Contact your Parish Council
MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL
CABINET MEMBER FOR LEISURE AND CULTURE
REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ENVIRONMENT AND REGULATORY SERVICES
Report prepared by: Jason Taylor
27 October 2011
1. MAIDSTONE LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN
1.1 Issue for Decision
1.1.1
To
consider the adoption of the Maidstone Local Biodiversity Action Plan
1.2 Recommendation of the Assistant Director for Environment and Regulatory Services
That the Maidstone Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) is adopted and that the Biodiversity Projects be instigated.
1.3 Reasons for Recommendation
1.3.1 Biodiversity (Biological Diversity) describes the amazing richness and variety of life around us. Biodiversity refers to diversity between and within ecosystems and habitats, the variety of different species and also to genetic variation within individual species. The intricate network of ecosystems, habitats and species comprising biodiversity provides the support systems that sustain human existence. It is the most important indicator of the state of our environment.
1.3.2
Maidstone borough is
rich in biodiversity and contains 10% of the county broadleaved, mixed and yew
woodland representing 12% of the borough’s land cover. Maidstone’s
landscapes have influenced and shaped local culture. Maidstone borough is
made up of characteristic areas defined by differences in rock type,
topography, soils, slope and drainage, which in turn resulted in a great
variety of habitats. Most of Maidstone falls in to the North Downs, Wealden
Greensand and the Low Weald landscape natural areas. In both rural and
urban areas wildlife makes an important contribution to the quality of life. Biodiversity
conservation is central to maintain a healthy countryside and townscape.
1.3.3
The
past
ten years have seen significant changes relating to the environment
particularly in terms of planning policy, legislation, and practical action and
the need to balance social, economic and environmental aspirations. This Local
Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan provides the opportunity to review
current activities and issues, identify aims and set specific objectives and
targets for action by a wide range of internal and external partners. It
provides a much-needed overarching strategy for everyone involved in
safeguarding and enhancing Maidstone’s natural environment.
1.4
The
Biodiversity Framework
1.4.1 The National Response: In 1992 Biodiversity became a global agenda when 150 governments signed the Convention on Biological Diversity at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It called for national strategies and action plans to be created and enforced which would conserve, protect and enhance biological diversity and was the first time a legal framework was applied to biodiversity.
1.4.2 In 1994 the ‘UK Biodiversity Action Plan’ (UK BAP) was launched endorsing a multi-organisational approach to biodiversity conservation with an agreed set of targets and objectives. The overall goal of the UK BAP is to conserve and enhance biological diversity within the UK and to contribute to the conservation of global biodiversity through all appropriate mechanisms.
1.4.3 The UK BAP main objectives are:-
1. To conserve and enhance:
§ The overall populations and natural ranges of native species and the quality and range of wildlife habitats;
§ Internationally important habitats and species;
§ Habitats and species (natural and managed) that are characteristic of local areas;
§
Natural
and semi-natural areas that have declined in recent years.
2.
To
increase public awareness of, and involvement in, conserving biodiversity.
3. To contribute to the conservation of biodiversity on a European and global scale.
1.4.4 The following principles apply to the national UK action plan and are also applicable at a local level:
§ The sustainable use of biological resources;
§ The cautious use of non-renewable resources;
§ The promotion of a multi-agency approach to biodiversity conservation, including individuals and communities and not just government led. This is being championed through Local Biodiversity Action Plans;
§ Biological conservation should be based upon a sound knowledge base;
§ The conservation of biodiversity should be integrated within government programmes, policy and action
§ Decisions should be guided by the precautionary principle, that is, where decisions are complex or insufficient knowledge or information exists to understand biodiversity impact, then precautionary conservation measures are necessary.
1.4.5
Following
the publication of ‘Biodiversity: the UK Action Plan’, the UK Biodiversity
Steering Group was established to advise the
government on how to fulfil its commitment to delivering
the Plan.
1.4.6
In
1995 ‘Biodiversity: the UK Steering Group Report – meeting the Rio challenge’ was produced, which set out how to
achieve this through the Local Biodiversity
Action Plan process. The most recent list of priority species and habitats was
produced in 2007 and contains 1149 species and 65 habitats. The Steering Group
also set up guidelines, with the Local Authority
Association and the Local Government Board that could be used at a local level. Maidstone Local Biodiversity Action Plan
(LBAP) is one of 152 Local Biodiversity Action
Plans in England.
The Maidstone borough forms part of the County of
Kent in the South-East region. The Kent Biodiversity Partnership support
biodiversity conservation via the Kent Biodiversity Action Plan (Kent BAP). The
Kent Biodiversity Partnership forms part of the larger South-East England
Biodiversity Forum (SEEBF).
1.4.8
The
South-East Biodiversity Strategy targets and strategic biodiversity opportunity
map and the Kent BAP targets and actions are currently under revision, however
through consultation the Maidstone LBAP will contribute towards these in a
local context hierarchy linking into county, regional and national action plans.
