Lost Peatlands Connections (LPC) Project Evaluation

1. INTRODUCTION The Countryside & Wildlife Team (C&W Team) of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council (the Council) are administrating a landscape-scale partnership project: Lost Peatlands Connections. The project intends to restore habitats in the upland landscape and four valleys of Neath Port Talbot and Rhondda Cynon Taff whilst engaging and encouraging local communities and school children to get outside in their landscape to get healthier, carry out practical conversation management and learn about their local heritage. 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION The Lost Peatlands Connections (LPC) project is a landscape-scale partnership led by Neath Port Talbot Council, working with Natural Resources Wales, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, Coed Lleol, Vattenfall, the Woodland Trust, and the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. The project aims to restore upland habitats, strengthen community connections to nature and heritage, and deliver inclusive engagement opportunities across the South Wales Valleys. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), LPC must demonstrate its impact against project aims and NLHF investment principles. The Council seeks to appoint an independent consultant to deliver a comprehensive evaluation of the project, ensuring accountability, learning, and legacy. The evaluation will measure: • Environmental outcomes (habitat restoration, biodiversity, climate resilience). • Community engagement (education, volunteering, wellbeing). • Cultural heritage impact (skills, storytelling, digital engagement). • Organisational sustainability (partnership effectiveness, governance, legacy planning). Evaluation must follow NLHF guidance: https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/funding/good-practice-guidance/evaluation-guidance 2.1 LOCATION The evaluation will be primarily desk-based, using monitoring data and documentation provided by the Lost Peatlands Connections (LPC) team. Stakeholder engagement will be required during the mid-term and final evaluation phases, including interviews with project partners, volunteers, and community representatives. Meetings and presentations will be conducted virtually or at Neath Port Talbot Council offices, with occasional site visits if deemed necessary for context. 2.2 PROJECT TIMESCALE The evaluation is scheduled to run from December 2026 to July 2029, covering the full three-year delivery phase of the project. Indicative milestones: Contract Award & Inception Meeting: Q4 December 26 Preliminary Evaluation Report: March 2027 o Review project plans, grant documentation, and monitoring tools. o Provide recommendations to ensure effective data collection. Mid-Term Evaluation Report: April 2028 o Assess progress against project aims and NLHF principles. o Include stakeholder interviews and recommendations for improvement. Final Evaluation Report: August 2029 o Comprehensive analysis of project outcomes, governance, and legacy. o Assess response to mid-term recommendations and overall impact. Earlier delivery of any elements is welcomed and will be considered positively during evaluation, provided quality standards and compliance requirements are met. 3. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS The appointed consultant will deliver an independent evaluation of the Lost Peatlands Connections (LPC) project, ensuring compliance with NLHF evaluation guidance and project objectives. The evaluation will cover environmental, social, cultural, and organisational outcomes. Scope of Work 1. Review Existing Monitoring Tools a. Assess current monitoring systems and recommend improvements. b. No requirement to design a full suite of tools from scratch. 2. Data Analysis a. Analyse monitoring data provided by the LPC team. b. Data will be supplied in a structured, analysable format; consultant is not expected to digitize raw paper records. 3. Evaluation Phases a. Preliminary Evaluation (2027): Review project plans, grant documentation, and monitoring framework; provide recommendations for effective data collection. b. Mid-Term Evaluation (2028): Assess progress against project aims and NLHF principles; include stakeholder interviews and recommendations. c. Final Evaluation (2029): Comprehensive analysis of project outcomes, governance, and legacy; assess response to mid-term recommendations. 4. Stakeholder Engagement a. Stakeholder interviews will focus on project partners, volunteers, and community representatives during mid-term and final phases only. 5. Reporting a. Produce three reports: Preliminary, Mid-Term, and Final (English and Welsh for final report). b. Reports must be clear, concise, and aligned with NLHF evaluation guidance. 6. Compliance a. Adhere to NLHF Evaluation Guidance: https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/funding/good-practice-guidance/evaluation-guidance b. Ensure GDPR compliance; no collection of personal data beyond agreed stakeholder engagement. c. Meet Welsh Language Standards for all outputs. 7. Liaison and Updates a. Provide regular progress updates via email and virtual meetings. b. Attend inception and review meetings as agreed. 8. Health & Safety a. Comply with Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and relevant codes of practice. 9. Future Use a. Evaluation outputs should be suitable for dissemination to funders, stakeholders, and for informing future projects. 4. DELIVERABLES The consultant will provide: 1. Preliminary Evaluation Report (March 2027) a. Review of project plans, grant documentation, and monitoring framework. b. Recommendations for effective data collection and evaluation approach. 2. Mid-Term Evaluation Report (April 2028) a. Assessment of progress against project aims and NLHF principles. b. Stakeholder interviews and recommendations for improvement. 3. Final Evaluation Report (August 2029) a. Comprehensive analysis of project outcomes, governance, and legacy. b. Assessment of response to mid-term recommendations. 4. Bilingual Output a. Final report provided in English and Welsh. 5. Stakeholder Engagement a. Interviews during mid-term and final evaluation phases. 6. Regular Progress Updates a. Liaison with the LPC team via email and virtual meetings at agreed intervals. Maximum budget available: £35,175 excluding VAT. Submissions exceeding this amount will be disqualified.