About Us

Partnership Background

The management structure of the Heritage Coast Partnership is a modification of the successful Turning the Tide on the Durham Coast Partnership with recommendations resulting from a formal governance review in 2003. The successful multi-agency partnership of Turning the Tide will be continued with the further addition of two new partners, the City of Sunderland and Hartlepool Borough Council, the partnership is strengthened to sixteen members. The Heritage Coast is tasked with retaining and strengthening this focus and building on the level of involvement of local communities in future decision-making.

The Partnership comprises representatives of:

• Local community interests (Blackhall Regeneration Partnership, Horden Regeneration Partnership, Easington Regeneration Partnership, Ryhope Development Trust, Seaham Town Council) (5 in total).
• The four local authorities (Durham County Council, Easington District Council, Hartlepool Borough Council and City of Sunderland) (4 elected members).
• Key statutory agencies (Environment Agency and Natural England).
• The National Trust, the Durham Wildlife Trust, Groundwork East Durham and Northumbrian Water as key land owners/managers on the coast (4 in total).

In addition, to support community involvement:

• A forum/conference is held annually to provide an opportunity for a wider range of local and community interests to input into the management of the area. Previously elected onto the Steering Group have been a representative from the North Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee and a Volunteer Warden for the area's Little Tern colony at Crimdon. Elected onto the steering group this year is a Representative from the 'Back on the Map' project (Hendon, Sunderland and a member of Durham Voles (volunteers for the local environment)/Chairman of the National Association of Voluntary Countryside Wardens. Details from the 2006 Forum can be found in the news pages.

• Time-limited, small, specialist working groups may be formed as and when necessary to assist with or provide guidance upon specific projects and initiatives. These would provide the opportunity for a wide range of individuals and interest groups to become actively involved in the management of the coast.
• The individual members of the Partnership will be encouraged to take on a wider role which will go beyond the interests of the organisation that they represent.