Decision Details

Motion I

Proposer: Councillor Goacher

This Council notes that the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. The 2023 State of Nature report concludes that 16% of UK species are threatened with extinction and across the U.K. species studied, there has been an average of 19% decline since 1970. 

This Council also notes that peregrine falcons are a protected bird under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and that this has contributed to numbers recovering following near UK extinction in the 1960s.

Therefore, this Council resolves to pro-actively explore ways to enhance wildlife habitat provision in Colchester. This includes identifying opportunities to improve habitats on its portfolio of properties. Also to adopt a default presumption in favour of agreeing to initiatives to provide habitats on Council owned properties where there is no or negligible financial cost to the Council and where such initiatives are fully compliant with national and local planning policies.

As the motion relates to an executive function it will stand referred direct to Cabinet, unless Procedure Rule 11(2) is suspended.