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There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment & Infrastructure relative to the Council’s grass cutting service and advising of the intention to undertake an engagement exercise seeking the views of communities on the creation of biodiversity panels across Renfrewshire.
The report referred to the decision taken at the meeting of the Council held on 27 June 2019 to declare a climate emergency and highlighted that the actions required to respond to the climate emergency were complex and multi-faceted, could not be tackled in isolation and required full collaboration and support by organisations across all of society. The report indicated that the Council’s green spaces had a key role to play in supporting the increase in biodiversity, enhancing environments and in the delivery of the Council’s ambitions to tackle climate change.
The report intimated that a specific focus on the Council’s current and planned activities, and the subsequent actions that the Council could take to lead and drive change across all of Renfrewshire, had been agreed by the Climate Emergency Working Group. The Council’s grass cutting service had been suspended as the country entered lockdown in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and was only able to restart, on 1 June 2020, in terms of the Government’s Route map for Recovery. The Emergencies Board had previously been advised on the programme of activities to restart cutting grass within communities, with 97% of grass panels now being maintained and being reinstated into their normal grass cutting frequency. The unique circumstances of the pandemic had provided the Council with an opportunity to undertake a biodiversity and wildflower assessment of the grass panels to note what the natural biodiversity was and whether any additional sowing of wildflower seeds to increase biodiversity would be beneficial, as a number of the panels were dominated by common grass species. An important part of this assessment would be the input and views of local communities on the panels that had been left as potential biodiversity panels and suggestions of other panels and areas that they thought would merit consideration as biodiversity areas. The appendix to the report detailed by area the panels to be included within the survey and it was noted that between three and ten potential biodiversity areas had been identified per electoral ward. The report proposed that community engagement on this matter be undertaken, starting on 26 August 2020, through an online survey. The views of local partnerships, elected members and community councils, would also be sought.
Councillor McEwan, seconded by Councillor Don, moved that the biodiversity community engagement survey, to be undertaken as outlined in section 5 of the report be noted; and that it be noted that the outcomes of the survey would be submitted to the next meeting of this Policy Board for consideration.
Councillor Devine, seconded by Councillor Hood, moved as an amendment that the recommendations set out in Section 2 be deleted and that a wider assessment be carried out to include the following:
• A definition of bio-diversity to ensure that it does not become just a by-word for non-maintenance.
• Consideration should be made where safe walking routes to school pass through proposed areas.
• Similarly, areas close to roads, should be examined for the impact on road safety.
• Details of how the Council proposes to engage with those communities who don’t have access to online materials.
• The consultation period should be longer than three weeks.
• Explanation as to why this is not just a cost saving exercise.
with the further assessment being submitted to the next meeting of this Policy Board.
On the roll being called the following members voted for the amendment: Councillors Davidson, Devine, Graham, Hood, Kennedy, Kerr, and J MacLaren.
The following members voted for the motion: Councillors Adam-McGregor, Burns, Cameron, Campbell, Audrey Doig, Don and McEwan.
7 members having voted for the motion and 7 members having voted for the amendment the Convener used her second and casting vote in favour of the motion which was thereafter declared carried.
DECIDED:
(a) That the biodiversity community engagement survey, to be undertaken as outlined in section 5 of the report be noted; and
(b) That it be noted that the outcomes of the above survey would be submitted to the next meeting of this Policy Board for consideration.