Decision details

To authorise the Corporate Director - Business & Environmental Services to submit a bid to the WCAF and the Corporate Director - Strategic Services to accept the funding, if successful.

Revenue funding up to £150,000 spread over years, 2022-23 and 2023-24.

The funding would provide specialist support to increase the capacity of specialist skills within local authorities, enabling them to accelerate the delivery of tree planting and woodland creation commitments.

the Executive Member for Open to Business:
i. authorises the submission of an Expression of Interest for grant (revenue) funding of £150,000 from the Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund - spread over two years 2022/23 and 2023/24.

ii. delegates the acceptance of any grant funding offered as a result of this expression of interest bid to the Corporate Director Strategic Resources following consultation with the Corporate Director Business and Environmental Services and the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services) subject to an acceptable MoU and terms and conditions being received.

The Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund (WCAF) is designed to support local authorities accelerate the delivery of tree planting and woodland creation commitments. All upper tier authorities are eligible to apply.
The proposed NYCC bid seeks to secure revenue funding for additional officer and consultancy resources to help develop an overall tree planting strategy for North Yorkshire, to identify strategic opportunities and then develop specific projects to submit for grant funding to White Rose Forest partnership and other grant funding routes.