Last updated:
8th August 2023
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Biodiversity Duty
See notes
I would like to make a Freedom of Information request to the council with respect to the implementation of the 'biodiversity duty' of the 2021 Environment Act.
1. The duty requires public authorities to undertake a first consideration by January 1 2024.
a) Did the council produce its own first consideration report or document by that date?
A report was not created by 1 January 2024. Trees and Landscape Service Manager advises that there is no duty on the Council to have produced a report by 1st January 2024. Rather, the duty is to consider how the Council’s operations work to conserve and enhance biodiversity as part of our Enhanced Biodiversity Duty so that objectives can be set in preparation for a report to be produced that details set objectives and progress towards them by 1 January 2026.
b) If so, I would like to make a request for any such report or document.
Not applicable. It is not available.
c) How many meetings did council officials and elected politicians undertake with respect to the first consideration?
The interim Green Infrastructure Manager had approximately 8 meetings with council officers and none with elected politicians.
2. The duty asks that public authorities "must agree...policies and objectives as soon as possible after [January 1 2024]".
a) I would like to request information about how many meetings have been undertaken by council officials and ministers to that end in addition to individual summaries of those meetings.
No meetings to set objectives in relation to the enhanced biodiversity duty have taken place yet. Meetings were held with internal teams in October 2023 to consider what is currently being delivered through existing operations and what objectives can be set in order to conserve and enhance biodiversity.
b) Has the council agreed policies and objectives related to the duty?
No policies and objectives have been agreed yet.
c) If so, I would like to request a summary of those policies.
Not applicable, a summary is not available.