1.4.9 In 2003 the Kent Biodiversity Partnership released an audit of the distribution of UK priority habitats in Kent. This audit contributed to the Kent BAP and listed 28 priority habitats of importance to the County, of which 27 were of UK priority importance.
1.4.10
Eight
Local performance Indicators have been developed to examine Biodiversity with
respect to Local Authority actions by the National Audit Office and the
Development and Improvement Agency. The Maidstone LBAP would improve on four
of these local performance indicators.
1.5
Maidstone
LBAP
1.5.1
This
strategy
and action plan for biodiversity allows the council to be strategic in
determining where to apply its own resources in delivery. The development of
the Maidstone’s Biodiversity Project Plan is a leading and novel approach at
local authority level, in that it clearly defines a programme of projects that
cover a range of work including research, monitoring, protocol development and
capital one-off site projects. These projects show how the Council will lead
and be directly involved in protecting and enhancing the borough’s biodiversity
and raising awareness of the issues. Maidstone’s Biodiversity Projects Plan
clearly describes the localness of our approach as a governing body in the
biodiversity framework highlighting our innovative approach to delivering
better services to local people
1.5.2 The complete LBAP comprises of the following sections:
I. Background and Introduction (Appendix 1)
II. HAP 2: Lowland and Dry Acid Grassland and Heath
III. HAP 3: Lowland Meadows
IV. HAP 4: Lowland Beach and Yew Woodland
V. HAP 5: Wet Woodlands
VI. HAP 6: Lowland Wood Pasture and Parkland
VII. HAP 7: Lowland Mixed Deciduous Woodland
VIII. HAP 8: Traditional Orchards
IX. HAP 10: Ponds
X. HAP 11: Rivers
XI. HAP 12: Urban Green Space
XII. Biodiversity Projects (Appendix 2)
Due to the large size of this document only the two most important sections have been enclosed as appendices with this report. A copy of the complete LBAP document is on the Parks Pages of the MBC website (http://www.maidstone.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/parks_and_open_spaces.aspx )
1.5.3
The
Maidstone LBAP has been produced jointly by Maidstone Borough Council Parks and
Leisure Section and Medway Valley Countryside Partnership (MVCP). MVCP are
partly funded by Maidstone Borough Council and provide expertise and project
management in biodiversity and environmental projects. As MVCP possess the
relevant expertise and experience it is proposed that they continue to manage the
LBAP and also implement the Biodiversity Projects on behalf of the Council.
Much of the work carried out will be through volunteers, these are currently
recruited locally by MVCP. There will be opportunities for local residents to
get involved with the management and maintenance of their local wildlife sites.
1.5.4
The
mapping used in the LBAP showing Local Wildlife Sites was produced in 2008 and
consequently some sites are not shown. Kent Wildlife Trust are currently
updating this series of maps and these will be added to the LBAP once
available.
1.5.5
The
production and implementation of a LBAP was an objective of the Green Spaces
Strategy 2005, and as such £15,000 was kept in reserve from the Capital budget
to enable the implementation of the LBAP and Biodiversity Projects. It is
proposed that this money is used by MVCP to not only carry out the projects but
also to attract additional funding. A number of other longer term projects are
identified in the LBAP and if additional funding could be found in the future
these projects would also be initiated.
1.5.6
The
table below identifies the projects that the £15,000 MBC funding will be used
to implement. Projects identified in 2010 have already been completed and
funded from existing budgets.
1.5.7
As
well as identifying how available funding with partnership funding will be used
to implement projects in the borough, the table also shows how other projects
such as the Mote Park Regeneration Project are contributing towards reaching
Biodiversity targets.
1.5.8
Communities
Overview and Scrutiny Committee (COSC) invited the Cabinet Member for
Communities and Leisure Cllr John Wilson and Parks and Leisure Manager Jason
Taylor to discuss the Bio Diversity Action Plan following its inclusion in the
Forward Plan (May to August 2011) on 12th July 2011. To enable any
feedback received from COSC to be included in the LBAP the decision to adopt
the report was delayed until now. Following the discussion the following
recommendations came from COSC:
·
The
Maidstone Local Biodiversity Action Plan should be adopted; and
· The work and achievements of the Medway Valley Countryside Partnership should be promoted in the Borough Update.
