Agenda item

To consider the report of the Tree Protection and Biodiversity Task and Finish Group.

The Committee considered the report of the Tree Protection and Biodiversity Task and Finish Group. The Task and Finish Group had been established in 2021 in order to scrutinise the Council’s approach to tree protection and biodiversity and to examine the implications of new initiatives such as the Environment Act, which received Royal Assent in late 2021.

Chris Bowring (Chairman) and the other members of the Task and Finish Group (Councillors Cowan, Firmager, Fishwick and Rance) attended the meeting to present the report and answer questions from the Committee.

In addition to the Task and Finish Group’s Terms of Reference, it was noted that, at its meeting in November 2021, the Council had debated a Motion on the declaration of an Ecological Emergency and had referred the matter to the Task and Finish Group for consideration. The Task and Finish Group’s report included feedback on the Motion which would be submitted to full Council in due course. The Task and Finish Group report also included a number of recommendations relating to tree protection and biodiversity which would be submitted to the Executive for consideration.

During the ensuing discussion, Members raised the following points:

The Task and Finish Group report include a case study on the loss of approximately 450 mature trees at Bearwood Lake. The report outlined the process whereby these trees had been felled at short notice under the provisions of the Reservoirs act 1975. In effect, the Council was not consulted about the removal of the trees and did not have any powers to intervene in the process. This was felt to be an unsatisfactory outcome which had caused an outcry amongst the local community.

In relation to the Council’s plans to plant 250,000 trees over a five year period, it was noted that 15,000 trees were expected to be planted by the end of March 2022 (6% of the overall total). It was evident that great deal of work would be required to achieve the overall target over the next few years.

It was noted that the Task and Finish Group had not made a recommendation on the declaration of an Ecological Emergency. Instead it had set out some of the pros and cons and invited the full Council to debate the evidence included in the report.

In relation to Recommendation 1 to the Executive it was suggested and agreed that clarification should be included to the effect that an annual update report should be provided on progress relation to the “updated” Biodiversity Action Plan.

The Task and Finish Group’s recommendations relating to improved partnership working with Town and Parish Councils, schools and community groups were welcomed.

RESOLVED That:

1)     Councillors Bowring, Cowan, Firmager, Fishwick and Rance be thanked for their work as part of the Task and Finish Group;

2)     the officers and external witnesses who gave evidence and supported the work of the Task and Finish Group be thanked for their contribution;

3)     Recommendation 1 to the Executive be amended to refer to and annual update report on the “updated” Biodiversity Action Plan;

4)     the Task and Finish Group’s 15 recommendations to the Executive, as amended, be approved;

5)     the Task and Finish Group’s three recommendations to full Council be approved;

6)     progress against the Task and Finish Group’s recommendations be reviewed by the Committee during the 2022/23 municipal year.