Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Hughes introduced the report and explained that, in response to a request from the Environment & Economy Overview & Scrutiny Committee, an all-Member workshop was held on Tuesday, 24^th January 2023 to learn more about the management of road verges and amenity grasslands, wildflowers and biodiversity. Members sought to find out about the use of pesticides and to gain an understanding of existing policies, the action taken to date and opportunities available. The workshop was a joint portfolio event, which was facilitated by officers from both the Planning, Environment & Economy (PE&E) portfolio and Streetscene & Transportation (S&T) portfolio.

Under the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, public authorities must maintain and enhance biodiversity. Sympathetic mowing of road verges and amenity grasslands could help to meet that duty.

The purpose of the report was to provide an overview of the work undertaken to date and consider the opportunities for policy review in the future.  In addition, as a portfolio, Streetscene & Transportation routinely reported on the annual performance of the grass cutting service to the Environment & Economy Overview & Scrutiny Committee for assurance purposes. The report therefore also included an update for Cabinet on the performance of the service during 2022.

Councillor Healey commended the working relationship between the Biodiversity Officer and staff in Streetscene to address the important issue.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the work undertaken to date be supported and opportunities to increase biodiversity in managing our road verges and amenity grasslands be considered; and

(b)       That the proposed changes to the grass cutting policy be approved and the targeted reduction in the use of pesticides be supported.