Agenda, decisions and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

Councillor S J Rice – Item 6 – Local Nature Recovery Action Plan for Swansea – personal

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, the following interests were declared:

Councillor S J Rice – Item 6 – Local Nature Recovery Action Plan for Swansea – personal.

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Approved

Resolved that the Minutes of the Climate Change & Nature Recovery Service Transformation Committee held on 5 June 2023 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Approved

1.    the move away from singe use bags be fully supported.

2.    A further report be brought back.

Chris Howell presented the report which outlined the background to the current provision in Swansea of the various bags used for the different types of recycling currently undertaken cross the city, which is detailed in the table below:

He detailed that the waste management team’s preferred combination going forward would be a move to sealable hessian sacks for paper and card and a plastic box, complete with carrying handle, for glass and cans.

He then sought the committee’s views on the use of reusable containers instead of single use bags. The authority currently uses up to 10million single use bags a year.

The financial implications for the potential move away from single use bags and the operational changes needed were both outlined by officers. Funding from Welsh Government maybe available to assist with the switch.

Initial discussions had taken place with staff on the practicalities of implementing the change.

Members discussed the different types of boxes/bags available, the possibility of a trial area being run initially and that additional boxes/sacks would be available for free should the public require them.

A member of the public present at the meeting gave her views on the types of containers to be used.

Councillors Cyril Anderson and Andrew Stevens thanked both the officers for their report and presentation and the councillors/public for their input.

Resolved that: -

1.    the move away from single use bags be fully supported to a new box/sack.

2.    further investigations be undertaken by officers on the various options available for the new receptacle and a report be brought back to a future meeting of the STC.

(Note - During consideration of the above item: Committee adjourned at 2.17-2.19 to enable technical IT problems to be resolved)

(Committee again adjourned at 2.23-2.28 to allow those councillors, officers and members of the public physically present in the room to view the different types of boxes/sacks)

For information

Ben George gave a verbal update and presentation in support of the circulated information relating to the proposals for the Swansea Bay & West Wales Metro.

Contained within the presentation was information relating to the following areas:

·       Rail programme including the South Wales Mainline, West Wales Services & Swansea Bay Area Metro;

·       Rail priorities for West Wales and the frequency of services between Port Talbot in the east to Fishguard and Milford in the west on the various different lines;

·       Swansea Bay Area Metro rail proposals for stations between Burry Port, Ammanford, Swansea and Neath;

·       Bus Programme and reorganisation of routes which aims to reduce duplication and improve service efficiency;

·       Aims for better integration with other transport modes by better planning bus services to create a more joined up and co-ordinated network;

·       Bus decarbonisation proposals;

·       Swansea Bay hydrogen bus project overview and proposed structure.

Councillor David Hopkins welcomed the proposals and ideas outlined in the presentation and outlined that the developments relating to hydrogen vehicles were to be welcomed and were exciting for the City.

The Chair thanked Ben for his attendance and presentation and indicated that the STC would be looking at the matter again at their October meeting.

For information

Deb Hill presented a “for information” report which sought to raise awareness of the draft Local Nature Recovery Action Plan (LNRAP) for Swansea.

Christina Derrick then gave a powerpoint presentation to the committee in support of the circulated report.

Issues covered within the presentation were:

·       Overview, background and content to how the new LNRAP will be used;

·       The LNRAP Identifies local priorities for nature recovery, each local authority in Wales intend to produce a plan;

·       Swansea Local Nature Partnership (LNP) has over 120+ different individual members and 50+ organisations involved;

·       Background policy includes national policy instrument under Aichi target 17,and identifies national approach to nature recovery and contribution to the strategic plan for Biodiversity/Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework;

·       Six main objectives;

·       Five ‘themes of action;

·       Need and background to the plans development;

·       Process so far which includes document/policy review, Initial framework reviewed by LNP, LNP workshops & follow-ups followed by a second draft sent for review by LNP.

·       Content 1 - nature recovery, overview of nature in Swansea and setting of context and need for plan;

·       Content 2 - action themes’ identify priorities, alignment under the six objectives in NRAP for Wales, help to guide partner actions across the LNP, not committing a single partner to any specific action;

·       Content 3 - More detailed information on nature in Swansea including priority habitat overviews and priority species audit and species and sites ‘special’ to Swansea;

•       Content 4 - What can you do, Infographics for awareness raising, suggestions and ideas for contributing to nature recovery, not a comprehensive list

·       How will the LNRAP be used in the future.

Officers indicated that copies of the slides used in the presentation and a copy of the full plan would be circulated to committee members following the meeting for comment and feedback, prior to the matter being considered again at the September meeting of the STC.

The Chair thanks officers for the information contained in the circulated report and the presentation given during the meeting.

She indicated that if time allows, a workshop or informal meeting could be held before the September meeting to discuss and collate responses to the draft plan.

Noted

The Chair referred to the work plan.   

Resolved that the work plan for 2023-2024 be noted.