Terms of Reference
Biodiversity Cabinet Working Group
1.0
Background
1.1 At
the council meeting of 10 September 2020, council agreed the
following Notice of Motion:
This
Council acknowledges that climate change is not the only challenge
facing our natural environment and has agreed to set up a Cabinet
Task Group chaired by the appropriate portfolio holder to work with
our partners including Norfolk County Council and the Norfolk
Biodiversity Partnership.
Any recommendations on relevant issues such as
habitat protection and creation, the creation of a pollinator
action plan and the creation of wildflower verges will be brought
to Cabinet via the Environment & Community Panel before
consideration at Council.
1.2 At further cabinet
meetings on the 15 March 2022, and 17 January 2023, it was agreed
that the Biodiversity Task Group be set up to be politically
proportionate, and that it should also consider the recommendations
of the Environment & Community Panel’s Urban Wildlife
Informal working group.
1.3
The Task Group is therefore to be made up of FIVE members with
political proportionality (2 Independent Partnership, 2
Conservative and 1 Labour) and Chaired by the Cabinet Member for
Climate Change and Biodiversity.
1.4 Since the original council
motion, the Environment Act 2021 has come into force. In that
legislation, it is of note that public authorities who operate in
England, including councils and local planning authorities, must
consider what they can do to conserve and enhance biodiversity in
England. This is the strengthened ‘biodiversity duty’
introduced by the Environment Act 2021. This means
that, as a public authority, this Council
must:
•
Consider
what we can do to conserve and enhance
biodiversity
•
Agree
policies and specific objectives based on our
consideration
•
Act to deliver our policies and
achieve our objectives
1.5 According to the
Environment Act the council must
complete its first consideration of what action to take for
biodiversity by 1 January 2024 and, as a local planning authority,
must also publish a biodiversity report, no later than 1 January
2026.
1.6
Meetings of the group will take place monthly or
less frequently as required. Deputies will only be allowed by
agreement of the Chair.
1.7 There will be budget
implications that need to be assessed when considering which
recommendations to take forward.
2.0 Terms of
Reference
2.1 To consider the
recommendations of the Urban Wildlife Informal working
group.
2.2 To work with
partners including Norfolk County Council and the Norfolk
Biodiversity Partnership on enhancing
biodiversity.
2.3 To consider
opportunities for habitat creation on the council’s own open
spaces and properties.
2.4 To review existing
biodiversity work or funding on biodiversity projects provided by
the borough council.
2.5 To consider the
feasibility of a pollinator action plan.
2.6 To consider
opportunities for habitat protection.
2.7 To consider the
implications of relevant biodiversity issues affecting the borough
council, for example the enhanced ‘biodiversity duty’,
as set out in the Environment Act 2021, and Biodiversity Net
Gain.
2.8 Make recommendations
to the Environment & Community panel, and then to Cabinet and
Council, on biodiversity enhancements. This shall include the
budget/resource implications of any
recommendations.