The proposed new body would bring together the functions of the Environment Agency Wales, the Forestry Commission Wales and the Countryside Council for Wales. The Welsh Assembly is also planning to reinforce institutional changes by bringing forward legislation on sustainable development, environment and planning to modernise its legal framework.
The new organisation would be expected to provide environmental advice and input to planning processes and to the development of new legislation.
The consultation is seeking views on:
- The overall proposals;
- proposals for implementing the legal changes required to establish the new body;
- the Assembly’s ambitions for the new body and its overall purpose;
- proposed arrangements for customer and stakeholder engagement, including mechanisms for ensuring accountability and transparency in the work of the new body;
- proposals for the main functions and powers of the body;
- proposals for the status of the body and how it will be governed, including arrangements for an executive board and wider stakeholder engagement; and
- How the Assembly proposes to take forward issues around cross-border governance and how the body will be fully accountable to Ministers.
Deadline for submission of responses is 2nd May 2012.
Click here to download the consultation document