Issue - meetings

That Cabinet approves publication of the presented Biodiversity Report – First Consideration with finalised agreed actions to then be brought back to Cabinet for approval within 3 months of publication of the First Consideration report.

The Biodiversity & Ecology Lead Officer presented a report which set out proposed actions as a first consideration as to how the Council might meet its statutory biodiversity duty as set in legislation. The proposal was for the biodiversity duty ‘first consideration’ to be the document forming Appendix A to the report. The proposed future actions were summarised in the report.

AGREED (unanimously) that Cabinet approves publication of the presented Biodiversity Report – First Consideration with finalised agreed actions to then be brought back to Cabinet for approval within 3 months of publication of the First Consideration report.

Reasons for Decision:

Publication of the Biodiversity Report – First Consideration is recommended as this is a statutory requirement.

Publication of the report does not commit the Council to the proposed actions within the report. Government expects actions to be finalised and agreed as soon as possible after publication of the report.

The proposed actions have been given careful consideration to ensure that they are sufficiently exhaustive, proportionate and realistically deliverable. Consequently, it is considered that finalising and agreeing proposed actions within the recommended 3 months from publication of the report is an appropriate time scale.

The Biodiversity Report – First Consideration represents a framework for the Biodiversity Strategy which is a key objective of the Community Plan.

Options considered:

Not applicable, the First Consideration report is a statutory   requirement.