3. What our priorities are and how we are doing.

FOI Class 3 Contents:

In this section you will find an overview of the Authority’s operations at a corporate level and then a guide to each of its individual functions.

Corporate priorities
Individual Authority functions

Corporate priorities

The Authority no longer creates the following report but users may wish to refer to these past reviews of the Authority:

Corporate Environmental Information:

The Coal Authority recognises that its activities can affect the environment and is therefore committed to securing the protection and enhancement of the environment by effectively maintaining and implementing an environmental management system.

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Individual Authority functions

Public Safety and Subsidence:

Public Safety and Subsidence provides an emergency response service to incidents which pose a risk to the safety of the public that are associated with former coal mining operations. It administers claims for coal mining subsidence damage from property owners, throughout the coalfield areas of Britain, where the Authority is the ’responsible person’ and operates the management programme for the 44 spoil tips in the ownership of the Authority.

Mine Water Remediation Schemes:

As coal production in the UK has reduced, so have the underground pumping arrangements. This cessation has allowed underground water levels to rise and outbreaks to occur at the surface. The Authority has a responsibility to prevent this minewater entering the water course untreated. View our Environmental Projects for full details of how minewater is treated and where our treatment sites are.

Licensing and Permissions:

Responsibilities and key performance indicators:

To consider applications for, and where appropriate grant, licences and other agreements within 5 weeks of receipt of a complete application.
To inspect underground mines, surface mine sites and other relevant operations on a risk based approach.
To monitor operations to verify compliance with the authorised terms and conditions of any licences and agreements granted.
To collect 100% of all royalties/monies owed to the Authority.
To ensure that those owed obligations in respect of subsidence damage do not sustain a loss as a consequence of a failure by those licensed to carry out coal mining operations to make reasonable financial provision for meeting those liabilities.

For further information please see the Licensing and Permissions pages.

Mining Records:

Responsibilities and key performance indicators:

Coal abandonment plans - all new plans to be catalogued, scanned and made available to the public within four working days.
All visits to be accommodated within four days of the original request
98% of postal requests to be responded to within four working days
For further information about abandonment plans and the arrangements for viewing or ordering plans please see the services we offer section of this FOI scheme.

Property:

Responsibilities and key performance indicators:

To manage a disposal programme for non-operational assets.
To acquire sites for Minewater schemes identified in five year plan.
To manage Clawback.
To maintain the Coal Authority’s Asset Management Plan.
To update the Property Terrier.
Property Summary Strategy

Planning and Local Authority Liaison:

Longer Term Objectives:

To be the primary point of contact between the Coal Authority and local authorities.
Ensure planning policy is clear and up to date on the risk potential from past coal mining, with appropriate remediation and stabilisation processes to reduce long term liability for the Coal Authority.
The future exploitation of coal reserves is considered and the minerals appropriately safeguarded throughout the Planning system.
In areas of potential risk from coal any development or process that enters or loads the ground should be subject to a coal risk assessment and when required have the Coal Authority’s permission to enter it’s property.

Short Term Objectives and Activities:

Re-engage with the planners regarding statutory consultation on planning applications
Develop a coal risk based approach with systems and procedures for all areas of development control. Gain approval for this approach from interested parties and pilot with several local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales.
Ensure that planning approvals which require Coal Authority permission are identified, monitored and enforced.
Provide input into the Development Plan process through information provision at the relevant stages, making representations where appropriate and if necessary appearing at Examinations.
In collaboration with Licensing develop and supply GIS coal resource maps for each Mineral Authority based on BGS information.
Promote the Coal Authority position on Public Safety and coal related hazards with particular reference to individual local authority areas and their property.

Mining Information & Services - Property Search Service:

For information regarding the Property Search Service offered by the Authority for property transactions, please visit www.groundstability.com

Quality Compliance and Assurance Standards created to bring the Authority in line with industry standards in the provision of information for property transactions.

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