Agenda item

Objective : Examining current management arrangements for our green spaces alongside best practice in terms of biodiversity and wildlife management.

Javier Guerrero, Planning Policy Officer

Malcolm Walls, Community Parks Development Officer

The Director of Planning introduced the report and stated that the team had been working on the report before the Overview and Scrutiny invite. Javier (Planning Policy Officer) and Malcolm (Community Parks Development Officer) have done a huge amount of work in preparing the report by gathering information on biodiversity-related actions across the Council. They hope that it’s a comprehensive report.  Javier and Malcolm wanted to set out the context for the committee.

Javier and Malcolm made the following points:

-          The definition of the biodiversity duty is in page 3 of the report, we have a duty to conserve biodiversity, which was strengthened with the Environment Act 2021, now we have a duty to conserve and enhance it, specified in three obligations: Consider what we can do to conserve and enhance biodiversity;  Agree policies and specific objectives based on our consideration; and Act to deliver our policies and achieve our objectives.

-          This ‘first consideration’ report is the baseline, thus in practice report ‘zero’, with the first full report on our biodiversity duty to be completed before January 2026.

-          The report at the committee has many actions, for instance, the partnerships with community groups are mentioned on pages 17 and 18.

-          Local nature recovery strategy is being delivered by the Gloucestershire County Council either at the end of October or the beginning of November.  This will form the cornerstone for our further biodiversity actions.

-          Cabinet have brought things forward regarding the Cotswold Beechwoods, to progress in the form of an emerging Action Plan based on its Mitigation Strategy.

-          About green space, it was explained that the Council works with partners and volunteer groups to protect and enhance biodiversity.

-          There are already a lot of things being done with regards to biodiversity within the council – the Long Garden planting is going to be an annual scheme to improve biodiversity.

-          Best practice for grass mowing is being looked at.

-          The Council is currently looking at producing leaflets and documentation for staff, volunteers, and members of the public to educate people with regards to biodiversity.

The Chair then thanked the speakers and asked Members if they had any questions.  Cllr Chelin confirmed that she had no other questions other than the ones that had already had a response published.

Members then spoke and made the following points:

-          There could have been some sort of vision statement included in the report.

-          There also could have been more expansion on the volunteer group, there are 18 groups across the parks and rivers.

-          In terms of biodiversity the biggest problem is food and diet and there is nothing in the report refers to that.

-          There could be a mention to Local Green Space and their process.

The responses to Member questions were as follows:

-          With regard to the lease of the land at Milton Avenue and when that lease is up – the Green Space Officer offered to take that as an action as he didn’t have the answer to hand.

-          The Council is reviewing its health and safety policies so that may assist with supporting volunteers.

-          Javier explained that within the process of the emerging Strategic and Local Plan there is the opportunity to look at new Local Green Spaces designation. It is important to the process that every space is assessed and supported by evidence using the criteria within the planning guidelines, such as wildlife richness, recreational activities, and community value.

-          Malcolm explained that we are planting native and non-native tress to encourage biodiversity.  Native trees are definitely given the priority, but non-native planting (trees from Europe) is being carried out as we are getting hotter weather here.

The Cabinet Member then addressed the committee and thanked the team for their report and stated that the team are passionate about what they do. The report is not a finished article, and any comments or contributions were welcome. He also stated that nothing is done by community groups without the permission of the team.

The Chair thanked everyone for taking part and added that Cllr Allen could not attend the meeting and thus she read some questions from him, the responses from officers were as follows:

-          There is an Ash dieback management plan – the link has since been provided by the Director of Community and Economic Development and is here: https://democracy.cheltenham.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=3207 

-          Information can also be found on the trees section of the councils website under the Tree Protocol and Ash dieback management plan. Further information on how to spot ash dieback can be found here.

-          There are elements of Ash in lots of areas in the town, but Ash dieback is not as bad as it could have been.  There is a plan relating to it and there is a budget – no more funds are needed at the moment.

-          Nature recovery SPD is in the corporate plan and they are working on a brief from that piece of work, they are holding back on that at the moment to ensure that it is dealt with in the correct way to avoid duplication with other nature-related pieces of work, such as the emerging Gloucestershire Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

The item concluded with the chair stating that this was no decision needed but if anyone had any feedback that would be helpful.