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Dorset’s Environmental Economy: Technical Specification
Economic valuation of Dorset’s environmental economy and impact
assessment of Dorset’s key landscape-scale designations: Jurassic Coast
World Heritage Site and Dorset AONB
1 BACKGROUND
1.1 The national context
In 2010 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) published a growth white paper, Local
Growth: realising every place’s potential, which identified the Coalition Government’s priority of returning
the nation’s economy to health. The White Paper stated that the Government was:
‘committed to growth that is environmentally sustainable and inter-generationally fair. Indeed efficient and
sustainable use of the environment now can stimulate growth through innovation, resource efficiency and
new markets, whilst reducing future risks to the economy. The commitment to being the greenest
Government ever and government for the long term will require ‘greening’ the whole economy. Our
approach recognises that places have specific geographic, historic, environmental and economic
circumstances that help to determine the prospects for growth’.
The white paper confirmed the establishment of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) with the remit to
provide a clear vision and strategic leadership to drive sustainable private sector-led growth and job
creation in their area.
In 2011 the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) published a Natural Environment
White Paper (NEWP), The Natural Choice: securing the value of nature. This stated that the Government:
‘wants this to be the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than it
inherited it’, and that this ‘requires us all to put the value of nature at the heart of our decision making – in
Government, local communities and businesses.’
One of the four ways in which the Government aimed to harness the value of nature was through ‘creating
a green economy, in which economic growth and the health of our natural resources sustain each other,
and markets, businesses and Government better reflect the value of nature.’ Chapter 3 of the NEWP set
out how the Government proposes to achieve a green economy and refers to the National Ecosystem
Assessment (NEA) and The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB). These reports highlight the
significant economic and social costs of depleting our natural capital and demonstrate the economic
benefits of looking after it. The NEWP also led to the establishment of Local Nature Partnerships (LNPs)
with a remit to ‘provide a clear vision and strategic leadership to improve the range of benefits and services
we get from a healthy natural environment’.
The NEWP stated that LEPs and LNPs would have complementary roles in helping to grow a green
economy: ‘We expect them to work in a co-operative and constructive fashion to drive forward green
growth locally. Together they can help create the conditions needed for thriving local enterprise,
innovation and inward investment – all of which can benefit from, and contribute to, a better natural
environment. We would encourage LNPs and LEPs to work together to forge strong links that capture the
value of nature’.
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1.2 The Dorset context
The Dorset LEP was established in 2011 under the leadership of the private sector and supported by the
local authorities from Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole. Its overall aim is to ‘deliver growth through
business enterprise whilst safeguarding the environment’. The Dorset LNP was established in 2012 to the
same boundaries as the LEP, and again with the support of the local authorities from Bournemouth, Dorset
and Poole, with the aim of ‘enhancing natural value in Dorset’. Understanding the scope and scale of the
contribution made by Dorset’s environment to its economic wellbeing is therefore a priority for the Dorset
LNP.
Dorset is known nation-wide, and to some extent internationally, for its coast and countryside, for their
largely undeveloped and tranquil nature and national and international significance. It is a draw for
tourists of all types – beach holiday, walkers, fossil hunters, food trips, cultural and so on – and also for
SMEs keen to have a better quality of life. Key to maintaining this is the successful management of its two
most significant environmental designations, the Dorset and East Devon Coast ‘Jurassic Coast’ World
Heritage Site, and the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Whilst intuitively, decision-makers and local businesses alike know the value of these designations and the
identity values that they bring with them, in a contracting public sector economy, there is a need to
demonstrate their value, economically, in terms of what they have brought to the area, and what they
might bring in the future.
This study is therefore being commissioned by Dorset County Council to obtain a strategic overview of
Dorset’s ‘environmental economy’ and, more specifically, to identify the contribution to the local economy
made by:
(i)
(ii)
the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site (popularly known as the Jurassic Coast).
the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
1.3 Reference material
Details of the Dorset LEP and its growth strategies:
http://www.dorsetlep.co.uk/
Details of the Dorset LNP and its vision and strategy for enhancing natural value:
http://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/dorset_local_nature_partnership.html
Details of the Dorset Area AONB and its Management Plan for 2014-19:
http://www.dorsetaonb.org.uk/
Details of the Jurassic Coast WHS and its Management Plan for 2014-19:
http://jurassiccoast.org/
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2 STUDY OBJECTIVES
A. Define and describe Dorset’s1 ‘Environmental Economy’ based on other accepted definitions of the
same (e.g. the recent study into Devon’s ‘Green Economy’, the 2002 study into the environmental
economy of south east England), including spatial information and comparison data.
B. Outline the scale and scope of Dorset’s ‘Environmental Economy’ by a range of metrics, including
but not restricted to contribution to GVA and employment in Dorset, and integrating the outcomes
of an independently commissioned Habitat Accounting study2.
C. Undertake two specific impact assessments to determine:
a) the value added to the Dorset economy by the inscription of the Dorset and East Devon3 Coast
World Heritage Site and the activities resulting from its Management Plan and partnership,
both since inscription in 2001 and on an annualised basis, with some forecast of future
potential including some assessment of factors which might impact on it;
b) the value added to the Dorset economy through the existence of the Dorset AONB designation
and the activities arising from its Management Plan and partnership.
We expect these studies to identify:
◦
◦
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estimated additional GVA generated through visitor spend (residents and tourists), business
turnover and associated attraction growth;
estimated additional increase in employment;
estimated additional amount of actual or intended inward investment in the form of grants or
otherwise as a direct or indirect result of the designations.
D. Describe the growth potential of Dorset’s ‘Environmental Economy’ outlining strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats in this regard.
E. To make recommendations on how Dorset can sustainably exploit its natural assets, and develop
innovative mechanisms for investing in them to ensure that they continue to deliver economic and
social value. This should include discussion of:
◦
◦
◦
◦
how natural asset providers can trade economic and social benefits with business, civil society
and the public sector
relevant ‘green’ markets and Dorset businesses
discussion of how partners in Dorset can align resources and grow business opportunities to
pay for a healthy natural environment
discussion of how we can develop an economy which better reflects the real value of natural
capital and services and how natural capital can be placed at the heart of Dorset’s accounting
and decision-making.
1
Need to decide whether this is Dorset, Bournemouth & Poole or Dorset County area.
Commissioned by Defra, this work is focussing on the Dorset AONB but its metrics could be expanded to cover
Dorset. This expanded data will be made available
3
This part of the work will need to look at the East Devon Coastal area too.
2
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3 STUDY METHODOLOGY
3.1
It will be for potential contractors to identify the detailed methodology for the study but it will be
important to use established, credible methods of economic valuation which will be widely accepted
and recognised by economic and environmental partners as a robust basis for the study. We expect
the methodology to consider:



