Agenda

To receive any apologies for absence.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 11 July 2023.

To receive any declarations of interest.

To answer any public questions. A period of 30 minutes will be allowed for members of the public to ask questions submitted under notice. The Council welcomes questions from members of the public about the work of this Committee. Subject to meeting certain timescales, questions can relate to general issues concerned with the work of the Committee or an item which is on the Agenda for this meeting. For full details of the procedure for submitting questions please contact the Democratic Services Section on the numbers given below or go to:

www.wokingham.gov.uk/publicquestions

To answer any Member questions.

The Climate Emergency Overview and Scrutiny Committee is set up to scrutinise the Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan and reports to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee.

I asked the Head of Planning and Policy by email if a blanket temporary Tree Preservation Order could be put on Hall Farm while the proposals for the site are evolving. The answer was a definite no but he did add that any trees on the boundary that warranted protection might be considered in their own right. This would suggest that houses are more important than the protection of our trees including our environment. Flora, fauna and the risk of flooding all play second fiddle to housing, putting trees within any proposed development site in Wokingham all at risk.

There are many examples to date, where the lack of urgency by the Councils Planning, Tree and Landscape Departments has led to the wholesale destruction of many trees and the consequences of that on the climate emergency is immeasurable. Houses first, trees and the environment second. 

My question is: will the Climate Emergency Overview and Scrutiny Committee request that the Local Plan update emerging policy adds such a policy to the plan as it will be a significant move designed to protect our environment against climate change? To do so will show a genuine commitment to fighting climate change and not to do so will indicate to our residents that Wokingham Borough Council’s Lib Dem administration can talk the talk, but not walk the walk.

To consider an update on progress relating to the achievement of more effective Procurement processes which supports delivery of the CEAP.

To consider progress relating to the development of a solar farm at Barkham.

To consider the Committee’s Work Programme for 2023/24.

To consider the regular Action Tracker report.