Respect to the implementation of the 'biodiversity duty' of the 2021 Environment Act. - Find a freedom of information request

Respect to the implementation of the 'biodiversity duty' of the 2021 Environment Act.

The duty requires public authorities to undertake a first consideration by January 1 2024.

1. Did the council produce its own first consideration report or document by that date? If so, I would like to make a request for any such report or document.

2. How many meetings did council officials and elected politicians undertake with respect to the first consideration?

3. The duty asks that public authorities "must agree...policies and objectives as soon as possible after [January 1 2024]". I would like to request information about how many meetings have been undertaken by council officials and ministers to that end in addition to individual summaries of those meetings.

4. Has the council agreed policies and objectives related to the duty? If so, I would like to request a summary of those policies.

1. Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) commissioned WSP to produce a Biodiversity Duty template for it. With the Christmas/New Year break the final version was handed over to LCC on 9th January 2024.

A copy of the report that WSP produced is attached – it outlines some of the work that LCC has already done on the Biodiversity Duty and sets out a series of actions that LCC needs to follow over the next few years to meet the requirements of the Biodiversity Duty.

2. During the course of the work with WSP LCC had fortnightly catch-up meetings – this looked at BNG Preparedness and the Biodiversity Duty. The meetings began from the end of October 2023 (when WSP were appointed) until the end of March 2024. Senior Officers have regular monthly meetings with the Environment portfolio holder and support councillor.

3. An overview of the reports from WSP on BNG and the Biodiversity Duty was presented to LCC’s Corporate Environment Board on 08/04/2024.

The discussion centred on how land and property owned by LCC could be used to deliver BNG sites. There have been regular ongoing meetings on the development of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy – which will be one of the main policies reported in the Biodiversity Duty.

4. LCC’s main policy in this area is the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which is currently in development and is likely to be published in Spring 2025.

The WSP Biodiversity Duty Template outlines some other potential policies – but these have not begun detailed development on these – as the main focus is on the LNRS – as LCC is the responsible authority for the Lincolnshire LNRS