Agenda and draft minutes

Link to further information in the Council’s Constitution

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2025 were agreed as a true record and were signed by the Chair.

Report of the Director – Neighbourhoods

The Senior Ecology and Sustainability Officer presented the Nottinghamshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) report and provided a presentation and overview of key aspects of the report to the Group.

The Senior Ecology and Sustainability Officer explained that the Environment Act 2021 required the production of Local Nature Recovery Strategies. He said that the County Council had been designated as the Responsible Body for Nottinghamshire by DEFRA, with Rushcliffe Borough Council designated as a Supporting Authority and as such, was a consultee for the draft strategy and would need to consider the Strategy in relation to its own policies and strategies.

The Senior Ecology and Sustainability Officer shared a video with the Group which highlighted the various habitats and wildlife in the local area and which encouraged participation in  the survey to help shape nature recovery in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire: https://nottsnaturerecovery.co.uk and Local nature recovery strategy for Nottinghamshire | Nottinghamshire County Council.

The Senior Ecology and Sustainability Officer explained that an LNRS was a new statutory system for spatial strategies for nature’s recovery, was locally led, transparent and collaborative and set out the agreed priorities. He said that it was map based, mapping the most valuable existing areas for nature and setting specific proposals for creating or improving habitat for nature and the wider environmental benefits. He said that whilst the map was not yet publicly available online, it would be in the future, with both the map and documentation comprising the LNRS.

In relation to governance, the Senior Ecology and Sustainability Officer said that in addition to the District Councils, the East Midlands Combined County Authority and Natural England were Supporting Bodies and that Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Economic Prosperity Committee provided political oversight. He added that a working group, mapping group, planning group, farmers and landowners’ group, species specialist group and a public consultation had also fed into the LNRS.

In relation to consultation, the Senior Ecology and Sustainability Officer said that engagement had been undertaken with statutory Bodies, conservation organisations, parish councils and that public events and an online survey had been conducted.

In relation to mapping and priority measures, the Senior Ecology and Sustainability Officer said that measures would look to enhance existing habitats and protect new habitats in ways that were practical, realistic and deliverable. He said that measures would also bring wider environmental benefits such as natural flood management, carbon sequestration and improving public access to green spaces. He took the Group through the various types of habitat that had been mapped, including woodland, wetland and watercourses, heathland, grassland, farmland, urban and post-industrial and species.

The Senior Ecology and Sustainability Officer said that a public consultation would take place from 6 May 2025 to 16 June 2025, followed by notification to the Secretary of State in summer 2025 and potential adoption and publication of the LNRS in summer / autumn 2025. A review of the Strategy would be completed by DEFRA at some point between 3 –10 years after publication.

Councillor Ellis thought that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

Report of the Director – Neighbourhoods

The Communities Manager introduced the Carbon Management Action Plan Review report and provided an overview of how the Council measured emissions, including direct and indirect emissions and carbon offsetting, and how it recorded information to capture its progress towards becoming carbon neutral by 2030. He said that it was this information that was used to create the dashboard graphs and performance outputs presented to the Group.

The Team Manager for Environment presented information to the Group. He explained the difference between the measurements for Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, the different generators of emissions that the Council produced, and the projects it was undertaking to bring those down, including at Cotgrave Leisure Centre, Sir Julian Cahn Pavilion and Gamston Community Hall. He thought that the Council’s recent transfer to using Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil to power its HGV vehicles would lead to a significant reduction in emissions, which would be captured in next year’s outputs.

The Team Manager for Environment said that the Council was continuing to work closely with Midlands Net Zero Hub to pull in and spend funding where it was needed most and was supporting parish councils with completing energy audits on any assets they had. He said that that Council also had close links with Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire and local businesses and that the Council was actively looking at regional collaborative bulk buying schemes, such as for solar schemes.

In relation to property and assets, the Team Manager for Environment provided an update about the status of ongoing Council projects, including potential land acquisition to meet the Council’s offset need to reach Net Zero by 2030, exploration of alternative models of delivery to install large net zero projects on Council Buildings, tree planting on existing Council land and an insulation project at Hound Lodge.

In relation to fleet and transport, the Team Manager for Environment confirmed that Electric Vehicle (EV) points were being installed at the Streetwise Depot, two EV Vans were in operation, Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil was operational, electric buggies were in use at Rushcliffe Country Park and an EV point had been installed at West Park for EV Vans.

In relation to contracts and procurement, the Team Manager for Environment confirmed that the Council considered the environmental and carbon impact for everything it purchased and that biodiversity net gain (BNG) software had been implemented to start mapping and surveying BNG over the next thirty years.

The Team Manager for Environment explained that the Council had overhauled its Climate Change Strategy and that its Ecology Team was proactively working with the Planning Team. He said that the Air Quality Strategy had been reviewed and that a number of areas had been downgraded due to a reduction in pollution recorded at those sites. He said that due to the success of work at Rushcliffe Country Park and it gaining Green Flag accreditation the Council was looking at how to expand that model to other sites.  

In relation to waste and recycling, the Team Manager for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

Report of the Director – Finance and Corporate Services

It was RESOLVED that the Communities Scrutiny Group approved the Work Programme as set out below:

xx July 2025 (date TBC)

·       Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing

·       Work Programme

xx October 2025 (date TBC)

·       Work Programme

xx January 2026 (date TBC)

·       Work Programme

xx April 2026 (date TBC)

·        Work Programme

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