Meeting

To receive any disclosure of interests from Members or Officers in matters to be discussed.

Note: Councillors are reminded of their obligations to declare disclosable pecuniary interests, personal and/or prejudicial interests in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct.

To receive and answer and questions from the public.

(Questions must be received in writing by Democratic Services – democracy@winchester.gov.uk – no later than noon on Wednesday 13 September)

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.    To approve the draft financial business plan at exempt Appendix Cas recommended by Cabinet Committee: Housing

2.    Subject to approval of the financial business plan, agree to reduce the share capital of Venta Living Ltd from £300,000 to £150,000.

3.    To approve the appointment of Fiander Tovell Ltd as external auditors to Venta Living Ltd as recommended by Cabinet Committee: Housing.

RECOMMENDED:

That Council note the annual scrutiny report for 2022/23.

i.         To consider the following Motion to be proposed by Councillor Kelsie Learney.

Motion on the nature emergency

We are in the middle of a nature crisis. Almost half of all UK wildlife is in long term decline and 15% of species are at risk of extinction. The climate emergency is only hastening this destruction of the natural environment, damaging habitats and disrupting ecosystems. Yet it is these very habitats that have the potential to lock up carbon and fight back against rising global temperatures. It is essential that we not only protect these spaces, but let them thrive – for the benefit of people, planet and nature.

As we recover from the COVID-19 crisis, the need for nature-rich green spaces where we live and work is clearer than ever and will help health, education and the economy build back stronger. Action must be taken now to put nature into recovery at a local level, in support of regional, national and international work to do the same.

Council notes:

•        The Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) agreed in 2021 delivering:

o   targeted action to halt loss of habitat, recreate and enhance habitat, and help species & habitats adapt to climate change,

o   management of a hierarchy of sites designated for nature conservation:

§  European designated sites – Solent Special Area of Conservation (SAC) & Special Protection Area (SPA)

§  National designated sites – River Itchen Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) & St Faith’s Meadow SSSI

§  Regional and Local designated sites - Nature Reserves (Winnall) and non-statutory designations including Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC).

o   work with partners including Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (HIIWT) to manage land for nature conservation, including Whiteshute Ridge SINC.

o   management of cemeteries, Open Spaces and recreation grounds for nature conservation, including on chalk grassland habitats.

o   the Wildflower Project which includes wildflower restoration, wildflower creation, and road verge wildflowers, including community projects and liaison.

o   ongoing protection of bats and birds and providing bird boxes and bat boxes with council house re-roofing projects

•        The following policies contained in the Local Plan Regulation 18 consultation:

o   NE1: Protecting and enhancing Biodiversity and the Natural Environment in the district

o   NE4: Green and Blue Infrastructure

o   NE5: Biodiversity

o   NE15: Special Trees, Important Hedgerows and Ancient Woodlands

o   NE16: Nutrient Neutrality Water Quality Effects on the Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Ramsar Sites of the Solent and The River Itchen

•        that in July 2022 Council affirmed the Council’s policy aim to protect the catchments of our rare and precious habitats, the Itchen, Meon, Test (Dever) and Hamble rivers as far as possible from the cumulative impacts of pollution

•        that Hampshire County Council is the responsible authority under Section 105 of the Environment Act 2021 for the Local Nature Recovery strategy covering Hampshire and the unitary authority areas of Portsmouth and Southampton.

This council resolves to:

1.    Declare that we are experiencing a nature emergency recognising that

a.    Nature is in long term decline and urgent action must be taken to reverse this.

b.    A thriving natural environment underpins a healthy, prosperous society.

c.     The nature crisis and the climate emergency are intrinsically linked and that the impacts of the climate crisis drive nature’s decline, while restoring nature can help to tackle the climate crisis.

2.    Consider the impact on nature’s recovery in all strategic plans, policy areas and decision-making processes.

3.    Make nature based solutions part of our plans to tackle the climate emergency, taking forward, where appropriate and cost effective, the identified Nature intervention opportunities from the Carbon Neutrality Action Plan Roadmap

4.    Review the Council’s biodiversity action plan for opportunities for further enhancement, and report on the progress made.

5.    Encourage and support, when we can, local wildlife agencies to recover our nature and natural environments including areas for habitat restoration widely across the district.

6.    Support Hampshire County Council in the creation and implementation of a Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

7.    Play our part in improving the quality of our local rivers and streams and campaign for faster Government and water company action to reduce sewage and nutrient pollution in our watercourses.

8.    Improve doorstep access to nature, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

9.    Work with local communities, organisations and businesses to help them make decisions and take action which support nature’s recovery.

ii.         To consider the following Motion to be proposed by Councillor Malcom Wallace.

MOTION ON NUTRIENT NEUTRALITY

This Council notes the statement from Secretary of State Michael Gove that the Government plans to remove the 'Nutrient Neutrality' requirement for Natural England to advise councils not to approve housing schemes that will add to nutrient pollution in already damaged rivers and waterways.

The Council believes this would be a retrograde step which will further damage our already struggling waterways.  The associated £280m ‘offsetting’ funding is an open acknowledgement that scrapping these rules will increase pollution.  Further, this plan transfers responsibility and costs of dealing with pollution from profitable developers to the public.

The Council believes that instead of allowing housebuilders to pollute, the Government should require water companies and housebuilders to invest in upgrading the infrastructure needed as a prerequisite to development whilst continuing to enforce mitigation schemes.  We further believe that with the right investment and appropriate regulation of all sources of pollution to our waterways, from treatment works to agriculture, communities can have both high-quality affordable homes and healthy waterways.

Therefore, this Council resolves to call on the Leader to write publicly to the Secretary of State and to our MPs to express the Council’s views.

To receive any resignations from committees and to make any necessary re-appointments.

The total time for questions and the answer and supplementaries thereto shall not exceed 30 minutes.

(i) To pass a resolution that the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items of business because it is likely that, if members of the public were present, there would be disclosure to them of 'exempt information' as defined by Section 100 (I) and Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.