Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director for Regeneration and Environment.

Recommendations:

1.    That Cabinet receives the report and considers the following recommendations:

1)         Consider what resources are required to enable RMBC to lead on the Nature Emergency and co-ordinate its response to the Environment Act 2021, including the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, Enhanced Biodiversity Net Gain, and other statutory reporting.

2)         In line with the RMBC Nature Crisis Motion (and the mandatory Enhanced Biodiversity Duty), consider how RMBC’s response to the nature crisis can be implemented, reported, and resourced (taking note of the response to climate action).

3)         Consideration be given to the expansion of the Councillors’ role as nature champions. This to include:

a.          How member stewardship of natural assets and geodiversity can be enhanced.

b.          How nature recovery and climate action can be built into ward plans.

c.          The involvement in overview and scrutiny in future monitoring and steering of this work.

d.          Support through the Member Development Programme to ensure Members are equipped with appropriate skills and knowledge to undertake this activity.

4)         Contribute to the South Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (including appropriate resourcing), detailing Rotherham’s involvement in meeting South Yorkshire national and global targets of “30 x 30” as required by the Environment Act 2021.

5)         Consider and plan for how the RMBC estate including all green and blue infrastructure such as allotments, cemeteries,  parks and sports fields, amenity spaces, communal gardens, railway and highway verges, field margins and hedgerows, rights of way and access routes, woodlands and nature reserves canals, rivers and other water dependent habitats, can contribute to biodiversity strategies and targets,  demonstrating compliance with the Councils obligations for the Enhanced Biodiversity Duty (taking external advice where necessary).

6)         Prioritise Local Wildlife Sites and Woodlands - especially those in RMBC ownership to contribute to these targets, with a coordinated ‘one council’ programme to increase their positive conservation management with resourced management, monitoring and reporting.

7)         Continue and expand the positive work already underway including tree planting, meadow management, changes in verge management, community engagement etc (as stated in the RMBC Nature Crisis motion).

8)         Utilise appropriate evidence and information from the forthcoming Rotherham State of Nature report, alongside the forthcoming SYLNRS, and the agreed priority species lists, to set local species recovery targets and work plans, and ensure sufficient resources are secured to embed this approach in long term management opportunities.

9)         Continue to apply robust planning policies and other policy tools to contribute to nature's recovery across the Borough, noting that Local Planning Authorities must have regard to the South Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy once published.

10)      Plan to work towards zero non-essential use of pesticides and zero glyphosate by the Council.

11)      Work with communities to support expansion of household composting, and supporting the development of nature rich gardens, including through awareness raising of the waste hierarchy and minimising the use of new and scarce resources and the associated impacts on the natural environment that these issues have; substantive resourcing and engagement plans will be essential. 

12)      Work with partners, stakeholders, Town and Parish Councils, communities, schools and residents on the above where appropriate.

13)      That consideration be given to how the process for the adoption of community wildlife sites be streamlined.

2.    That Cabinet formally consider its response to the above recommendations within two months of receipt, in accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

Consideration was given to the submitted report which outlined the outcomes and recommendations of the spotlight review into nature recovery undertaken by members of the Improving Places Select Commission.  The report had already been submitted to and considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board at its meeting on 13 March 2024 and the  Improving Places Select Commission on 19 March 2024.

The review was prompted by Council’s declaration of a nature crisis at its meeting of 25 May 2022, with a request that a review be held into how the Council could support improvements to ensure a more natural environment was enhanced.  The report, therefore, set out in detail the outcomes.

Resolved:-  (1)   That the report and the following recommendations be received:-

1.  Consider what resources are required to enable RMBC to lead on the Nature Emergency and co-ordinate its response to the Environment Act 2021, including the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, Enhanced Biodiversity Net Gain, and other statutory reporting.

2.  In line with the RMBC Nature Crisis Motion (and the mandatory Enhanced Biodiversity Duty), consider how RMBC’s response to the nature crisis can be implemented, reported, and resourced (taking note of the response to climate action).

3. Consideration be given to the expansion of the Councillors’ role as nature champions. This to include:-

a.     How member stewardship of natural assets and geodiversity can be enhanced.

b.     How nature recovery and climate action can be built into ward plans.

c.      The involvement in overview and scrutiny in future monitoring and steering of this work.

d.     Support through the Member Development Programme to ensure Members are equipped with appropriate skills and knowledge to undertake this activity.

4.  Contribute to the South Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (including appropriate resourcing), detailing Rotherham’s involvement in meeting South Yorkshire national and global targets of “30 x 30” as required by the Environment Act 2021.

5. Consider and plan for how the RMBC estate including all green and blue infrastructure such as allotments, cemeteries, parks and sports fields, amenity spaces, communal gardens, railway and highway verges, field margins and hedgerows, rights of way and access routes, woodlands and nature reserves canals, rivers and other water dependent habitats, can contribute to biodiversity strategies and targets, demonstrating compliance with the Councils obligations for the Enhanced Biodiversity Duty (taking external advice where necessary).

6. Prioritise Local Wildlife Sites and Woodlands - especially those in RMBC ownership to contribute to these targets, with a coordinated ‘one council’ programme to increase their positive conservation management with resourced management, monitoring and reporting.

7. Continue and expand the positive work already underway including tree planting, meadow management, changes in verge management, community engagement etc (as stated in the RMBC Nature Crisis motion).

8. Utilise appropriate evidence and information from the forthcoming Rotherham State of Nature report, alongside the forthcoming SYLNRS, and the agreed priority species lists, to set local species recovery targets and work plans, and ensure sufficient resources are secured to embed this approach in long term management opportunities.

9. Continue to apply robust planning policies and other policy tools to contribute to nature's recovery across the Borough, noting that Local Planning Authorities must have regard to the South Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy once published.

10. Plan to work towards zero non-essential use of pesticides and zero glyphosate by the Council.

11. Work with communities to support expansion of household composting, and supporting the development of nature rich gardens, including through awareness raising of the waste hierarchy and minimising the use of new and scarce resources and the associated impacts on the natural environment that these issues have; substantive resourcing and engagement plans will be essential.

12.  Work with partners, stakeholders, Town and Parish Councils, communities, schools and residents on the above where appropriate.

13. That consideration be given to how the process for the adoption of community wildlife sites be streamlined.

(2)  That Cabinet formally consider its response to the above recommendations within two months of receipt, in accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules.