Agenda and minutes

The public open forum will commence at 2.00 p.m. and the following formal business of the Council will commence at 2.30 p.m. or whenever the public open forum ends, if earlier.

One member of the public registered to speak, however, the questions were rejected under paragraph 11.8 (b) and (d) of the Council Procedure Rules.

Apologies for absence were received from:

Councillor Barry Dobson

Councillor Pam Bosworth

Councillor Nikki Manterfield

Councillor Ian Stokes

Councillor Ian Selby

No interests were disclosed.

The Monitoring Officer informed Members that a dispensation had been granted for all District Councillors who were also Grantham Charter Trustees in relation to the Community Governance Review for Grantham. Therefore, all Members could participate in the debate and vote.

The minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2023 were proposed, seconded and AGREED as a correct record.

The Council noted the Chairman’s engagements.

The following announcements were discussed:

·       Devolution for Greater Lincolnshire

·       Levelling Up Fund Round 3

·       The achievement of Housing Services coming out of special measures from the Regulator after 3 years

·       Scout Group visit to the Council

·       Member Breifing reminder (St Martins Park) – 5 December 2023 at 4pm

·       SKDC being shortlisted for 2 awards within ‘The Personnel Today Awards’

·       Public Consultation commenced – Corporate Plan

·       Chairman’s Christmas Lunch reminder – 15 December 2023

This report seeks Members’ approval to formally ‘make’ the Claypole Neighbourhood Plan (NP) as part of the South Kesteven Development Plan. The report follows the NP’s successful referendum which was held on 5 October 2023.

The Claypole Neighbourhood plan can be found online at https://moderngov.southkesteven.gov.uk/documents/s39652/Claypole%20NP%20Referendum%20Version.pdf

Members considered the making of the Claypole Neighbourhood Plan. The report sought Members’ approval to formally ‘make’ the Claypole Neighbourhood Plan (NP) as part of the South Kesteven Development Plan. The report followed the NP’s successful referendum which was held on 5 October 2023.

The following points were highlighted during debate:

·       The importance of a neighbourhood plan in relation to material consideration for Planning terms.

Having been proposed and seconded and upon being put to the vote, it was AGREED:

DECISION:

That Full Council:

1) Approves the Claypole Neighbourhood Plan (referendum version) to become part of South Kesteven District Council’s ‘Statutory Development Plan’, and a material consideration for determining planning applications in the Claypole Neighbourhood Area.

2) Delegates authority to the Assistant Director of Planning to make minor ‘nonmaterial’ changes to the Claypole Neighbourhood Plan as necessary, and exercise all of the Council’s functions and responsibilities in relation to making the Claypole Neighbourhood Plan.

To provide Full Council with an opportunity to appoint to two Outside Bodies. There is also a vacancy for the South Kesteven Coalition Group on the Rural and Communities Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

Members considered a report that provided the Council with an opportunity to appoint Members to two vacancies on outside bodies (Rural Services Network and the Grantham Almshouse Charity). Members were also requested to fill a vacancy for the South Kesteven Coalition Group on the Rural and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The report provided Group Leaders with an opportunity to make any further amendments to their representation on Committees.

Councillor Robert Leadenham and Councillor Tim Harrison were both nominated to be the representative on Grantham Almshouse outside body.

Following the vote, Councillor Tim Harrison was appointed as the representative Grantham Alms Houses.

Councillor Mark Whittington declared an interest that he was the Lincolnshire County Council representative of the Rural Services Network and sat on the National Executive Committee of the outside body.

Councillor Murray Turner was nominated to become the representative for Rural Services Network.

Having been proposed and seconded and upon being put to the vote, it was AGREED:

DECISION:

That Full Council:

1.    Approved the following appointments:

·       Councillor Robert Leadenham to fill the vacant seat on Rural and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

·       Councillor Matthew Bailey to sit on Culture and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee, replacing Councillor Robert Leadenham.

·       Councillor Matthew Bailey to sit on Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee, replacing Councillor Jane Wood.

2.    Approved the appointment of Councillor Murray Turner to sit on Rural Services Network.

3.    Approved the appointment of Councillor Tim Harrison to sit on Grantham Alms Houses

To report the outcome of the second consultation stage of the Community Governance Review for the unparished area of Grantham following the Council’s formal proposition to create a Parish Council for Grantham.

