The meeting discussed the development of a joint Nature and Climate Action Plan (NCAP) with Vale of White Horse District Council, and heard an update on the progress of a biodiversity audit of South Oxfordshire District Council land. The committee supported proposals to offset residual carbon emissions using a local, ethical approach, and asked for a report on how climate risk, and in particular flood risk, is being assessed.

Nature and Climate Action Plan

The committee considered a draft Nature and Climate Action Plan (NCAP) for 2025-2029. This is the first joint action plan between South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse District Council. The draft included proposals to reach the councils' shared ambition to become carbon neutral in their own operations by 2030, and to become carbon neutral districts by 2045.

This new Nature and Climate Action Plan (NCAP) therefore also includes actions that the councils will be taking to reverse the decline in nature and to help our communities adapt to the changing climate.

- Nature and Climate Action Plan, Page 9

It was noted that the plan would need to adapt to the emerging Oxfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), and that there was a desire to involve farmers in the strategy, for example by working with the Farm Cluster Group. The Farm Cluster Group is a farmer-led organisation that helps farmers develop climate-friendly farming practices.

Councillor Rouane, the Cabinet lead for Climate Action, explained that Oxfordshire County Council is developing a Climate Adaptation Route Map, and that once the plan became available, officers could consider how to incorporate actions into the next version of the NCAP.

Biodiversity audit

The committee received an update from the Nature Recovery Officer, Roselle Chapman, on a biodiversity audit of council owned sites. The audit is intended to inform plans to restore nature across the council's estate over the years to come.

The purpose is to record what we have and what condition it is in and to identify options for nature recovery.

- Biodiversity Audit for CEEAC

Of the 15 meadows surveyed, 10 were judged to be in good condition, while 2 could be extended. One site was considered to be more suited to planting with berry-rich trees and shrubs, while a further 2 sites were recommended to be taken out of meadow management and re-thought.

The report highlighted the need for the grounds maintenance team to procure new cut and collect equipment in order to meet the council's nature recovery objectives.

Our in-house Grounds Maintenance Team do not currently have the cut & collect equipment to manage our land for nature’s recovery.

- Biodiversity Audit for CEEAC

The possibility of procuring EV powered machinery was discussed, as was the potential for using grass clippings from the sites on local allotments.

Carbon offsetting

The committee discussed how to offset unavoidable carbon emissions. Members were generally in favour of a local, ethical approach, realising that for offshore options, the ethics may be difficult to ascertain. The possibility of using hemp production and soil sequestration as carbon offsetting methods were discussed, and officers will investigate whether LandIS could be approached about working with the council. LandIS is an organisation that provides data and insights on land use.

Local Area Energy Planning

Councillor Rouane updated the committee on the progress of the Local Area Energy Planning (LAEP) process. LAEP is a process for understanding and planning for future energy needs at a local level.

Councillor Rouane explained that the LAEP was going ahead at county level via the Future Oxfordshire Partnership (FOP), and would be followed by district level schemes. Councillor Rouane also explained that UK100, a network of local authorities committed to transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2050, had been impressed with Oxfordshire's work on LAEP.

Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme

Councillor Rouane reported that the council had submitted a bid to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme for funding to decarbonise Henley Leisure Centre and Abbey Sports Centre, Berinsfield. The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme provides grants for public sector bodies to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures.

Local Nature Recovery Strategy

The committee were told that the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) consultation had ended on 1 December 2024, and that South Oxfordshire District Council had submitted a response to the consultation. The LNRS is a requirement of the 2021 Environment Act and sets out the action that will be taken to drive nature's recovery.

Water quality in Wallingford

Councillor Rouane told the committee that Wallingford had been given a ‘poor’ rating for bathing water quality in the first year of testing by DEFRA.

Future agenda items

The following future agenda items were suggested by committee members:

1. A deep dive on Local Area Energy Planning.
2. How the council's food strategy will engage farmers, and in particular whether the council should be planting more trees.
3. A collective think on the council plan.
4. Nature based flood resilience resolutions, and how this work fits with the work of the Environment Agency.
5. The risk of not adequately considering soils and soil types in the council’s decision-making processes.
6. The impact of development on wildlife.
7. Climate adaptation.