Terms of Reference

OBJECTIVES
The Objectives of the Coastal Issues Special Interest Group ("the Group") are:

•  To increase awareness and debate at a national and European Level of environmental, economic and social issues and concerns that directly affect or which may so affect coastal, estuarine and maritime communities;

•  To act as a focus for liaison between local authorities and other bodies representing coastal, estuarine and maritime interests;

•  To secure improved cross-departmental co-ordination with Government on coastal, estuarine and maritime issues with a view to ensuring consistency in policy and the provision of resources.

•  To work in partnership with other organisations with complimentary aims.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
The key accountabilities of the Group are:

•  Preparing discussion papers on issues of specific interest to coastal, estuarine and maritime communities;

•  Acting as a forum for debate on the issues raised by the discussion papers with a view to reaching a consensus of opinion;

•  Liaising with other Special Interest Groups & Executives of the LGA;

•  Making representations to Government and the European Commission, in so far as they are consistent with and will not conflict with or undermine LGA policy as a whole or damage the interests of other member authorities so as to ensure that issues affecting coastal, estuarine and maritime communities are reflected in Government policy and the result is an adequate distribution of funding/resources.

MEMBERSHIP
•  Membership of the Group shall be open to all those authorities with an interest in coastal, estuarine and maritime issues.

•  Each member authority may nominate one Councillor to represent the authority at any meetings of the Group