Agenda item

RECOMMENDED:  1) That the recommendations of the Urban Wildlife Informal Working Group as set out in paragraph 2.3 of the report, although recommendation 8 from the group, requiring a budget for delivery of the proposals would be covered separately through the creation of the two year fixed-term biodiversity project officer role be agreed.

2) That the appointment of a Biodiversity project officer, for a fixed period of two years, with funding coming from the climate change budget be approved.

3) That the council adopts the Biodiversity policies and specific objectives set out in appendix 1 to the report.

4) That the creation of a Pollinator Action Plan, on the basis of the draft attached (appendix 2), with the final wording to be agreed with the Assistant Directors for Environment and Planning and Operations and Commercial, in consultation with the portfolio holder for Climate Change and Biodiversity.

5) That the community biodiversity competition initiative, detailed in the report, be supported by the council.

Reason for Decision

To provide a suitable response to the original notice of motion, and to help the council contribute to improving biodiversity in the borough.

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The Assistant Director for Environment and Planning presented the Biodiversity Task Group report. He provided background to the Biodiversity Task Group which was created because of the notice of motion in 2020. He added the Task Group had met on 5 occasions and section 2 of the report outlined what was discussed during those meetings. He referred to the duty the Borough Council had in regard to Biodiversity net gain and added the biodiversity competition came through discussion in the Task Group. He brought to Cabinet’s attention the draft Pollinator Action Plan and draft policies. The Assistant Director for Environment and Planning highlighted the recommendations.

Under Standing Order 34, Councillor Long commented he was pleased work had been carried out in response to the notice of motion and referred to recommendation 2 which highlighted the appointment of a Biodiversity Officer but questioned where this was to be funded from.

Councillor Squire expressed her support and commended the hard work of Officers, the Biodiversity Task Group and Councillor de Whalley.

Councillor Moriarty commented he was pleased with the draft policies and noted the resource and additional officer required. He echoed Councillor Squire and the hard work which had been put into preparing the report.

Councillor Morley commented on recommendation 2 and agreed it was appropriate to fund the Biodiversity Officer role from the Climate Change budget however he believed this budget was for the Climate Change action plan and raised the question if this was to be under a separate heading in the budget.

The Assistant Director for Environment and Planning added there was debate on the funding of the Biodiversity Officer role at the Biodiversity Task Group and if this was appropriate to be funded from the Climate Change budget. He added further as part of the debate it was felt Biodiversity and Climate Change were interlinked and there was the budget available for this.

Councillor Squire agreed Climate Change and Biodiversity were interlinked and the Biodiversity Crisis was caused by Climate Change. 

The Chair, Councillor Beales echoed the comments on the hard work carried out in preparing the report and noted the cross-party working on the notice of motion. He reflected on the importance of the resource issue the Borough Council has but added it was a tangible commitment to an area of policy which needed the commitment.

RECOMMENDED:  1) That the recommendations of the Urban Wildlife Informal Working Group as set out in paragraph 2.3 of the report, although recommendation 8 from the group, requiring a budget for delivery of the proposals would be covered separately through the creation of the two year fixed-term biodiversity project officer role be agreed.

2) That the appointment of a Biodiversity project officer, for a fixed period of two years, with funding coming from the climate change budget be approved.

3) That the council adopts the Biodiversity policies and specific objectives set out in appendix 1 to the report.

4) That the creation of a Pollinator Action Plan, on the basis of the draft attached (appendix 2), with the final wording to be agreed with the Assistant Directors for Environment and Planning and Operations and Commercial, in consultation with the portfolio holder for Climate Change and Biodiversity.

5) That the community biodiversity competition initiative, detailed in the report, be supported by the council.

Reason for Decision

To provide a suitable response to the original notice of motion, and to help the council contribute to improving biodiversity in the borough.