Exmoor Trust Spring 2008 Progress Report

 

2008 began with some indicators of a serious change of economic outlook

and the realisation that global changes bounce into all our lives far quicker than we realised. Credit and commodity liquidity has shrivelled leading to special problems of inflation and cah management for farmers and retirees. It is too early to judge whether this will provide some opportunities to provide long term benefits for Exmoor, for example in tourism.

 

The year for us has been and will be dominated by the Energy for Exmoor Symposium which we are sponsoring and organising at Ralegh's Cross Inn on 2 May. You have already received notice of this event but I do urge that if you have not pre- registered you do so immediately via our website. Archie McIntyre who is masterminding the arrangements has got a wonderful group of experts to attend and we are hoping for a full house at both am and pm identical programmes.

 

The role of the trust in green issues affecting Exmoor is changing in line with the responsibility of us all to lower our carbon emissions and so help to protect our part of the ecology. But there are many groups in towns and communities which have been active in this area for a long time. We were much influenced by the complexities of producing micro-energy in the sensitive rural environment of Exmoor. All energy production systems seem to have differing levels of support and some inequalities in grant aid for the capital outlays. We think that by bringing together individuals, communities, and businesses interested in saving energy costs alongside independent experts, systems producers and utility companies and to access funding information, we could make a real contribution.

 

We have rejected a role in commentary or involvement in the macro energy issues which could affect the Greater Exmoor Area - not because they are insignificant but more because we think our efforts are more profitably targeted at the micro-energy production issues. These should also be capable of bringing cost benefit to rural living which is suffering disproportionately from the impact of rocketing energy prices. A further advantage is that we hope that such an effort will be timely in capturing Regional and National Government changes of support emphasis. Perhaps not before time when one reads that the town of Freiburg in Germany has more solar panels than the whole of Britain.

 

The other major issue requiring review is the Trust's position with regard to Affordable Housing. Hitherto we have consistently articulated our support for all measures which help local people to afford a home on Exmoor. And, despite the widening gap between income levels and house prices, some progress has been made to help create various shared equity or other measures to bridge the gap. But, just as in London or many other parts of the country, it is increasingly difficult to see how young people can hop onto the housing step ladder. Two other factors exacerbate the issue on Exmoor: the prevalence of second homes which inflate prices due to demand overreaching supply; and secondly design constraints with attendant cost implications which the ENPA have singularly failed to resolve by producing the long awaited replacement Design Guide. It could be that the issue of planning gain by offsetting open market housing may have to be considered. I hope that following our AGM this year we will have an opportunity to debate and review our position.

 

As I reported at Christmas we have been active in supporting applications for funding for Rural Action Plans for both North Devon and West Somerset District Councils. Both District Councils have got through the first stage and will progress to the next stage to be judged in mid summer. We hope that in the next highly competitive round for the South West we may see some success.

 

This is now my ninth Spring Report to you all and I have been actively involved in establishing and then Chairing the trust for over 10 years. It is now time to hand on the baton to allow fresh minds and energies to take the trust forward. However it is not my intention to resign as a Trustee and, due to illness we have to fill the gap created by the resignation of James Sunderland, so I am volunteering to fill that office on a temporary basis.

 

We welcome members and their friends to our Trustee meetings but I do hope that you can all attend our AGM at 4pm on 28 May at Exmoor House in Dulverton. The AGM will be the elective forum for our new Chairman and other officers but still very short. This year we do not intend to have a special speaker but we want to have an interactive forum to review the trust's position on key issues. As usual the meeting will be followed by Light Refreshments before closing at 6pm. For members only I enclose the Agenda and a copy of the Draft Minutes of the last AGM.

 

I beg to take leave with a plea for support. We do have vacancies for more Annual Members whose membership costs only £50 per year. This is, for all, a way of donating to the various local causes which need financial help. The Exmoor Trust is exemplary is running at virtually no cost to our funds and therefore more causes benefit. Please encourage your friends to consider joining us and make a contribution for the benefit of Exmoor. In the past decade we have made grants totalling some £86,000 and we have still managed to reserve funds for emergencies and the future renewal of Exmoor. Let's all ensure that the next decade is just as good and preferably better.

 

Thank you all for your support to me over a very exciting formative period.

 

Edwin Beckett

Chairman

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