to-day activity would be carried out by the Bucklebury Estate.
The council will retain ownership of the land assets, as will the private owners of Bucklebury and Wokefield commons and Paices Wood.
The move will also see staff at the Nature Discovery Centre in Thatcham moved to BBOWT, as well as the transfer of some staff from the council’s countryside services.
However, Mr Ulyatt did not say how many staff would be moved, saying that individual’s details were confidential, but added that their terms and conditions were protected.
The council has also said that any major policy changes would have to be approved by a steering group comprise of senior officers from both organisations and relevant council portfolio holders. BBOWTs Chief Executive, Philippa Lyons, said: “We look forward to welcoming the countryside services and Nature Discovery staff, who will join the Wildlife Trust team in the new year.
“The transfer of managment of these nine sites and the Nature Discovery Centre will ensure the future protection of precious wildlife and habitats in West Berkshire.”
The trust will begin managing the sites on January 6 2014.