Jason Mils, Natural Environment Manager, gave a presentation which gave an overview of the Biodiversity Action Plan. He started off with the background whereby the new BAP where work on it began when the Council declared a climate and environment emergency in 2019.

The BAP included 6 different habitat action plans (HAPs): woodland, grassland, farmland, waterways, standing water and urban. There was a target of ensuring 30% of land in RBWM would be a space for nature by 2030 in line with the Council’s Corporate Plan goal.

Referring to a Rural Forum meeting May 2022 which discussed the draft BAP and then recommended for it to be reconsidered by the Cabinet, Alane Keene asked if the proposed BAP was being reviewed. Jason Mills replied that it was a working progress whereby feedback and comments were being taken on board.

Susy Shearer asked how he would be working with the wild groups on implementing the BAP. Jason Mills replied that the wild groups provided a lot of input in the BAP. He stated the Borough would continue to give input as they hold the knowledge on the area and wildlife.

Mark Howard asked Jason Mills to confirm if he had reached out to and engaged with the National Trust (the main landowner in Cookham). Jason Mills replied that he was meeting representatives of the National Trust in August 2022 and they would be visiting Battlemead to get overview of the area as well as the National Trust’s view of it. Mark Howard then raised that flooding was an issue and concern in Cookham. Jason Mills would take that on board.

Councillor Sharpe asked he was doing any work with the parish councils. Jason Mills confirmed this, elaborating that Parish council land would play a key part on promoting biodiversity. He stated they wanted as many people involved. Councillor Sharpe suggested that the work which Jason Mills had been doing should be put on the RBWM website so that the public could be familiar with it, commenting it was not explicitly shown on the website at the moment. Jason Mills took note of that.

In response to Lisa Hughes’s comments about the wildlife garden schemes, which encouraged wildlife friendly gardening, Jason Mills asserted that gardens were very important, elaborating gardens made up more land than national parks in Britain. Therefore, they were a key part of nature recovery, especially in urban areas.

The Chairman asked if the development around Battlemead Common in preserving wildlife would be a template for other areas. Jason Mills believed so as the work around Battlemead had been largely a success and the Environment Team were monitoring it annually.

Referring to Councillor Sharpe’s point on engaging with the public, the Chairman agreed that communication was key across the various entities, forums and the Borough.

While pleased that many actions within the proposed BAP were going ahead, Councillor Baldwin expressed concern that adopting the some of the actions from the BAP would lessen the urgency to actually adopt the whole BAP. He stated it was required now because it underpins the adopted Local Borough Plan. He elaborated that without the BAP, Planning Officers would not have a benchmark document against which to assess the major planning developments that would be coming forward.

(Susy Shearer left the meeting at 19:43; Councillor Baldwin left the meeting at 19:44)