Purpose

To
approve the Biodiversity and Nature Recovery action plan and budget
for Mid Suffolk

Content

It was
RESOLVED: -
 
1.1         
That Cabinet adopted Option B – and
endorsed the new approach to delivering Mid Suffolk’s
Biodiversity Action Plan for the period 2025-2028 and approved the
Biodiversity and Nature Recovery Budget to deliver this, including
the creation of a Nature Recovery Fund providing grants for
supporting action across the District.

 
1.2         
That the Biodiversity and Nature Recovery Budget
be funded from the Mid Suffolk Plan Implementation
Reserve.

 
1.3         
That Cabinet delegated responsibility for
finalising the detailed criteria of the Nature Recovery fund to the
Head of Climate and Nature Recovery in consultation with the
Cabinet Member for Environment, Culture &
Wellbeing.
 
REASON FOR
DECISION
 
The
approval of the proposed Biodiversity and Nature Recovery Budget to
deliver the Biodiversity Action Plan would demonstrate the
Council’s commitment to climate change and nature recovery,
whilst aligning with national goals and legislation. 
 
The
budget would allow more effective delivery of the actions than is
currently possible within the constraints of existing resources.
This in turn would deliver greater benefits to local biodiversity
and the district, including its residents and communities, through
increased co-benefits and engagement.
 
Providing dedicated and sufficient resource would provide the
Council and the District with a greater chance of reversing the
decline in biodiversity and habitat loss and deliver genuine nature
recovery that the biodiversity emergency required. To support
partners and other groups to build capacity and take action would ensure the greatest impact and
most efficient way of delivering our collective aims, and to
maintain progress during and beyond the lifetime of this
Biodiversity Action Plan.
 
Alternative
Options Considered and Rejected:
 
Option A - the progress on the Biodiversity Action Plan be noted
without approval for additional budget.
 
Option C – the new approach to deliver ambitions in the
Biodiversity Action Plan for the period 2025-2028 is endorsed with
approval for additional budget but without a dedicated Nature
Recovery Fund.
 
Any Declarations of Interests Declared: None
Any Dispensation Granted: None