Business Plan 2013/2014
Business Plan 2013/2014 Cover photograph: Woodburn Forest, County Antrim Business Plan 2013/2014 Business Plan 2013/2014 Foreword 3 Introduction Status Vision and Aims Functions Corporate Governance Organisation and Resources 5 5 5 5 6 6 Strategic Context Executive Programme for Government Operating environment Scope for forest expansion Managing forests sustainably Social forestry Targets and Objectives 7 7 8 8 8 9 10 Business Priorities for 2013/14 Forest Service Budgets Monitoring and Reporting 11 15 16 Appendix 1: Forest Service Standards Area Performance Standards Customer Service standards Financial control standards 17 17 17 17 Appendix 2: Agency Organisational Senior Structure 18 Appendix 3: Agency Offices 19 1 Business Plan 2013/2014 2 Business Plan 2013/2014 Foreword By the Chief Executive This Business Plan sets out our strategic objectives and associated targets for the 2013/14 business year. This is a challenging programme of work that will facilitate delivery of the Minister’s policy aims for forestry and her objective that the Forest service Headquarters moves to Fermanagh as quickly as possible. We will continue to promote forest expansion by providing financial support from EU and national funds and by providing advice to forest owners. We will also continue to manage forests sustainably by working closely with private forest owners as their timber felling activities fall within the scope of the Forestry Act, by supporting the Department in actions to control and eradicate scheduled tree diseases, and by managing the forests in our care to produce timber, to earn an income, to protect the environment and to protect forests from fire, and to promote and encourage the enjoyment and recreational use of forests. We will continue the good progress made in developing and supporting partnership arrangements with both public and private sector operators to derive the best possible benefit from forests, and we will continue to strive to ensure that these benefits are delivered in a sustainable way. As we start 2013/14 with a harsh spring the year promises to be a challenging one for the Agency, but one in which I hope we will make real progress. Malcolm Beatty Chief Executive 3 Business Plan 2013/2014 4 Business Plan 2013/2014 Introduction Status In the main, forestry functions are delivered by the Forest Service on behalf of the Department. The Forest Service became an Executive Agency within the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on 1 April 1998. The Agency is subject to the overall direction of the Minister, who determines the policy framework within which the Agency operates, the level of resources made available each year, and the scope of Agency activities. The Minister approves the Business Plan, sets the key performance targets and monitors the Agency’s performance. Vision and Aims The Minister has affirmed that the policy vision remains that there should be a steady expansion of tree cover to increase the many diverse benefits that forests provide, and that woods and forests would be sustainably managed. The aim over the next 50 years is to increase the area of forest from the current 8% to 12% of land area by planting trees on 50,000ha of agricultural land, and to manage forests to provide a wide range of public and private benefits. Functions The Forestry Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 requires the Department to promote afforestation and sustainable forestry, so as to encourage public enjoyment and recreational use of its own forests and to promote the social benefits of other forests. The Act defines “forestry” to include the production and supply of timber and other forest products, the maintenance of adequate reserves of growing trees, and the management and development of forests so as to contribute to the protection of the environment, biodiversity and the mitigation of, or adaptation to, climate change. The key tasks are: 1. To promote forest expansion by private landowners and public bodies through advice and grant aid; 2. To provide a regulatory framework and administrative process to support the achievement of policy objectives; 3. To maintain the knowledge base needed to inform forestry development; and 4. To manage the Department’s forests so as to: • Supply timber and to regenerate the areas harvested, by monitoring forest productivity, by planning harvests, by negotiating sale of forest products, and by investment to improve access and restock forests; • Provide public access for recreation, by maintaining and improving facilities and visitor services, increasingly through partnership arrangements with other public authorities, commercial providers, or groups of recreational users; • Regenerate them after damage caused by fire and disease, to protect them, to improve their environmental value by monitoring condition, and planning changes in forest structure in consultation with stakeholders; • Verify sustainable management performance through a process of independent audit against the UK Woodland Assurance Standard; and • Release land from forestry where a better use exists. 