The Executive Director Community Services has submitted a report which seeks approval for the To agree the adoption of A Biodiversity Action Plan for Oxford City Council 2015 - 2020 following a public consultation exercise.

Officer Recommendations: That the City Executive Board

1. ADOPTS the Biodiversity Action Plan for Oxford City Council.

The Executive Director Community Services submitted a report (previously circulated now appended) which seeks approval for the adoption of A Biodiversity Action Plan for Oxford City Council 2015 - 2020 following a public consultation exercise.

Cllr Tanner, the Board Member for Climate Change & Cleaner, Greener Oxford presented the report, highlighting the wide range of wildlife and natural habitat to be found in the city.

The Environmental Policy Team Leader briefed the Board on the details of the Action Plan, noting the Board’s concern that there must be close practical links between the biodiversity team and the parks team to ensure that the Council’s practices complied with the principles of the Biodiversity Action Plan.  In response to questions from the Board the Chief Executive said that he would be looking at ways in which to promote the Plan with the County Council and other organisations.  He would also be looking at ways to promote the initiative to all members of staff.

The City Executive Board resolved to:

1.         ADOPT the Biodiversity Action Plan for Oxford City Council;

2.         DELEGATE authority to the Board Member for Climate Change & Cleaner, Greener Oxford and the Board Member for Leisure, Parks & Sport to work with officers to ensure that the park service management plans are consistent with the principles of the Biodiversity Action Plan.

The Head of Environmental Development has submitted a report which details the Corporate Biodiversity Strategy 2015 -2020.

Officer Recommendation: That the City Executive Board approve the Corporate Biodiversity Strategy for public consultation.

The Head of Environmental Development submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) which detailed the Corporate Biodiversity Strategy 2015 -2020.

Cllr John Tanner, Board member for Cleaner, Greener Oxford, Climate Change and Transport presented the report. He explained it was a cross cutting policy affecting everything we do. Council can promote biodiversity through parks, planning and grants. There is no extra money available for this work so it is important to do what we can within current budgets but there is a strong volunteer network devoted to encouraging biodiversity within the city.

The Environmental Sustainability Officer explained that the strategy sets out what the Council is currently doing and what it could do to improve biodiversity in the city.  It includes sharing knowledge about what we can do and creating biodiversity champions (which is a revamp of the carbon champions to include biodiversity). Work has already been done with the Parks team to encourage bees in the parks.

Cllr Price asked that protecting habitats objectives be included in the strategy as it is useful to think up new ways we can improve them. The volunteer community could achieve habitat objectives with little money.

The City Executive Board resolved to approve the Corporate Biodiversity Strategy for public consultation.