Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment.

That the Dorset Council Natural Environment, Climate and Ecology Refreshed Strategy and action plan be approved.

Reason for the decision

To ensure that the strategy remains fit for purpose by being responsive to latest policy and progress, and concisely communicates our direction and ambition.

The Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment presented a report on the refresh of the strategy which aimed to repurpose, reframe, and tighten the existing content. The strategy, a living document, would continue to evolve as action, technology and policy progressed.

Members noted that the strategy had been retitled to the “Natural Environment, Climate and Ecology Strategy to ensure its clear alignment to the associated priority within the Council’s Corporate Plan.

It was proposed by Cllr R Bryan and seconded by Cllr G Carr-Jones.

Decision

That the Dorset Council Natural Environment, Climate and Ecology Refreshed Strategy and action plan be approved.

Reason for the decision

To ensure that the strategy remained fit for purpose by being responsive to latest policy and progress, and concisely communicates our direction and ambition.

To consider a report of the Climate & Ecology Policy Officer and the Sustainability Team Manager (Climate and Ecological Sustainability).

The committee received a joint report of the Climate and Ecology Policy Officer and Sustainability Team Manager, which presented the draft Climate and Ecology Strategy 2023 and provided the opportunity for the committee to forward comments to Cabinet.

The committee considered the issues arising from the report and during discussion the following general points were raised:

·       Discussion on the level of information provided within the strategy and particular reference to the information in the ‘Next Steps: Priority delivery for 2023-25’ and a proposal to develop a Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Dorset

·       The strategy was a living document and the wording could be reviewed as required moving forward

·       Encouraging the involvement of town and parish councils, community groups and networks.

The committee considered the missions set out on the strategy and comments were made as follows:

Mission 1 – Renewable Generation

·       Investigation of the use of rivers for renewable energy generation

Mission 2 – Heat Decarbonisation

·       The role of the council’s Housing Team working to support housing providers, including accessing available funding

Mission 4 – Road Transport Decarbonisation & Modal Shift

·       Need to establish a Dorset-wide policy on charging points to assist planning committees

·       Work being undertaken and funding secured to investigate opportunities for charging points across Dorset

Mission 5 – Sustainable Development & Construction

·       Issues around the placement of affordable housing and links to accessibility of public transport, and support for lobbying being undertaken in this area

Mission 6 – Sustainable Consumption, Waste & Circularity

·       Need to encourage greater sorting at source for bins dealt with by town and parish councils

·       Clarification of the area covered by the phrase ‘wider Dorset’

·       Further information provided on the objective to become a low waste Council by 2040

Mission 7 – Sustainable Food Production & Consumption

·       Request to review elements of the wording included in this part of the strategy

·       Noted council support to local organisations such as pantry models

Mission 8 – Natural Assets & Nature Based Solutions

·       Encouragement for town and parish councils to have a greenspace champion

Mission 9 – Resilience & Adaptation

·       Information provided on how flooding issues were being dealt with

·       Regular updates were provided to both Cabinet and the Place and Resources Scrutiny Committee

·       Encouraging town and parish councils to work with Dorset Council in this area and the role for ward members and the Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils.

Recommendation to Cabinet (on 28 March 2023)

That the Dorset Council Natural Environment, Climate and Ecology Strategy be approved.