5 Business Plan 2013/2014 Corporate Governance The Chief Executive is responsible to the Minister for the Agency’s operations and performance, and is the Agency Accounting Officer. The Chief Executive is advised by a Management Board comprising four Executive Directors and a Non-Executive Director, who is also a Senior Civil Servant working in another part of the Department. The Chief Executive is also advised by a Corporate Governance and Audit Committee, established as a sub-Committee of the Board, about business risks, internal control and governance of the Agency. The Committee is chaired by a member of the Senior Civil Service from the Department for Regional Development and has two additional members, one of whom is a member of the Agency’s Board. We have a responsibility to ensure that robust procedures are in place to provide for continuity of service in the event of a civil emergency. Our business continuity plan sets out the controls in place and we review the plan regularly to ensure that it provides the necessary assurance that the controls remain effective. Organisation and Resources The Minister has allocated the Agency £8.7m in 2013/14 for running costs, staff salaries and wages. An additional £4 million has been allocated over two years to improve the NI tourist product by upgrading caravan sites (and other facilities) within our forest parks to international 5-star standard. The Agency has 218 staff located at the Agency’s headquarters in Belfast, in three main offices at Enniskillen, Castlewellan and Garvagh, and in forests. Forest Service has set a range of standards relating to how we deal with customer correspondence and complaints. These standards are at Appendix 1. Details of the current organisational structure and main office locations can be found in Appendices 2 and 3. We regularly review structures, staffing levels and business processes in order to deliver our business in the most efficient and effective way. In line with wider NICS objectives, the Agency will seek to achieve a reduced level of staff absenteeism and specific targets are included in this Business Plan. Specific action to meet our absenteeism targets will include the strict application of the absence management procedures, action on the prevention and investigation of industrial accidents and management reviews of absenteeism. 6 Business Plan 2013/2014 Strategic Context Executive Programme for Government During the 2010/11 business year we published a Delivery Plan (Forest Service, 2011) outlining how we intended to deliver our duties under the new Forestry Act and listed 44 actions to be taken. The highest priority requirements follow from the Executive Programme for Government (PfG) for the period to 2014/15. Forestry has scope to support achievement of: • Executive Priority 1: “Growing a Sustainable Economy and Investing in the Future” by promoting forest expansion, by supplying timber for manufacturing and export, and for wood fuel; by providing access to forests to support tourism development; and by exploiting the strategic location of forests as sites for wind-energy; • Executive Priority 3: “Protecting Our People, the Environment and Creating Safer Communities” by the way we look after forests to protect biodiversity through careful planning and execution of operations in our own woods, and enforcing legislation to curb anti-social behaviour affecting forests; • Executive Priority 4: “Building a Strong and Shared Community” by improving access for community development, and using forests as vehicles for “encouraging active citizenship … unlocking the potential of the culture, arts and leisure sectors … greater involvement in sporting and pastoral activities …”; and • Executive Priority 5: “Delivering High Quality and Efficient Public Services” by continuing to focus on service quality and costs. These priorities are reflected in the Department’s strategic goal to help deliver improved sustainable environmental outcomes and Agency targets to support forestry projects by planning to incur expenditure of at least £1.951m from National and EU funds, to create at least 250ha of new woodland, and to earn an income of £7.95 million from forest resources. It is also reflected in the Departmental goal to manage our business and deliver services to our customers in a cost-effective way. Through careful management of our costs and maximisation of revenue generated from the Forestry Estate the public subsidy of the agency has been substantially reduced in recent years, but this also meant that expenditure on important assets has been less than is desirable if we are to meet public expectations and support a forest based tourist economy. Although the Agency will strive to maintain the subsidy at the lowest possible cost it will continue to seek out opportunities for investment to improve and extend the life of assets in line with the Executive 7 Business Plan 2013/2014 policy on care for the historic estate (NIEA, 2012), and to engage partners in delivering recreation and other services. The Agency shares in the Department’s target to meet the combined industrial and nonindustrial Departmental absenteeism target of 7.8 working days lost per Whole Time Equivalent. Forest Service combined absence target for 2013/14 has been set at 8.2 working days lost per Whole Time Equivalent. During 2012 the Minister announced that the Forest Service should move its headquarters to Fermanagh. We will develop plans to achieve this aim during 2013/14. This plan also contains supporting targets to provide greater clarity about how the key targets are to be achieved, and to prepare the ground for progress in future years. Operating environment Scope for forest expansion It is now clear that farmers’ responses to the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) are the main factor determining the rate and type of forestry expansion and, until the way is clear on the current CAP Reform proposals, it is unlikely that the supply of land for new planting will increase much on previous years. However, stakeholders have told us that one major obstacle