A “MISUNDERSTANDING” of a strategy that protects and enhances the Royal Borough’s natural environment prompts approval delay.

Senior councillors at a cabinet meeting on Thursday, April 28, decided to defer approving its biodiversity action plan 2021-2026 to engage more with stakeholders.

The plan has been jointly developed with local wild groups with input from the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust. It has been in the making since the council declared an environment and climate emergency in 2019 and published its environment and climate strategy in 2020.

The biodiversity action plan seeks to provide 30 per cent of land in the Royal Borough as a space for nature by 2030 to help reverse the decline in the natural environment and increase biodiversity across the borough.

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The council already maintains a network of 23 wildlife areas across the Royal Borough. However, it will be looking at other council-owned land and open spaces to improve biodiversity while providing a public space for residents to enjoy.

The plan also includes how the council will work and communicate with its partners and residents so everyone can take part in the strategy’s aims.

It was due to be approved at the cabinet meeting but Cllr Donna Stimson (Con: St Mary’s), lead member for climate change, withdrew the strategy at the last minute, saying there has been a “misunderstanding” of the plan with some key stakeholders.

Further engagement with a “broader” range of stakeholders will happen to strengthen the strategy and “ensure its success”.

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The newly established climate partnership, which was set up by the council to engage with environmental groups, will also review the plans with the council’s ecologist and natural environment team.

Cllr Stimson said: “The biodiversity action plan will not stop because it has not been adopted this evening.

“The plan is partly the reason why we have expanded our team and they will start to work on the measuring and enhancing of habitats and species and continue to engage with residents.

“Thank you and my profound apologies to all of you who were so looking forward to this plan going through this evening. I am one of you.”

The strategy will come back to the cabinet meeting in June.