To report a formal recommendation from the Community Governance Review Working Group regarding the creation of a Parish Council for Grantham.

The Chairman of the Community Governance Review Working Group, Councillor Graham Jeal, presented the report.

Members considered the report which outlined the outcome of the second consultation stage of the Community Governance Review for the unparished area of Grantham following the Council’s formal proposition to create a Parish Council for Grantham.

An amendment was proposed to part 3 of the recommendation to increase the precept from £46,010 to £70,000.

The following points were highlighted during debate of the proposed amendment:

·       Concern of the tax increase following the proposed precept that would be met by Grantham residents.

·       The mayoral budget underspends were discussed, it was suggested that the underspends be utilised as a one-off payment to the proposed new Grantham Parish Council. A reserve figure from previous underspends from grants and taxpayers of approximately £40,000 could be used to finance costs in the first year of Grantham Parish Council’s operation.

·       Members discussed the democratic mandate of the proposed new Grantham Parish Council.

·       The transfer and change of job roles of staff from Grantham Charter Trustees to the Parish Council was raised.

·       Grantham Charter Trustees had rejected the proposal of an increased precept.

·       Members raised the need for a Parish/Town Clerk, and the need for a precept of £70,000 would allow the Parish Council to serve 38,000 people in Grantham sufficiently.

The Monitoring Officer clarified that the Community Governance Review Working Group had reviewed the budget on the precept arrangement at its previous two meetings.

Following the vote, the proposed amendment to increase the precept from £46,010 to £70,000 by South Kesteven District Council for the Community Governance Review for Grantham was lost.

Having been proposed and seconded and upon being put to the vote, it was AGREED:

DECISION:

That Full Council:

1. Notes the responses of the second stage of the consultation process associated with the Community Governance Review for Grantham.

2. Approves the Order, at Appendix D of this report, to establish a Parish Council for Grantham based upon the following principles:

• That the boundary for the new Parish Council for Grantham replicates the existing unparished area of Grantham

• That the warding arrangements for the new Parish Council for Grantham replicate existing District Council Wards, as outlined in Appendix A of this report 37 Agenda Item 8

 • That the size of the new Parish Council for Grantham consists of 22 Councillors, comprising 4 Councillors for St Vincent’s Ward and 3 Councillors for all remaining Wards

• That the first elections to the new Parish Council for Grantham be held on 2 May 2024

3. Sets a budget for the first year of the newly established Parish Council for Grantham of £46,010, to be precepted by South Kesteven District Council.

4. Approves a one-off payment to the Parish Council for Grantham of any unallocated funds collected by South Kesteven District Council from Grantham Charter Trustee bank accounts upon the dissolution of the Grantham Charter Trustees.

5. Allows the costs of running the first elections for the Parish  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

This report details the proposals of future polling districts and polling places following the compulsory review of polling arrangements.

Members considered the report presented by the Returning Officer that detailed proposals for future Polling Districts and Polling Places following the compulsory review of polling arrangements. The Council undertook compulsory reviews of Polling Districts and Polling Places every five years.

The concerns of an absent Member of the Council were expressed on his behalf, in relation to the change of a Polling Station location within the constituency of Grantham.

The following points were highlighted during debate of the proposal:

·       Whether there were criteria to be met when requesting a review of Polling Districts and Polling Places before the compulsory period had elapsed.

The Returning Officer clarified that the reviews were compulsory every five years, however, if a request for an interim review was received, a report would be brought to Full Council for discussion and approval.

Having been proposed and seconded and upon being put to the vote, it was AGREED:

DECISION:

That the Council:

1. Approves the schedule of polling districts and polling places detailed in Appendix 1.

2. Approves the relocation of the Deeping St James polling station for polling district DJB3 from the Deeping St James CP Primary School to the Deepings Methodist Church.

3. That the approved revised polling districts and polling places take effect from 1 December 2023.

To provide Full Council with notification of a recommendation by the Standards Committee to include the revised procedure for dealing with complaints against Councillors as part of the Constitution.

The Vice-Chairman of the Standards Committee, Councillor Sarah Trotter, presented the report which provided notification of a recommendation by the Standards Committee to include the revised procedure for dealing with complaints against Councillors as part of the Constitution. Officers were thanked for their support on this topic.