to increased forest expansion is that the support available for large scale planting is too low, and we are concerned that recent outbreaks of tree diseases may have further reduced stakeholder confidence in forestry. Therefore, subject to obtaining EU approval for a modification to the NI Rural Development Plan, we will test this proposition by inviting competitive bids for large scale planting, known as a Forestry Challenge Scheme, within the existing Rural Development Rules. We will also continue to support the Department in developing proposals for the next Rural Development Programme. Managing forests sustainably Forestry land is used for growing timber, for protection and enhancement of the environment, and for social uses. It also has strong potential for development of wind-farms, subject to planning approval, grid connection, agreement on community benefits and securing financial backing; during 8 Business Plan 2013/2014 2013-14 we will work closely with the Strategic Investment Board to develop plans to exploit the best opportunities for wind-farm development on forestry land consistent with our forestry obligations. One of our principal obligations is that all forests should be managed in a sustainable manner. The Forestry Act made provision to regulate tree felling and forest regeneration and, subject to Assembly approval, we will implement the draft regulations to control tree felling during the first part of the year. In relation to the Department’s forests the Forest Service holds a certificate of sustainable forest management against the independently audited UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS). This is a considerable strength and means, broadly, that forest management complies with all legal obligations and is committed to a rigorous planning process that pays proper attention to the design of forests at all stages of development. Forest Service ensures that forest operations comply with the plans and follow good practice; that forests are properly protected and maintained and that conservation and enhancement of biodiversity are given significant consideration. The Agency encourages community participation and supports community access. The Department is an “Investor in People” employer and we respect the rights of our staff and provide all training and equipment as necessary. A consequence of retaining the UKWAS certification is that our timber finds a ready market throughout Ireland. The income generated by timber sales is our main source of income. This offsets most of the annual costs of looking after our forests including the costs of improving the forest environment and providing public access. Timber from our forests is processed locally to add value, to supply timber and energy markets, and to create employment. During 2013/14, we will continue the work begun last year on a woodland inventory to facilitate an assessment of the productive potential of our forests, and we will open discussions with our major customers about the best way to manage timber supplies in the light of medium term availability (the next 3 to 5 years) and the longer term decline in supply after 2030. Social forestry Most of our properties are accessible to the public, are heavily used for walking and cycling, and some forests occupy strategically important positions within tourist destination areas. Last year we implemented the provisions of the Forestry Act to create a “Public Right of Pedestrian Access” to most forestry lands. We also completed a report in conjunction with Northern Ireland Tourist Board on the potential for tourism development (KPMG, 2013) and we 9 Business Plan 2013/2014 were allocated £4 million over the financial years 2013-14 and 2014-15, for projects to improve tourism facilities in our forests, under the Executive’s Economy and Jobs Initiative. We intend to deliver these projects by working with local councils and other organisations, to strengthen our partnership working arrangements. We will continue to involve communities in the decisions affecting local forests. We recognise that this is a difficult matter for communities as much of our work is very technical and not accessible to most people. We have learnt, from previous consultations, that most people seek reassurance that forests will be speedily replaced after harvesting, that harvesting should be infrequent and small scale where they are heavily used for public access, and that the disruption and damage to minor public roads is a considerable annoyance to those living in forested areas. We will continue to work closely with Roads Service to find ways to mitigate the problems. We will also continue to work closely with District Councils where we become aware of problems with fly-tipping, and to improve social use of forests. Targets and Objectives The Minister has set key targets for the Agency. The business priorities, actions key and supporting targets are shown in Table 1. Table 2 shows the net budget allocated to the Agency to deliver the work programme. The plan assumes that the Department will continue to provide support services, accommodation and IT, as set out in the Agency’s Framework document, and that these will continue to be charged on a notional basis. 