Decision details
Biodiversity duty report
Decision Maker: Executive
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Purpose:
To approve the biodiversity duty report for
publication in accordance with legal requirement
Decisions:
Councillor Andrew Prosser, Executive Member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery, presented the item, the purpose of which was to consider the West Oxfordshire District Council Biodiversity Duty Report, which must be published by the Council before 26 March 2026.
In his presentation Councillor Prosser made the following points:
· The Duty Report was a new requirement on Local Authorities to demonstrate actions that they had taken to support biodiversity and nature recovery in their areas.
· It was appropriate that the meeting was taking place in Charlbury which was an area well known for its work in supporting nature.
· The Council had put in place a Nature Recovery Plan to 2030 three years ago to show what actions it would take to support biodiversity and nature. The report showed where the Council was in terms of this plan.
· The importance of the work was highlighted. It was estimated that 50% of biodiversity had disappeared in the country since the industrial revolution. The challenges in this area were very large but important.
· The Council had strengthened its partnerships with local organisations to support managing land to enhance value for wildlife.
· Officers had worked to embed the Biodiversity Net Gain Duty on developers.
· The Council had installed wildlife features at offices and supported other landowners to do this also.
Councillor Prosser proposed accepting the recommendations of the report.
As the Biodiversity Duty Report must have been published in order to comply with the statutory requirement under the Environment Act 2021 there were no alternative options outlined in the report.
Councillor Lidia Arciszewska, Executive Member for Environment, seconded the proposal.
This was voted on and agreed unanimously.
The Executive resolved to:
1. Note the content of the West Oxfordshire Biodiversity Duty Report attached at Annex A; and
2. Agree that the report be published before 26 March 2026 in accordance with legislative requirements.
Report author: Melanie Dodd
Publication date: 13/03/2026
Date of decision: 11/03/2026
Decided at meeting: 11/03/2026 - Executive
Accompanying Documents:
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