The complaints procedure against elected Members was not currently part of the Council’s Constitution. On 6 September 2023, Standards Committee approved a revised complaints procedure and held a healthy debate around its content.

Having been proposed and seconded and upon being put to the vote, it was AGREED:

DECISION:

That Full Council approves the inclusion of the revised procedure for dealing with complaints against Councillors as part of the Constitution under Part 5 (Codes and Protocols).

A 45-minute period in which members may ask questions of the Leader, Cabinet Members, the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees and opposition group leaders excluding the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Planning Committee, Licensing and Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing Committees and Governance and Audit Committee.

Question 1 - Councillor Charmaine Morgan to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste (this role was a jobshare, and the question was answered by  Councillor Patsy Ellis)

Councillor Charmaine Morgan asked the Cabinet Member whether she would engage and work with Planning Officers on looking at the public consultation policy for trees protected by a Tree Preservation Orders.

The Cabinet Member was willing to support this and would work in liaison with Planning Officers.

Question 2 - Councillor Nick Robins to the Leader of the Council

Councillor Nick Robins asked the Leader of the Council to explain the reasons for an extraordinary high turnover of key staff and the impact of this on staff morale, SKDC as an employer and the costs to the Council on continuous recruitment.

The Leader of the Council acknowledged the question and declared he was unaware that SKDC had an extraordinarily high turnover of staff. He referred to a recent meeting of the Employment Committee where it was report that the percentage of staff turnover was decreasing at present.

Question 3 - Councillor Paul Wood to the Deputy Leader of the Council

Councillor Paul Wood requested confirmation from the Deputy Leader of the Council on when the Future High Street Fund investment in Grantham Town Centre would begin and whether the Council would be handing back any of the money to Government. It was noted there was a tight timescale.

The Deputy Leader of the Council shared his concerns on the timescale to utilise the funding. Due to reasons outside of the Council’s control (Brexit, Covid etc) costs had increased and unfortunately the Council could not afford to complete the two schemes alluded to (Marketplace and five-way roundabout). The Council had reached an agreement with Lincolnshire County Council that the marketplace project would take priority, and the budget was in the process of being allocated. There had been an extension to utilise the funding, therefore, the Deputy Leader of the Council was confident that the money would not be handed back to Government.

Question 4 – Councillor Gareth Knight to the Deputy Leader of the Council

Councillor Gareth Knight asked the Deputy Leader of the Council for an update on the Grantham Town Team, particularly in terms of recent activity, forthcoming activity, budgetary position, the membership and how somebody may become a member.

The Deputy Leader of the Council shared the same concerns as Councillor Gareth Knight. The Town Team had been included within the bid for the Future High Street Funds. The transparency of the Town Team was an issue, therefore, a decision was made prior to 5 May 2023 regarding the membership of the Town Team. It was noted that the turnover of staff had delayed the process; the next meeting of Finance and Economic Overview and Scrutiny was due to review the issue on 28 November 2023.

Question 5 – Councillor David Bellamy to the Cabinet Member for Governance and Licensing

Councillor David Bellamy asked the Cabinet Member for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

It was proposed, seconded and AGREED to hear agenda item 12b prior to 12a, which had previously been discussed at a meeting prior to Full Council.

Community Governance Review for Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish Council, and Great Ponton Parish Council

Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish Council has remained dormant for a period exceeding four years. Council therefore recognises the need to address the inactivity of Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish Council through appropriate measures.

It is essential to explore viable solutions, including; the potential dissolution of Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish Council; restoration of the status quo ante; or its merger with neighbouring Great Ponton Parish Council, which also falls within Isaac Newton Ward and the Colsterworth Rural Division.

In the event of a merger, Great Ponton Parish Council could serve as the primary governing body, accommodating newly-appointed parish councillors representing Little Ponton and Stroxton, thereby ensuring the long-term sustainability of the governance structure.

Engaging the community through comprehensive consultation is imperative to making an informed decision regarding the future governance structure of the parishes of Little Ponton and Stroxton, and Great Ponton.

A Community Governance Review will be required to properly assess and determine the most appropriate governance for these areas.

To help facilitate the Community Governance Review, it is recommended that a working group, not exceeding five councillors, shall be established. This group shall convene regularly and be overseen by the Chair of the Governance and Audit Committee.