10 Business Plan 2013/2014 Business Priorities for 2013/14 Within the context of implementing our strategic aims, we have agreed a number of business priorities for this business year. These are to: • Encourage forest expansion; • Manage forests to produce an income and to protect forest environments; • Demonstrate that forests are managed sustainably through an external audit of our performance; • Collect and analyse data about the condition and use of forests; • Continue to seek partnership working to deliver recreation and visitor services consistent with our Recreation and Social Use Strategy and to utilise additional £2m provided under the Jobs and the Economy Initiative; and • Manage our business and deliver services to our customers in a cost-effective way. • Develop plans to move Forest Service Headquarters to Fermanagh. • Develop plans to exploit the best opportunities for wind farm development on Forestry land. To achieve this, the Business Plan sets a number of priorities, actions, key and supporting targets or milestones. These are set out in the next section. 11 Manage forests to produce an income and to protect forest environments 12 To establish baseline data and publish design plans for the 2013/14 planning review areas to improve forest resilience; Implement plans to harvest trees and restore forests after harvesting, fire and disease; and Put in place resources and develop plans to exploit the best • • opportunities for wind farm development on Forestry Land Plan the development of forests to sustain timber production, maintain environmental quality, and support recreational use; • Consider how the forestry elements of the draft Rural Development Regulation can best be applied to our situation. • Identify and market mature plantations; Explain the need for different types of forest, publicise the opportunities for woodland expansion, explore ways to overcome barriers to uptake; and • • Offer grants for woodland creation; • By 31 March 2014 we will During 2013/14 we will: E) Cut 100 ha of Rhododendron and laurel in high risk forests. D) Share baseline information with Stakeholders. C) Complete the Habitat Regulations Assessments for the Lough Melvin and Foyle Special Areas of Conservation. Complete planning reviews for two forest areas, West Tyrone and North West planning areas. B) Maintain the annual supply of wood for industrial processing at a minimum of 400,000 m3. Supporting targets 3) Obtain income of at least £7.95 million from forest resources. Key target target of 250 hectares. A. Design and operate a pilot scheme for the creation of up to 100 hectares of new woodland in addition to the key Supporting targets 2) Plan to incur expenditure of at least £1.951m on forestry projects. 1) Create at least 250 hectares of new woodland. Key target Key or asupporting Target or milestones: Actions Table 1 Encourage forest expansion Business priorities Business Plan 2013/2014 Key Strategic Objectives and Targets Collect and analyse data about the condition and use of forests Demonstrate that forests are managed sustainably H) Develop processes to enable the issuing of felling licences from 1 July 2013. Implement the revised process of community engagement with forestry planning and activity in collaboration with partners in the south of Ireland; To incorporate felling licences within Environmental Regulation branch and support the implementation in NI of the EU Timber Regulation and support the implementation of new UK Timber Regulations regime. • • 13 M) Publish a NI Woodland Base map. Refine the woodland register. • L) Implement requirements set out in monitoring plan for ancient woodland sites. Undertake an assessment of threats to biodiversity in • ancient woodland in our forests; and J) To project manage the development and integration of Forest Service GIS with DARD Corporate GIS. Develop the capability and use of our Geographic Information System (GIS) including integration with the DARD Corporate GIS Programme. • K) Continue to develop forest data management procedures to support Forest Plans. I) Complete the 2013/14 Measurement Programme and incorporate the results in the Annual Report. Continue to develop forest inventory and production forecasts; • Supporting targets G) Test revised approach to community engagement in North West and West Tyrone planning areas; and Comply with the requirements of the UK Woodland Assurance Standard and subject this to an external audit; • F) Maintain Sustainable Forest Management certification for our forests. Supporting targets Business Plan 2013/2014 Manage our business and deliver services to our customers in a cost-effective way Seek partnership working to deliver recreation and visitor services consistent with our Recreation and Social Use Strategy O) Publish the application process to facilitate public use of our forests. Continue to facilitate local government and other partner bodies to include forests in delivery of their recreation and tourism objectives. Develop and operate a forestry funding scheme to support the Jobs and Economy Initiative. • • 14 S) To improve our process for capturing visitor data and occupancy rates. T) Reduce the Agency average annual days sick absence per employee to 8.2 days. V) To review records management and provide recommendations. W) To put a relocation plan in place by Dec 2013. To collate data on visitor figures to the forests and occupancy of the forest parks. Implement the Departments absence management system; Facilitate recruitment, promotion and training of professional, technical, administrative and industrial staff Develop technical, operational support and estate management staff to optimise use of GIS; Improve effectiveness of the Corporate Records Management process; and To plan for HQ relocation by the summer of 2014, • • • • • • U) Develop, review and submit the training plan to training providers. R) Review timber security and provide recommendations. Examine technological developments in liaison with Coillte