Agenda and minutes

None.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on 4 December 2024.

It had been noted that there were typographical errors within the minutes of 4 December 2024. At item ENVSC37, where a question referred to the term “sulphate tests” it should have read “hydrogen sulphide tests”. At item ENVSC39 as part of the response to the question raised by Members around the community usage of the field located at Holy Trinity Academy it read “that the school were required to make the use of the field available outside of school hours free of charge.” It should have read “that the school were required to make the use of the field available outside of school hours at market rate.”

Members proposed, seconded and agreed the amendment to the 4 December 2024 minutes.

The Committee were asked to approve the amended minutes of the 4 December 2024 meeting and it was therefore:-

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2024 be agreed and signed by the Chair.

To receive an update on the Council’s landfill management.

The Service Delivery Manager: Highways & Engineering and the Neighbourhood Enforcement Manager provided an update to Members on the management and monitoring of landfill operations across Telford and Wrekin following a verbal update which was received by the Committee at its last meeting.

Landfill sites had been identified as one of the oldest common forms of waste disposal in the UK and the Council were currently responsible for the management of landfill operations at the Granville site located in Redhill, the Candle site located in Horsehay the Stoney Hill site located in Lightmoor and the New Acres site located in Trench. In 2022, over 7% of local authority collected waste had been sent to landfill and at the time of the meeting, Telford and Wrekin was sat above the national average for household recycling at 48%.

The report detailed the proactive measures which the Council had taken to manage the active landfill sites at Granville and New Acres, including odour control and gas management. As the Planning Authority, the Council were responsible for ensuring that both sites operated in accordance with the conditions of planning which included hours of operation, noise and dust monitoring and land restoration.

The New Acres site, located in Trench Lock was managed by Michelmersh Brick UK Ltd and was a site classified as an inert landfill and primarily handled non-hazardous building materials related to clay extraction for use Blockley’s bricks. The site was issued a waste permit in 2006 which was valid until 2032, however if the mining of clay was to cease before this time, the Council would be notified, and the restoration of the site would begin.

The Granville Woodhouse site, located in Redhill was managed by Potters Midlands Ltd and had been an operational site since 1991. The site accepted domestic and commercial waste including non-hazardous biodegradable waste, however, this had resulted in issues with odour control which had been later addressed through corrective measures implemented by the Environment Agency which included the permanent sealing (capping) of waste. The Council had continued to actively conduct odour monitoring in the area and had worked with the Environment Agency and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to ensure residents concerns regarding odour from the site had been addressed.

The report also addressed the ongoing management of closed landfill sites including the Candles site located in Horsehay and the Stoneyhill site located in Lightmoor, which required active management for gas and leachate. The Environment Agency was responsible for regulating the management and monitoring of closed landfill sites with many closed sites containing inert materials such as bricks, concrete and other construction debris and some pre-dating environmental regulation that would require environmental permits. Members heard that some closed landfill sites were located within both Council owned land and private land, however the majority of sites did not require ongoing management or maintenance. Examples of these sites included the land adjacent to Bucks Head and the various railway cuttings in Church Aston and Ellerdine Heath.

Additionally, the  ...  view the full minutes text for item ENVSC44

To receive an update on the Counci’s Biodiversity duty.

The Biodiversity & Green Infrastructure Specialist provided Members with an update on the Council’s duty in relation to Biodiversity Duty.

The presentation outlined the requirements and prioritisation of actions to conserve biodiversity in the Borough. Biodiversity encompasses the variety of life on Earth, including all species of animals and fungi and was crucial for public well-being and the economy. The UK had faced significant biodiversity challenges with many species threatened with extinction.

Members were presented with findings of the People and Nature Survey which took place between April – June 2020. The survey results captured that 86% of people reported that the protection of the environment was important to them, 73% were concerned about the consequences of a loss of biodiversity in England, 85% reported that being in nature makes them happy and environmental issues were ranked the 3^rd most important issue facing the UK.

The biodiversity duty, which was established in the 2006 National Environment and Rural Communities Act, was tightened as part of the Environment Act 2021 which required local authorities to conserve and enhance biodiversity. Public authorities were required to periodically consider what actions they could take to further the general biodiversity objective including determining appropriate policies to meet these objectives. This involved integrating biodiversity considerations into operations such as buildings, greenspaces, school grounds, farmland, development management and addressing direct and indirect harm.

Members heard that the Council’s activities as part of its considerations to conserve and enhance biodiversity in the Borough had included incorporating biodiversity net gain (BNG) into designation of development projects, implementing biodiversity considerations into procurement, transport, lighting and waste management policies, educating staff, businesses and stakeholders on biodiversity, preventing the destruction of habitats, managing water, lighting, chemical and energy use to minimise indirect harm to biodiversity and engaging in broader strategies such as the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) and the 30 by 30 initiative to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030.

Next steps for the Council in relation to its biodiversity duty would require the implementation of the draft action plan followed by the publication of the Council’s first progress report by January 2026 and subsequently every five years thereafter.

Following the presentation, Members asked the following questions:-

Wildflower planting contributes towards biodiversity. As ward councillors, are we able to use our pride fund or ask members of the public to contribute to the planting of more wildflowers in the Borough and if so, what policy needs to be followed?

The Cabinet Member: Neighbourhoods, Planning & Sustainability advised that in Summer 2024, the Council had planted wildflowers on several verges and initiated seeding and that if elected Members wanted to create similar areas within their wards that this could be discussed with their locality officer to find a suitable location to ensure it is included in the cutting schedule managed by the Council’s contractor.