Therefore, be it resolved:

1. This Council initiates a Community Governance Review to explore and refine proposals concerning Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish Council. These are to include:

a)    abolishing Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish Council;

b)    returning it to its previous status;

c)    or merging it with Great Ponton Parish Council.

2. The working group, comprising a maximum of five councillors from the Governance and Audit Committee, shall be convened to supervise the Community Governance Review process, which will encompass both Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish, and Great Ponton Parish.

This motion is hereby proposed for the consideration and endorsement of the Council.

Councillor Ben Green proposed the following motion:

Community Governance Review for Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish Council, and Great Ponton Parish Council

Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish Council has remained dormant for a period exceeding four years. Council therefore recognises the need to address the inactivity of Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish Council through appropriate measures.

It is essential to explore viable solutions, including; the potential dissolution of Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish Council; restoration of the status quo ante; or its merger with neighbouring Great Ponton Parish Council, which also falls within Isaac Newton Ward and the Colsterworth Rural Division.

In the event of a merger, Great Ponton Parish Council could serve as the primary governing body, accommodating newly-appointed parish councillors representing Little Ponton and Stroxton, thereby ensuring the long-term sustainability of the governance structure.

Engaging the community through comprehensive consultation is imperative to making an informed decision regarding the future governance structure of the parishes of Little Ponton and Stroxton, and Great Ponton.

A Community Governance Review will be required to properly assess and determine the most appropriate governance for these areas.

To help facilitate the Community Governance Review, it is recommended that a working group, not exceeding five councillors, shall be established. This group shall convene regularly and be overseen by the Chair of the Governance and Audit Committee.

Therefore, be it resolved:

1. This Council initiates a Community Governance Review to explore and refine proposals concerning Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish Council. These are to include:

a) abolishing Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish Council;

b) returning it to its previous status;

c) or merging it with Great Ponton Parish Council.

2. The working group, comprising a maximum of five councillors from the Governance and Audit Committee, shall be convened to supervise the Community Governance Review process, which will encompass both Little Ponton and Stroxton Parish, and Great Ponton Parish. This motion is hereby proposed for the consideration and endorsement of the Council.

The motion was duly seconded.

The following points were raised during debate:

·       Great Ponton Parish Council had unanimously voted to agree with the motion.

·       A question was raised as to who had approached the proposer and the number of parishioners within the Parish. The proposer confirmed that numerous questions, comments and concerns had been raised about the absence of a regular meeting about Little Ponton. It had been over four years since a meeting last took place to discuss Little Ponton.

·       The Parish would be neighbouring the new Spittlegate Heath development.

Upon being put to the vote, the motion was AGREED.

Full Council notes that:

1.    The pressure on organisations to pay their fair share of tax has never been stronger.

2.    Polling from the Institute for Business Ethics finds that “corporate tax avoidance” has, since 2013, been the clear number one concern of the British public when it comes to business conduct.

3.    Almost two thirds of people (64%) agree that the Government and local councils should consider a company’s ethics and how they pay their tax, as well as value for money and quality of service provided, when awarding contracts to companies.

4.    Around 17.5% of public contracts in the UK have been won by companies with links to tax havens.

5.    It has been conservatively estimated that losses from multinational profit-shifting (just one form of tax avoidance) could be costing the UK some £17bn per annum in lost corporation tax revenues.

6.    The Fair Tax Mark offers a means for business to demonstrate good tax conduct, and has been secured by a wide range of businesses across the UK, including FTSE-listed PLCs, co-operatives, social enterprises and large private businesses.

Full Council believes that:

1.    Paying tax is often presented as a burden, but it shouldn’t be.

2.    Tax enables us to provide services from education, health and social care, to flood defence, roads, policing and defence. It also helps to counter financial inequalities and rebalance distorted economies.

3.    As recipients of significant public funding, local authorities should take the lead in the promotion of exemplary tax conduct; be that by ensuring contractors are paying their proper share of tax, or by refusing to go along with offshore tax dodging when buying land and property.

4.    Where councils hold substantive stakes in private enterprises, influence should be wielded to ensure that such businesses are exemplars of tax transparency and tax avoidance is shunned.

5.    More action is needed, however, as current and proposed new UK procurement law significantly restricts councils’ ability to either penalise poor tax conduct (as exclusion grounds are rarely triggered) or reward good tax conduct, when buying goods or services.

