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Decision details

Nature Recovery Plan and Nature Recovery Officer

Decision Maker: Executive

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Decisions:

Councillor Andrew Prosser, Executive Member for Climate Change, introduced the report, which presented the West Oxfordshire District Council Nature Recovery Plan. The report further set out the business case to appoint a new Nature Recovery Officer. The Nature Recovery Plan was proposed to be adopted and resourced by the Council from April 2024.

 

The Executive Member stated they would propose an additional recommendation, where delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director for Planning and Sustainability, in conjunction with the Executive Member for Climate Change, to make any necessary minor amendments to the Nature Recovery Plan, following consideration by the Executive and the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

The Executive Member referred to recommendations made to the Executive by the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and circulated ahead of the Executive meeting.

 

The Executive Member for Climate Change stated that the Executive had accepted, in principle, the recommendations made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The recommendations suggested more engagement with Town and Parish Councils, that the Council takes a network approach to the facilitation of grassroots projects and getting people involved in nature recovery activities, and that consideration is given to mitigating risks around the future funding for the new post and the reliance on external funding for projects.

 

The Executive further highlighted that the Rural England and UK Shared Prosperity Funds would also provide additional funding for nature recovery projects in rural areas that would struggle to provide match funding through WestHive.

 

Councillor Andrew Prosser proposed that the Executive agree to the recommendations as listed on the report, with an additional recommendation as outlined in the presentation of the report.

 

This was seconded by Councillor Lidia Arciszewska, was put to a vote, and was unanimously agreed by the Executive.

 

The Executive Resolved to:

  1. Approve the West Oxfordshire District Council Nature Recovery Plan and recommend to Council that it is adopted as part of the Council’s compliance with the new biodiversity duty;
  2. Agree to part-fund a Nature Recovery Officer at a cost to the Council of £39,039.00 over 24 months;
  3. Delegate authority to the Assistant Director for Planning and Sustainability, in consultation with the Executive Member for Climate Change, to make any necessary minor amendments to the Nature Recovery Plan following consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Executive.

Report author: Hannah Kenyon

Publication date: 16/02/2024

Date of decision: 14/02/2024

Decided at meeting: 14/02/2024 - Executive

Effective from: 24/02/2024

Accompanying Documents:

 

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