Given the significant impact of farming practices on biodiversity, particularly through the use of pesticides and herbicides and considering the larger proportion of non-built or non-residential land  ...  view the full minutes text for item ENVSC45

To receive an update on the Telford & Wrekin Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

The Ecology and Green Infrastructure Specialist provided Members with an update on the Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

The presentation provided an overview of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, detailing key elements, current progress and the Council’s next steps.

The Local Nature Recovery Strategy is a county-scale strategy across England aimed at reversing nature decline by dealing with specific priorities. The Strategy identifies key assets and areas of opportunity as required under the Environment Act 2021 and County councils were the responsible authorities, with Telford and Wrekin Council (TWC) and Natural England as the supporting authorities.

Members heard that the Strategy consisted of two main elements; the Statement of Biodiversity Priorities and the Local Habitat Map. The Statement of Biodiversity Priorities outlined the goals for recovering biodiversity, including mapping areas of importance and identifying specific actions for land managers. It also reviewed areas where actions for nature had already been taken. The Local Habitat Map conducted in partnership with Oxford University involved detailed mapping of key biodiversity areas and statutory listed sites including Areas of Particular Importance for Biodiversity (APIB) such as nature reserves and priority habitats as well as environmental processes. The mapping tool had helped identify networks and opportunity areas, excluding high-grade agricultural land to balance biodiversity goals with agricultural needs.

The Strategy had involved a diverse group of stakeholders such as farmers and landowners, community groups, wildlife recorders, environmental professionals, Town & Parish Councils and members of the public. A steering group for the Strategy was made up of representatives from Shropshire Council, Natural England, Telford & Wrekin Council, Country Land and Business Association, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, National Farmers Union, Shropshire Hills National Landscape and Shropshire Wildlife Trust.

Members heard that a number of community and stakeholder events had taken place over several months across Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin to ensure priorities and measures were identified as part of the Strategy. The Strategy was in the final stages of production with a proposed timeline to submit the working draft to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) by March 2025, followed by a six week public consultation period in June 2025 and finally formal adoption by November 2025.

Following the presentation, Members asked the following questions:-

What are the priorities and/or practical deliverables and when are they expected to be delivered?

The Ecology and Green Infrastructure Specialist advised that priorities were divided into habitat types taking into consideration national trends and species clusters. Priorities had included water environment improvements such as reducing water pollution and managing flood risks using natural biodiversity methods. In relation to monitoring, feedback which had been received from DEFRA and Natural England had indicated that there was a resource to create a plan for monitoring of actions, but no enforceability mechanism had been set out in the Environment Act.

The mapping images within the presentation are quite small. Is there a link available to view the map in more detail?

The Ecology and  ...  view the full minutes text for item ENVSC46

To receive an overview of the Green Network.

The Committee received a presentation from the Biodiversity Technician on the Green Network.

The Green Network was defined in the Local Plan as a strategic, interconnected network of open spaces within the urban areas of Telford and Newport and included both publicly and privately owned spaces that contribute to the Borough's green infrastructure. Whilst it was a local designation, it does not offer the same level of protection as statutory designations such as Local Nature Reserves or Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).

Members heard that the concept of the Green Network originated with the design of Telford New Town as a 'forest city.' Initial mapping had been completed in the 1980s and was later digitised with the first review of the Green Network completed in 2016 which saw a combination of updates to the existing policy and mapping of designated areas. Since 2016, nearly 330.5 hectares had been added to the Green Network, representing a 13% increase in designated area. The total area designated under the Green Network at the time of the meeting was 2887.7 hectares, equivalent to over seven times the urban area of Newport.

The emergence of new legislation and guidance, such as the Environment Act 2021 and the National Green Infrastructure Framework 2023, prompted a review of the Green Network policy in 2024/25. The six functions of the Green Network were adapted into five principles in order to align with the National Green Infrastructure Framework as follows:-

• Nature-rich, attractive, ecologically valuable spaces and networks;
• Healthy, linked, active spaces;
• Thriving spaces promoting heritage, geology, and community identity;
• Spaces for natural water management; and
• Resilient, carbon and climate-positive spaces.

A mapping update also took place in 2024/25 to remove any areas which had been lost or added within the Borough’s green infrastructure. The mapping update was carried out from June 2024 with the final version submitted for inclusion in the Local Plan in January 2025.

Following the presentation, Members posed the following questions:-

As the Green Network forms part of the Local Plan, can new areas be submitted that haven't already been identified and if the Local Plan is approved, will the identified sites be protected from potential planning applications?

The Biodiversity Technician advised that the policy was not intended to prevent development but advocates for better site design in applications. However, if development did not meet the five principles, it could be refused.

Does this policy include private land too? If so, the University of Wolverhampton campus in Telford has a large green space. What would happen if a developer proposed building housing in that area?

The Biodiversity Technician confirmed that the site referenced was included in the Green Network mapping and that its designation would be taken into consideration with any proposed development as part of the policy before planning permission is sought or granted.

What is the relationship between the green network and the green designation and are the areas mapped out primarily in rural areas?

The Biodiversity Technician advised that policy works on  ...  view the full minutes text for item ENVSC47

To review the updated Work Programme for the Environment Scrutiny Committee.

The Senior Democracy Officer (Scrutiny) presented the updated work programme to the Committee. The next formal meeting was scheduled to take place in April 2025 where Members would receive an update on the work of the Shropshire Good Food Partnership and Climate Change Adaptation which would conclude the work programme for the current municipal year.

The Chair advised Members that the consultation process had started for the next two year work programme and that any suggestions for future items should be submitted to the Scrutiny Team for consideration by the Scrutiny Management Board in the Summer.

The Chair also reminded Members of the upcoming workshop on the Green Pledge which was due to take place on 5 March 2025 at 6pm.