6.    UK cities, counties and towns can and should stand up for responsible tax conduct - doing what they can within existing frameworks and pledging to do more given the opportunity, as active supporters of international tax justice.

Full Council resolves to:

1.    Approve the Councils for Fair Tax Declaration.

2.    Lead by example and demonstrate good practice in our tax conduct, right across our activities.

3.    Ensure IR35 is implemented robustly and contract workers pay a fair share of employment taxes.

4.    Not use offshore vehicles for the purchase of land and property, especially where this leads to reduced payments of stamp duty.

5.    Undertake due diligence where possible to ensure that all new suppliers wishing to trade with the council are transparent and complete declarations on ownership, consolidated profit and loss, that they pay due taxes, business rates and other taxes in line with the Fair Tax standards. Promote the Fair Tax standard to  ...  view the full agenda text for item 63a

Councillor Lee Steptoe proposed the following motion:

Full Council notes that:

1. The pressure on organisations to pay their fair share of tax has never been stronger.

2. Polling from the Institute for Business Ethics finds that “corporate tax avoidance” has, since 2013, been the clear number one concern of the British public when it comes to business conduct.

3. Almost two thirds of people (64%) agree that the Government and local councils should consider a company’s ethics and how they pay their tax, as well as value for money and quality of service provided, when awarding contracts to companies.

4. Around 17.5% of public contracts in the UK have been won by companies with links to tax havens.

5. It has been conservatively estimated that losses from multinational profit-shifting (just one form of tax avoidance) could be costing the UK some £17bn per annum in lost corporation tax revenues.

6. The Fair Tax Mark offers a means for business to demonstrate good tax conduct, and has been secured by a wide range of businesses across the UK, including FTSE-listed PLCs, cooperatives, social enterprises and large private businesses.

Full Council believes that:

1. Paying tax is often presented as a burden, but it shouldn’t be.

2. Tax enables us to provide services from education, health and social care, to flood defence, roads, policing and defence. It also helps to counter financial inequalities and rebalance distorted economies.

3. As recipients of significant public funding, local authorities should take the lead in the promotion of exemplary tax conduct; be that by ensuring contractors are paying their proper share of tax, or by refusing to go along with offshore tax dodging when buying land and property.

4. Where councils hold substantive stakes in private enterprises, influence should be wielded to ensure that such businesses are exemplars of tax transparency and tax avoidance is shunned.

5. More action is needed, however, as current and proposed new UK procurement law significantly restricts councils’ ability to either penalise poor tax conduct (as exclusion grounds are rarely triggered) or reward good tax conduct, when buying goods or services.

6. UK cities, counties and towns can and should stand up for responsible tax conduct - doing what they can within existing frameworks and pledging to do more given the opportunity, as active supporters of international tax justice.

Full Council resolves to:

1. Approve the Councils for Fair Tax Declaration.

2. Lead by example and demonstrate good practice in our tax conduct, right across our activities.

3. Ensure IR35 is implemented robustly and contract workers pay a fair share of employment taxes.

4. Not use offshore vehicles for the purchase of land and property, especially where this leads to reduced payments of stamp duty.

5. Undertake due diligence where possible to ensure that all new suppliers wishing to trade with the council are transparent and complete declarations on ownership, consolidated profit and loss, that they pay due taxes, business rates and other taxes in line with the Fair  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63a

Preamble

Humans have already caused irreversible climate change, the impacts of which are being felt in the UK, and across the world. The average global temperature has already increased by 1.2°C above pre-industrial levels and—alongside this—the natural world has reached crisis point, with 28% of plants and animals threatened with extinction. In addition, the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world as more than one in seven of our plants and animals face extinction, and more than 40% are in decline.

Climate change remains a major concern for UK voters with 66% of people (according to YouGov) expressing they are ‘worried about climate change and its effects’. Alongside this, the popularity of Sir David Attenborough’s Save Our Wild Isles initiative demonstrates public concern that UK wildlife is being destroyed at a terrifying speed.

Climate & Ecology Bill

The Climate & Ecology Bill, a private member’s bill currently before the House of Commons, seeks to address the challenges that this situation poses by creating a whole-of-government approach to deliver a net zero and nature positive future.

