Decision details

Date of Decision:

7th July 2026

Title:

South Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy – Approval of Consultation Response

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Andrew Bramidge – Executive Director, Regeneration and Environment

Details of Specific Delegation

or

Delegation contained in the relevant Sub-Scheme of Delegation.

Cabinet – 8 June 2026 – Local Nature Recovery Strategy (Minute 13 refers).

Cabinet resolved to delegate authority to the Executive Director for Regeneration and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Waste Services, Leisure and Green Spaces, to:

a)     agree and submit the Council's final consultation response to the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) on the draft South Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (SYLNRS); and

b)    agree the final version of the South Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy following the public consultation process and prior to final sign-off by SYMCA.

Decision:

To approve and submit the Council's final consultation response to the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority on the draft South Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy, in line with the delegation agreed by Cabinet.

Reasons for the Decision:

The decision enables the Council, as a Supporting Authority, to formally respond to the statutory consultation on the draft SYLNRS and to influence the final Strategy.

The response reflects officer input from across Council services and has been prepared in line with the Council's agreed position as set out in the Cabinet report.

The Strategy is an evidence-led strategic framework and does not commit the Council to specific delivery actions or financial expenditure at this stage.

Details of alternative options considered and rejected:

Option 1 – Approve the consultation response (recommended option).

This enables the Council to fulfil its role as a Supporting Authority and ensures that Rotherham's views and priorities are formally represented through the statutory consultation process.

Option 2 – Not approve and submit a consultation response.

This option was rejected because it would remove the opportunity for the Council to influence the final content of the SYLNRS and would be contrary to the approach approved by Cabinet.

Conflicts of interest declared by any Cabinet Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the decision:

None declared.

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

Not applicable.

Conflicts of interest declared by the Decision Maker if they sit as a Cabinet appointed representative to an outside body which relates to the decision:

None declared.

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

Not applicable.

Reports or parts of reports relevant to the decision being taken:

South Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy – Approval of Consultation Response.

Cabinet Report 8 June 2026 – Local Nature Recovery Strategy

Appendix 1 – Draft South Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (including Annexes).

Appendix 2 – Part A Initial Equality Screening Assessment.

Appendix 3 – Climate Impact Assessment.