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Wide Support For A Single Body To Manage Wales Natural Resources

23 May 2012

Plans for a single body to manage Wales' natural resources have been widely welcomed, Environment Minister, John Griffiths confirmed

Speaking in Plenary, the Minister reported that　the large majority of the 308 individuals and organisations had responded positively to the Welsh Government's consultation on the establishment of a single body.

The Welsh Government will therefore be proceeding with its plans to develop a single body, he confirmed.

The majority of consultation respondents broadly supported the idea that the single body would offer one single point of contact and felt this would help to improve the level of service offered to the customer.　

They also supported the concept of a body that would deliver the best combination of social, environmental and economic benefits.

The Welsh Government consulted on plans to replace the Environment Agency Wales, the Countryside Council for Wales and the Forestry Commission for Wales with one single body at the beginning of the year with the belief that one single environment body will ensure the most sustainable and effective management of Wales' natural resources.

The transition from three environment bodies to one is estimated to result in gross savings of up to £158m over a ten year period.

The Minister said: "The natural environment really is crucial to Wales Benefits derived from the natural world contribute £8.8bn worth of goods and services to the economy every year. They also form 9 percent of Welsh GDP and equate to one in six jobs.

The single body is due to come into being on 1 April 2013.

Darrel Moore