Based on the latest science, the CE Bill aims to align current UK environmental policy with the need to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030, which was goal agreed to at COP15, via the Kunming-Montreal Framework (22 December 2022); and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the UK’s fair share of the remaining global carbon budget to give the strongest chance of limiting global heating to 1.5°C, which was the goal agreed to at COP21, via the Paris Agreement (12 December 2015).

By bridging the gap between the UK Government’s current delivery, and what has been agreed at international levels, Britain has a chance to be a world leader on climate and the environment; seizing the opportunities of the clean energy transition, including green jobs and skills; reduced energy bills; and boosting the UK’s food and energy security.

South Kesteven District Council notes that:

The Climate and Ecology Bill has been introduced in the UK Parliament on four occasions since 2020, including most recently in the House of Commons 10 May 2023. The Bill is backed by 180 cross-party MPs and Peers, 237 local authorities, alongside the support of eminent scientists, such as Sir David King; NGOs, such as the Wildlife Trusts, the Doctors’ Association, Oxfam, the W.I. and CPRE; businesses, such as The Co-operative Bank, Riverford and The Body Shop; and 42,000 members of the public.

The CE Bill would require the UK Government to develop and achieve a new environmental strategy, which would include:

1. Delivering a joined-up environmental plan, as the crises in climate and nature are deeply intertwined, and require a plan that considers both together;

2. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with 1.5°C to ensure emissions are reduced in line with the best chance of meeting the UK’s Paris Agreement obligations;

3. Not only halting, but also reversing the decline in nature, setting nature measurably on the path to recovery by 2030;

4. Taking responsibility  ...  view the full agenda text for item 64.

Councillor Vanessa Smith proposed the following motion:

Preamble

Humans have already caused irreversible climate change, the impacts of which are being felt in the UK, and across the world. The average global temperature has already increased by 1.2°C above pre-industrial levels and—alongside this—the natural world has reached crisis point, with 28% of plants and animals threatened with extinction. In addition, the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world as more than one in seven of our plants and animals face extinction, and more than 40% are in decline.

Climate change remains a major concern for UK voters with 66% of people (according to YouGov) expressing they are ‘worried about climate change and its effects’. Alongside this, the popularity of Sir David Attenborough’s Save Our Wild Isles initiative demonstrates public concern that UK wildlife is being destroyed at a terrifying speed.

Climate & Ecology Bill

The Climate & Ecology Bill, a private member’s bill currently before the House of Commons, seeks to address the challenges that this situation poses by creating a whole-of-government approach to deliver a net zero and nature positive future.

Based on the latest science, the CE Bill aims to align current UK environmental policy with the need to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030, which was goal agreed to at COP15, via the Kunming[1]Montreal Framework (22 December 2022); and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the UK’s fair share of the remaining global carbon budget to give the strongest chance of limiting global heating to 1.5°C, which was the goal agreed to at COP21, via the Paris Agreement (12 December 2015).

By bridging the gap between the UK Government’s current delivery, and what has been agreed at international levels, Britain has a chance to be a world leader on climate and the environment; seizing the opportunities of the clean energy transition, including green jobs and skills; reduced energy bills; and boosting the UK’s food and energy security.

South Kesteven District Council notes that:

The Climate and Ecology Bill has been introduced in the UK Parliament on four occasions since 2020, including most recently in the House of Commons 10 May 2023. The Bill is backed by 180 cross-party MPs and Peers, 237 local authorities, alongside the support of eminent scientists, such as Sir David King; NGOs, such as the Wildlife Trusts, the Doctors’ Association, Oxfam, the W.I. and CPRE; businesses, such as The Co-operative Bank, Riverford and The Body Shop; and 42,000 members of the public.

The CE Bill would require the UK Government to develop and achieve a new environmental strategy, which would include:

1. Delivering a joined-up environmental plan, as the crises in climate and nature are deeply intertwined, and require a plan that considers both together; 2. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with 1.5°C to ensure emissions are reduced in line with the best chance of meeting the UK’s Paris Agreement obligations;

3. Not only halting, but also reversing the decline in nature, setting nature measurably on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64.

This council agrees to develop a biodiversity and nature strategy in consultation with and led by the needs of farmers, land owners and those in the rural areas of South Kesteven.

Councillor Zoe Lane’s motion was not considered due to time constraints and may be heard at the next ordinary meeting of Full Council on 25 January 2024.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 17:30.