Agenda, decisions and minutes

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In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

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

Approved.

Resolved that the Minutes of the Climate Change and Nature Recovery Service Transformation Committee held on 3 June 2024 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Noted.

Mark Barber, Biodiversity Natural Environment Officer / Local Nature Partnership (LNP) Co-ordinator provided a presentation on Local Places for Nature Programme (LPFN) – Local Nature Partnership Grant 2023-25. Details provided included the following: -

·       Aims of the scheme.

·       PFG Objective – Expand arrangement to create or significantly enhance green spaces.

·       Nature recovery action Swansea (Focus on Green Infrastructure (GI)).

·       Nature Recovery Action Swansea – financial outline.

·       Summary maps.

·       LPFN 2023-25.

Ø  Burrows Road rain garden.

Ø  GI – Townhill Roundabout Scheme.

Ø  GI – Community Greenspace Project / Environment Centre pavement planters.

Ø  Green space / habitat enhancements – ponds.

Ø  Green space / habitat enhancements – Calamainarian grassland, marshy grassland, limestone coastal grassland, scrub enhancements.

Ø  Other Wildlife projects – External wall insulation bat and bird boxes.

Ø  Other wildlife projects – Tree planting – 171 standard trees of 58 species / varieties planted across 31 sites in Swansea.

Ø  Partner wildlife / habitat enhancements projects – Penllergare water vole enhancement project / Cae Felin CSA pond and access project / West Wales River Trust – reconnecting Swansea’s rivers / Coed Lleol Hillside Wildlife Corridor project / Swansea Community Farm / Swansea University wildlife boxes / The Orchard Project / Community Growing – Sketty Park Community Centre / Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales – Next door nature

·       A minimum of 358 volunteers and 719 volunteer hours.

·       LPFN Challenge Fund.

The Committee discussed the following: -

·       Details of schemes throughout Swansea.

·       Projects on St Helen’s Road, Swansea.

·       Discussions regarding the provision of a high line elevated railway.

·       Increasing the number of allotments and issues encountered when self-management was introduced / opportunities for community growing and providing an update at a future meeting.

·       The positive improvements at Penllergare Woods, the need for additional funding / volunteers and the possible reintroduction of a bridal way.

·       The positive impact on the community provided by the Community Farm.

·       Orchard Project Scheme – trees at Dove Road and its positive impact.

·       The impressive partnership working across Swansea.

·       The good balance between rural / City Centre locations.

·       Using small areas of land to build up a green infrastructure / biodiversity pathways within more populated areas and the importance of connectivity throughout Swansea.

·       Burrows Road scheme – particularly its impact in relation to flooding and measuring its impact going forward.

·       Public engagement, particularly with groups / individuals with local knowledge and the ongoing work being undertaken, such as the ‘Wild about Swansea’ website.

·       How many of the sites would be better managed through grazing instead of using machinery.

Andrew Stevens, Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure thanked the officers for their presentation and highlighted the excellent ongoing work at sites such as the Community Farm and Penllergare Valley Trust, particularly the role they played in improving biodiversity.

The Chair thanked the officers for providing a very interesting and informative presentation.

Noted.

The Chair presented an updated Work Plan 2024/25 report.

Resolved that the contents of the report be noted.