Decision details

The Service Director of Democratic Services and Communication provided Cabinet Members with the recommendations of the Climate Change Cabinet Steering Group, which considered a report on the progress in discharging the Council’s Biodiversity Duty.

The Service Director advised that the Climate Change Cabinet Steering Group met on the 18^th November 2019, where they received a presentation, in conjunction with the report of the Director, Public Health, Protection and Community Services, which updated Members on the progress made in discharging the Council’s Biodiversity Duty. Alongside Members and key officers were two external representatives from organisations, which have previously engaged with the Council in tackling the issues associated with climate change

The Steering Group were content that the action plan sought to address and monitor the key themes and resolved to recommend to Cabinet the submission of the report to Welsh Government.

The Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure & Heritage Services thanked the officer for the report and commented that although the Council has a statutory duty to prepare a plan of action regarding the Biodiversity Duty, its importance is evident across many parts of the Council, such as Planning.

The Deputy Leader spoke of the work of the Climate Change Steering Group and advised that meetings were scheduled to take place on a monthly basis to keep up the positive momentum.

The Leader spoke of the need to follow up funding in respect of tree planting and the ongoing work with Natural Resources Wales.

The Cabinet RESOLVED:

1.    To note the content of the report considered by the Climate Change Cabinet Steering Group on the 18^th November 2019 (attached as Appendix 1 of the report) and;

2.    The recommendation of the Climate Change Cabinet Steering Group, which is to agree to submit the report to Welsh Government on the actions undertaken to further the ‘Biodiversity Duty’ by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council.