Agenda item

12.1

This report seeks agreement from the Committee to endorse the recommendations of the Task and Finish Group which met between July 2023 and January 2024 and to approve the First Consideration for Biodiversity Report.

12.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Communities, Parks and Leisure Policy Committee:

1.     notes the contents of the report and thanks everyone involved in the productive and useful discussions had during the Task and Finish Group;

2.     endorses the recommendations proposed by the Task and Finish Group; and

3.     approves the First Consideration for Biodiversity Report.

12.3

Reasons for Decision

12.3.1

The Task and Finish Group brought together a focused group of Members, Officers and external partners to examine key challenges around the nature emergency and provide clear advice and direction to officers developing an action plan for the Council and city.

12.4.1

The breadth and scale of the challenge means that the work of the Task and Finish Group represents one stage in a wider strategy that the Council and city work on to support nature recovery and the scale and cross cutting nature of this agenda is not yet fully understood.

12.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

12.4.1

Do nothing. Not responding to the nature emergency declaration and working across the Council and with partners across the city would prevent us capturing the work being undertaken and understanding the scale of the challenge going forwards.

12.1

The Head of Parks and Countryside presented a report that sought Committee endorsement for the recommendations of the Task and Finish Group which met between July 2023 and January 2024 and to approve the First Consideration for Biodiversity Report.

12.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Communities, Parks and Leisure Policy Committee:

1.     notes the contents of the report and thanks everyone involved in the productive and useful discussions had during the Task and Finish Group;

2.     endorses the recommendations proposed by the Task and Finish Group; and

3.     approves the First Consideration for Biodiversity Report.

12.3

Reasons for Decision

12.3.1

The Task and Finish Group brought together a focused group of Members, Officers and external partners to examine key challenges around the nature emergency and provide clear advice and direction to officers developing an action plan for the Council and city.

12.4.1

The breadth and scale of the challenge means that the work of the Task and Finish Group represents one stage in a wider strategy that the Council and city work on to support nature recovery and the scale and cross cutting nature of this agenda is not yet fully understood.

12.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

12.4.1

Do nothing. Not responding to the nature emergency declaration and working across the Council and with partners across the city would prevent us capturing the work being undertaken and understanding the scale of the challenge going forwards.

(NOTE: During the discussion of the above item the Committee agreed, in accordance with Council Procedure rules, that as the meeting was approaching the two hours and 30 minutes time limit, the meeting should be extended by a period of 30 minutes.)