Decision details

RESOLVED

KEY DECISION

That the Executive approved the Pollinator Strategy at Appendix A to the report.

Reasons for Recommendation:

·      The Strategy establishes guiding principles relevant to the operational management of the council’s parks and open spaces services and helps meet the council’s obligations under the Environment Act 2021, which includes provisions to strengthen and improve the duty on public bodies to conserve and enhance biodiversity and to produce a Local Nature Recovery Strategy by the end of 2023.

·      The Strategy provides the basis for unifying and building on the varying practices adopted by the legacy councils.

·      The Strategy supports the council’s key commitments to a greener, sustainable environment.

·      The Strategy provides a clear statement to residents of how the council is seeking to improve habitats for pollinator species (and other wildlife) in its parks and open spaces.

Alternative Options Considered:

·      The option of continuing historic land management approaches such as ‘short mowing’ large areas of green spaces was not considered to be in keeping with the council’s duties towards nature recovery.

·      The option to not have a Pollinator Strategy and to continue with management of parks and open spaces under the principles devised by the individual officers in the parks and green spaces was rejected in favour of establishing guiding principles for the council’s land managers.