Agenda item

The report and slide pack are attached. Links to two further documents are below:

Ecological Emergency action plan

Green Infrastructure & Nature Recovery prospectus

Councillor Oli Henman - Cabinet Project Lead for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Travel – gave a presentation which covered the following:

·  Nature Recovery – a new era for BANES

·  Ecological Emergency Action Plan

·  Vision and Priorities

·  The ‘How’: Action Themes

·  Priority Actions: updates

·  Progress on other actions: highlights

·  Priority actions to progress in coming year

·  What is the LNRS?

·  How will the LNRS be used?

·  Stages for preparing and LNRS

·  LNRS in the West of England

·  LNRS Governance

·  Milestones

·  How we are developing priorities

·  LNRS Stakeholder engagement

·  Key next steps

·  New extended Biodiversity Duty for Public Authorities

·  GOV.UK guidance for LPAs

·  First consideration

Panel members made the following points and asked the following questions:

Councillor Anna Box asked the following questions, officer and Cabinet Project Lead responses shown in italics:

·  There is some confusion on ‘call for nature’ sites – what is the aim of this. The officer explained that the website is currently being updated – any landowners can submit sites regarding biodiversity net gain. We will try to link them with funding sources.

·  Is there a plan for light pollution guidance for new builds regarding compliance for bats. The Cabinet Project Lead stated that he would check these powers.

Councillor Leach asked about waterways and if there was any mapping of plastic pollution. The Cabinet Project Lead stated that the waterways comes up a lot as a theme and this could be looked at as a stand alone issue. The officer added that there are water space partnerships, volunteers do regular litter picks.

Councillor David asked about support for local level community initiatives as there is a lot going on especially regarding parks. The Cabinet Project Lead agreed that volunteers must be supported. The officer added that the aim is to have specific guidance for communities and help link them with funding streams

Councillor Heijltjes explained that performance monitoring has been postponed by the Corporate Audit Committee until 2024/25 – she asked that in the interim, will this Panel conduct the role. The officer stated that she would get information on this and pass on to the Panel.

Councillor Auton asked if the Cabinet Project Lead would meet with him and a local member who runs a forest school on Duchy of Cornwall land that has launched a new community growing space and has plans for a rewilding area. The Cabinet Project Lead stated that this sounds like a brilliant example to be explored and would like the meeting.

Councillor David asked what can be done regarding water pollution near sewage outflows. The Cabinet Project Lead stated that a national change is needed, there is a lack of funding for the Environmental Agency. He hoped for a different approach from National Government. The officer added that information can be given to the government department.

Councillor Heijltjes asked if there are resource constraints in the Nature Recovery Team. The Cabinet Project Lead stated that the emergency is real and action is needed, he stated that overall budgets are constantly being squeezed. It is harder to have core funding, the model is that funding is on a project basis. We will continue to pursue this. 

Councillor David referenced a bat friendly lighting project and many opportunities for improvement. The Cabinet Project Lead stated that there is an ambition to connect across Council teams.

Councillor Wait stated that there is better scrutiny of Wessex Water than there is of landowners. He stated that when measuring pollution, it is difficult to see the source – can we identify particular positions for monitoring. The officer stated that the River Trust is looking at this, working with Wessex Water with prioritiy catchments and more locations. He explained that there is a roll out of a real time test monitoring programme. He stated that the data will be available and interactive.

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Project Lead and officers.