SCOSLA

Background of Organisation

In 1982, the Local Authorities formed a Standing Conference consisting of seven Counties and ten Districts to co-ordinate a response and assist in research on the Seven Barrage Project (the Bondi Committee as it was then known).

It was seen that in such a vast and diverse area as the Severn, there was a need for an estuary-wide, Local Authority network in order to provide the Estuary with a collective voice. Over the years, the Standing Conference has been able to bring a holistic dimension to the sustainable management of the estuary and respond to development proposals and other issues in a co-operative nature.

SCOSLA endeavours to bring together constituent local authorities on both sides of the Severn Estuary in a spirit of mutual support and co-operation, in order to:

Co-ordinate discussion and action in relation to proposals within and adjacent to the Estuary in relation to their strategic estuarial impact;
Continue co-ordination of responses to proposals for the creation of a Severn Barrage, and all economic engineering, environmental and other issues arising from such proposals;
Act as a monitoring organisation in the preparation of management plans for the Severn Estuary;
Co-ordinate and make appropriate responses to statutory and non-governmental organisations, agencies and interest groups; and
Provide the framework for effective representation to appropriate European and international bodies dealing with Estuary matters.

SCOSLA has added Severn to the member list of Les Estuariales, a European partnership of municipal and regional Authorities with responsibility for the sustainable management of several European Estuaries. Les Estuarialies was formed in 1990 and has been continuously expanding its programme of joint studies and exchange of experience. Key Local Authorities from the SCOSLA network are contributing financially to the initiative.

The Secretariat of SCOSLA was recently passed on to the Severn Estuary Partnership enabling hence , better co-ordination between Severn Based groups with a leading role in the management of the Estuary.

Estuary Management & Conservation Groups Standing Conference of Severnside Local Authorities (SCOSLA)

Estuary Management & Conservation Groups

Standing Conference of Severnside Local Authorities (SCOSLA)