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WIDER ROLE

MEAS provides a host of specialist services to groups of Districts who require additional support in specific areas. Examples include Merseyside BioBank (biological records for four Districts) and the HER (Historic Environment Record for five Districts)

 

Wider Role

Historic Environment Record

MEAS adopted the Historic Environment Record (HER) in April 2014. A three-year process of digitising and enhancing the HER, working with the paper Sites and Monuments Record files dating back to the 1970s and with the grey literature of archaeological reports for Merseyside, means it is now usable as a source of sound planning evidence.

From June 2016 a full service for archaeological advice relating to planning and development management is available to the local authorities of Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St. Helens and Wirral.

Local Sites

Local Sites are non-statutory sites designated through Local Sites Partnerships (Defra Guidelines) and receive policy protection through Local Plans. MEAS chairs the North Merseyside Local Sites Partnership. These include both Local Wildlife Sites (LWS) and Local Geological Sites (LGS). Local Sites are designated due to substantive wildlife or geological interest. Sites must meet selection guidelines to be designated as a Local Site. In North Merseyside (Knowsley, Liverpool, St. Helens and Sefton) Local Wildlife Sites are designated using the North Merseyside Local Sites designation guidelines.  Wirral and Halton are covered by the Cheshire Region Local Sites guidelines.

Merseyside BioBank

Mersey Biobank (MBB) houses and manages the Local Biological Record for North Merseyside (Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton and St.Helens) and contributes to the biodiversity duties for these districts. For a small fee, it is able to provide biological information to third parties in support of planning applications and projects. MBB is supported by a team of dedicated volunteers who assist with recording, infor

mation management and publicity.

 
 
 

Partnership Work

Liverpool City Region is now formally recognised along with the formation of the LCR Local Enterprise Partnership. Additionally, the authorities have recently formed the Merseyside and Halton Combined Authority to help lead and manage strategic issues. LCR work is being managed through “initiative driven” management structures especially for the Low carbon economy and Local Nature Partnership with MEAS playing key roles in both.MEAS plays an important partnership role in working with other sub-regional groups, such as the Mersey Forest and Primary Care Trusts, in delivering credible plans to develop green infrastructure across the LCR which delivers economic, environmental and social benefits.

It is important for the Councils to be aware of and working in partnership with our city regions, MEAS represents the Councils on the Atlantic Gateway Sustainable Environment Group.