for improving timber security; • Supporting targets forestry funding scheme. Q) To deliver the 2013/14 milestones set out under the P) Have new facilities in place in at least 3 forests as a result of our partnership arrangements with Local Government; and N) Establish management arrangements and issue draft agreements for World Police and Fire Games by 1 June 2013. Support the 2013 World Police and Fire Games by permitting infrastructure development and use of forests under licence; • Supporting targets Business Plan 2013/2014 Business Plan 2013/2014 Forest Service Budgets 2013-14 Table 2 Description 2013/14 Opening Baseline £’000 2012/13 Opening Baseline £’000 Salaries 3,836 3,751 Wages 4,060 3,653 781 781 3,010 2,960 458 440 -7,950 -7,950 4,195 3,635 788 788 15 15 TOTAL FOREST SERVICE OTHER RESOURCE DEPRECIATION / IMPAIRMENT 803 803 Recurrent Capital: Plant, Vehicles, Machinery & Roads 497 326 GAE Current – Other NIRDP Axis 2 Forest Resource Grant National Receipts: Current TOTAL FOREST SERVICE OTHER RESOURCE Depreciation Impairment Improving Forest Infrastructure under the Jobs and Economy Initiative 2,000 TOTAL FOREST SERVICE CAPITAL 2,497 326 NIRDP Axis 2 Forest Expansion Woodland Grant Scheme National 420 420 TOTAL FOREST SERVICE CAPITAL GRANT 420 420 TOTAL FOREST SERVICE DEL 7,915 5,184 Forest Service Timber Revaluation 2,561 1,370 TOTAL FOREST SERVICE AME RESOURCE DEPRECIATION / IMPAIRMENT 2,561 1,370 Forest Service – Movement in Provision 75 0 TOTAL FOREST SERVICE AME RESOURCE 75 0 10,551 6,554 TOTAL FOREST SERVICE DEL = 4 year Departmental Expenditure Limits as per the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review. AME = Annually Managed Expenditure. 15 Business Plan 2013/2014 Monitoring and Reporting The Forest Service Management Board will monitor performance against the key targets. If it appears that the achievement of key targets may be at risk due to factors outside of the Agency’s control, the Chief Executive will consult with the Department and the Minister about options for remedial action. In these or other circumstances, it may be necessary to review the Business Plan during the year and make changes in policies, resources or priorities. The Business Plan is subject to formal in-year and year-end reviews by the Permanent Secretary and the Department’s Fraser Figure, in discussion with the Agency’s Board. Following the end of the financial year the Chief Executive will publish an Annual Report and Accounts. The Report will review the Agency’s activities during the year and will comment specifically on its performance against the key targets set by the Minister. 16 Business Plan 2013/2014 Appendix 1 Forest Service Standards Area Performance Standards Customer Service standards Respond to 90% of written correspondence within 10 working days. Acknowledge all written complaints within 3 working days of receipt and provide a full response to 90% of written and verbal complaints within 15 working days of receipt. Financial control standards Achieve a financial outturn that is within resource limits in line with the Department’s targets that the Provisional Capital and Resource Outturns should be between 98% and 100% of the Final Budget. 17 Business Plan 2013/2014 Appendix 2 Agency Organisational Senior Structure Malcolm Beatty Chief Executive John Joe O’Boyle Director of Forestry Responsible for: Forest development, marketing, property management, delivery of services Iann Irwin Director of Forest Management Responsible for: Management of State forests and forestry operations Pauline Keegan Non-Executive Director Stuart Morwood Director of Woodland Development and Strategies Responsible for: policy development, forest practice standards, private woodlands, plant health control, IT services, technical and geographical services and statistics Marcus McAuley Corporate Services Corporate Services, Accounting and Finance, Legislation and HQ relocation 18 Business Plan 2013/2014 Appendix 3 Agency Offices Headquarters Customer Services Manager Dundonald House Upper Newtownards Road Ballymiscaw BELFAST BT4 3SB Phone: 028 90524480 Fax: 028 90524570 e-mail to: [email protected] The Grange Castlewellan Forest Park CASTLEWELLAN BT31 9BU Phone: 028 43772240 028 43771762 Fax: Inishkeen House Killyhevlin ENNISKILLEN BT74 4EJ Phone: 028 66343032 Fax: 028 66324753 Forest Office 6 Forest Road GARVAGH BT51 5EF 028 29556003 Phone: Fax: 028 29557162 Appendix 1 19 Business Plan 2013/2014 Business Plan 2013/2014 Should accessible formats such as large type, audio cassette or a language other than English be required, please contact the Customer Services Manager at Forest Service Headquarters and appropriate arrangements will be made as soon as possible. Forest Service Headquarters Dundonald House Upper Newtownards Road Ballymiscaw Belfast BT4 3SB Tel: 028 9052 4480 Fax: 028 9052 4570 e-mail: web sites: [email protected] www.nidirect.gov.uk/forests www.dardni.gov.uk/forestry FOREST SERVICE 2006. Northern Ireland Forestry: A Strategy for sustainability and growth. In: DARD (ed.). Belfast. Forest Service. Forestry Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 Delivery Plan. (2011) Belfast: Department Agriculture and Rural Development. KPMG. Assessment of the Existing and Potential Tourism Development Opportunities Available from Northern Ireland Forests (2013) Belfast: KPMG, in association with Oxford Economics and Louise Browne Associates. NIEA. Protocol for the Care of the Government Historic Estate. (2012) Belfast. 20 FS 3C 06/13 PCOM ISBN 978-1-84807-397-5 Printed on recycled paper
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