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

3.2
Which individuals, organisations and partnerships will need to be consulted;
Precisely what is to be measured to effectively evaluate economic impact;
Statements of reliability and weaknesses in respect of outcomes;
What data collection methods should be employed (eg, survey, consultation, indicative from
secondary data, etc);
The approach to capturing Strategic Added Value and choice (and justification) of models used;
The timing of the data collection exercises;
What key sources of baseline data will be used.
DCC’s Consultation and Research team will be available to discuss and agree appropriate
methodologies for use within the study.
4 STUDY OUTPUTS AND MILESTONES
4.1
The key output will be a plain English report (full report and executive summary) which meets the
objectives set out above, including ‘stand-alone’ case studies on the economic value of:


the Jurassic Coast WHS and
the Dorset AONB.
4.2
The report will also need to provide a clear methodology and templates for future ongoing
monitoring (except where models used are protected by copyright /licence).
4.3
The successful contractor may also be required to present the findings of the report verbally to:
(i) Dorset County Council senior management, elected members and potentially partners (one
presentation, date to be confirmed)
(ii) the Dorset LEP and / or LNP Boards (one presentation, date to be confirmed)
4.4
Key proposed outline project milestones are as follows, subject to discussion at the inception
meeting.
1. Inception meeting (proposed) – July 17th
2. Draft outcomes of Objectives A and B – to be agreed at inception meeting
3. Draft outcomes of Objectives C,D and E – to be agreed at inception meeting
4. Final report and presentation of findings – to be agreed at inception meeting
4.5
Exact project completion date will be agreed between the Project Manager and the contractor, and
that date will also mark the termination of this contract.
5 BUDGET
5.1
The budget for the project will be not more than £20,000, exclusive of VAT. Best value
considerations will be taken into account when choosing a contractor.
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6 PROJECT MANAGEMENT
6.1
The project will be led by a Steering Group comprising primarily people in different roles from Dorset
County Council. A Project Manager will be the day-to-day contact, and a list of external stakeholders
to consult will be provided, some of whom are listed below.
6.2
Project management arrangements are:



Project Manager: Sam Rose (Jurassic Coast WHS Manager, Dorset County Council)
Project Steering Group: Peter Moore (Head of Environment, Dorset County Council) Matthew
Piles (Head of Economy) Dorset County Council); Sam Rose (World Heritage Team Leader),
Tom Munro (Dorset AONB Manager); Anne Gray (Consultation and Research Team); Sally King
(Jurassic Coast Visitor manager); elected members
Key external stakeholders to include (but not limited to): Gordon Page (Chairman, Dorset LEP);
Lorna Gibbons (Director, Dorset LEP); Simon Cripps (Chairman, Dorset LNP); LNP Manager;
Doug Hulyer (Jurassic Coast WHS Partnership Chair), Jim White (Dorset AONB Partnership
Chair); James Weld (Jurassic Coast Trust)
7 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT
7.1
The contract will be managed by the Project Manager, on behalf of the Project Steering Group. The
contractor will report on a day-to-day basis to the Project Manager.
7.2
Applicants may choose to undertake the whole contract directly through their own resources, or
alternatively may choose to contract and manage other specialists to undertake elements of the
required work. However, whichever route is chosen the successful applicant remain entirely
responsible for the contract.
7.3
Should the contractor choose to sub-contract any part of the work, they must advise the Project
Manager with at least 2 weeks’ notice, with a CV of the sub-contractor and the reasons for subcontracting. The Project Steering Group has the right to reject potential sub-contractors.
7.4
We accept that projects of this type can be fluid and that changes to contractual arrangements may
need to be made. We also expect that the contractor chosen to deliver the contract will have an
approach that is flexible and pragmatic, and one that is based on dialogue and discussion. In relation
to this, elements of this brief, including any appendices, which will form the basis of the contract, can
be changed at any time by the Project Steering Group, but only on discussion and agreement with
the chosen contractor.
7.5
In addition to the terms set out in this brief, the successful applicant will be required to conform to
the general Dorset County Council contract terms and conditions that accompany this brief.
7.6
The payment schedule is as follows:
25%
25%
25%
25%
7.7
Initial payment
Milestone 2
Milestone 3
Milestone 4
The successful contractor will receive an order number from Dorset County Council and payments
will be made on submission of an invoice to Dorset County Council with the aforesaid order number.
The invoice should contain the name and address of the COMPANY, details of the services
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undertaken and bank account to which the payment should be made. Payments will be made within
30 days.
8 Contact details
Project manager:
Sam Rose, World Heritage Team, Dorset County Council, County Hall, Dorchester,
DT1 1XJ [email protected], 01305 228656, 07748 074926
FIN
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