Project |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
Total |
MBC Funding |
|
|
|
|
|
Weavering Heath |
|
|
|
|
|
TAVR Nature Area |
£500 |
|
|
|
£500 |
Dove Hill Woods |
|
|
|
|
|
Ponds Project |
£3,000 |
|
|
|
£3,000 |
Biodiversity Monitoring |
£500 |
£500 |
£500 |
£500 |
£2,000 |
Communication Plan |
|
|
|
|
|
Bird Feeder scheme |
|
|
|
|
|
Insect Box scheme |
|
|
|
|
|
Events and MBC staff volunteer days |
|
£750 |
£750 |
£750 |
£2,250 |
Whatman Park Lowland Meadow Area |
£500 |
£1,600 |
£400 |
|
£2,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Part Funded by MBC - Look for external funding sources |
|
|
|
|
|
Senacre Wood |
|
£140 |
|
|
£140 |
River Len Nature Reserve |
|
£140 |
|
|
£140 |
Five Acres and Wents Wood |
|
£137 |
|
|
£137 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Already Funded by MBC |
|
|
|
|
|
Free Tree Scheme |
|
|
|
|
£0 |
Pond and Tree Warden Scheme |
|
|
|
|
£0 |
Bird Nesting Box Scheme |
|
|
|
|
£0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Partner led projects to be supported financially |
|
|
|
|
|
Orchards for Everyone |
£2,000 |
£2,000 |
£2,000 |
£2,000 |
£8,000 |
Ponds on the Downs |
£1,000 |
£1,000 |
|
|
£2,000 |
Wildlife on the Downs |
£500 |
£500 |
|
|
£1,000 |
Kent Habitat Survey |
£1,333 |
£1,333 |
|
|
£2,666 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Funding required to implement LBAP |
2010 |
Minimum 2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
MBC Total 2011-13 |
|
£9,333 Already committed from existing budgets |
£8,100 |
£3,650 |
£3,250 |
£15,000 |
Funded by another project stream within MBC |
|
|
|
|
|
Mote Park Restoration project |
|
|
|
|
£15,000 |
Developer Contributions |
|
|
|
|
|
Palace Wood |
|
|
|
|
£16,000 |
Working towards good biodiversity management |
|
|
|
|
|
1.6 Alternative Action and why not Recommended
1.6.1 Alternative action could be to not adopt the LBAP or instigate the Biodiversity Projects, this is not recommended because the opportunity to lead and be directly involved in protecting and enhancing the borough’s biodiversity and raising awareness of biodiversity issues would be lost.
1.7 Impact on Corporate Objectives
1.7.1
The
corporate objectives which the adoption of the LBAP and the instigation of the
Biodiversity Projects has the most impact on are:
·
Reduce
the council’s carbon footprint and improve the use of other natural resources,
whilst ensuring that the council is adapting to climate change;
·
Enhance
the council’s parks, green spaces and natural habitats;
·
Maintain
a clean and pleasant environment for people who live in and visit the borough.
1.7.2 Using Medway Valley Countryside Partnership’s expertise and experience to administer the LBAP on MBC’s behalf is a good example of partnership working being used to “save money and improve services”.
1.8 Risk Management
1.8.1
The
risks that are involved with the decision or actions resulting from the
decision are:
·
The
Council could be criticised for not leading by example and showing land owners
in the borough how to manage its land in a way which encourages biodiversity;
·
The
Maidstone LBAP forms part of the Kent Biodiversity Action Plan which was
produced by the Kent Biodiversity Partnership, this in turn contributes to the
UK Biodiversity Action Plan, if Maidstone were to fail to contribute towards
the LBAP it could be seen by its partners in the Kent Biodiversity Partnership
to not take Biodiversity seriously;
· Failure to implement the LBAP could result in opportunities being missed not only to improve habitats for diversity on council land, but also to influence others to do the same on their own land.
1.9 Other Implications
1.9.1
1. Financial
|
X
|
2. Staffing
|
X |
3. Legal
|
|
4. Equality Impact Needs Assessment
|
|
5. Environmental/Sustainable Development
|
X |
6. Community Safety
|
|
7. Human Rights Act
|
|
8. Procurement
|
|
9. Asset Management
|
|
1.9.2 Financial Implication – The Council already contributes ££6000 to the Medway Valley Conservation Partnership. The £15,000 in the Green Spaces Strategy Capital Budget has been allocated to implement the LBAP. Further projects will only be undertaken when additional external funding is identified.
1.9.3 Staffing – The implementation of Biodiversity Projects would be done using existing Parks and Leisure Team members and through partnership working with Medway Valley Conservation Partnership, using the existing identified budget.
1.9.4 Environmental/Sustainable Development – The LBAP would provide direction and be an example to developers.
1.10 Relevant Documents
1.10.1
Appendices
Appendix 1 – Maidstone’s Biodiversity Strategy Phase 1: 2009-2014.
Background and Introduction.
Appendix 2 - Biodiversity Strategy Phase 1: 2009-2014. Biodiversity
Projects.
1.10.2
Background
Documents
UK Biodiversity Action Plan
Kent Biodiversity Action Plan
Maidstone LBAP
IS THIS A KEY DECISION REPORT?
Yes X No
If yes, when did it first appear in the Forward Plan? This report first appeared in the forward plan in June 2011 nut was delayed due to Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee invitation to discuss at their meeting.
This is a Key Decision because: More than 1 ward in the borough will be affected
Wards/Parishes affected: All…………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
|
How to Comment
Should you have any comments on the issue that is being considered please contact either the relevant Officer or the Member of the Executive who will be taking the decision.
Cllr John A Wilson Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture
Telephone: 01622 720989
E-mail: JohnAWilson@maidstone.gov.uk
Jason Taylor Parks and Leisure Manager
Telephone: 01622 602753
E-mail: JasonTaylor@maidstone.gov.uk