The AONB wider partnership is made up of the Joint Advisory Committee - JAC (see below) with a wide range of other interested organisations and individuals.  The JAC meets 4 times a year and all are welcome to attend.  

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The Joint Advisory Committee is effectively the partnership executive, acting as a watchdog for the AONB Service.  The AONB Service reports to the JAC at least 4 times a year, papers for which can be downloaded here.

The JAC is made up of our 5 core funders, Defra, Somerset County Council, Somerset West & Taunton Council and Sedgemoor District Council.  4 Parish Council representatives (from Quantock and surrounding parishes), and the following organisations: Forestry Commission, The National Trust,  Natural England, Friends of Quantock, Country Land & Business Association, Quantock Commoners Association, Somerset Access Forum, NFU and the Local Federation of Small Businesses.

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The AONB partnership produces a Management Plan, which is a strategic document.  This plan looks at how we would like to see the Quantock Hills in the next 20 years.  It also looks at what work needs to be undertaken to achieve this vision.  The AONB partnership works together to carry this out. 

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The AONB Service is tasked with ensuring that this works occurs, which may be through lobbying, monitoring and/or undertaking projects. By lobbying national and local government, and working with organisations such as the National Trust we can ensure their policies will help to conserve and enhance the AONB.  A wide range of monitoring is undertaken by the AONB Service from wildlife surveys through to planning applications to ensure there are no damaging activities occurring on or near the AONB.