Consultation on Improvements to Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership membership and structure

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Section 1 - Clearer partnership sign-up

Currently, there is a lack of clarity about which organisations are in the local nature partnership, with a general broad and inclusive approach instead, with no sign-up mechanism. While this has some strengths in relation to easy inclusion, it also brings a lack of clarity and a weaker sense of partnership.

A proposal is that we could create a simple but clear sign-up that your organisation is part of Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership, with text such as:

I confirm that [organisation name] is a member of Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership.

We believe that we achieve more for people and nature by working together.

Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership aims to put nature at the heart of local decision-making, for the benefit of nature recovery, people and the local economy.

Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership brings organisations together to share knowledge, improve practice and policy, and draw together connections and resources, to collaborate on strategic ambitions for nature in Gloucestershire.

Section 2 - LNP Organisation Representatives

Organisations want to be part of the Local Nature Partnership in order to connect, collaborate and feel plugged in to a wider picture and communicate more easily. However, if they are not part of an existing working group or allied network, it is very difficult to achieve this. The GLNP board appears to be somewhat of a closed shop, and there is a desire for a more inclusive and participatory approach that better connects wider members of the partnership.

A proposal is that each organisation can nominate approximately 2 representatives per organisation or team/ department who would like to be in more regular connection and communication with other LNP members. These “LNP Organisation Representatives” can opt to join a contact list group if they like, to share updates, questions, information and feedback to and from the Local Nature Partnership board, more quickly and responsively.

There are many possibilities for ways to communicate – email, Teams, slack, LinkedIn, Whatsapp, and dedicated forums. Many organisations have restrictions on the tools they can use, so something as simple as possible would probably be preferred.

Section 3 - LNP board, working groups and types of involvement

The GLNP board appears to be somewhat of a closed shop, and there is a desire for a more inclusive and participatory approach that better connects wider members of the partnership. In addition, it would be good to retain a flexible range of ways that people can be involved in the Local Nature Partnership.

You could be part of a working group or network and no other involvement; you can be part of the newsletter circulation and no other involvement; you can also be in a LNP organisation representative email group with more contact and communication; you could also represent a working group or network on the LNP board.

We would retain flexibility about the ways that working groups or more temporary task & finish groups can be started or organised – they can be chaired or led by, or affiliated to, different organisations around the partnership.

The GLNP board membership framework could include:

1. Independent chair, and vice-chair.

2. Executive members for strategic leadership.

3. Working group leads as nominated by working groups or allied networks, as agreed by the LNP board in line with LNP strategy. (these board reps could potentially change more frequently as working groups evolve or form)

Section 4 – draft LNP partnership strategy for 2026 onwards

Current potential scope of LNP partnership strategy themes and topics are shown below (or see consultation paper).

These represent the areas where LNP partnership organisations could work together to collectively find ways to achieve more by working together, share knowledge, improve practice and policy, and draw together connections and resources.