The Arun District Council Environment Committee met on 18 September 2025, receiving updates on pesticide use in council-managed spaces, the 2026/27 budget process, and the first quarter performance against the council's key performance indicators (KPIs). The committee noted the reports and outlined next steps for future discussions.

Pesticide Use in Council-Managed Open Spaces

The committee received an update on the use of pesticides in council-owned and managed open spaces. This report was prepared at the request of the Green Party, and reflects growing public and political interest in sustainable land management practices . The report outlined the historical and current use of pesticides, including herbicides, biocides, fungicides, biopesticides and inhibitors, across various sites such as parks, gardens, sports facilities, and residential areas. Pest control services managed by the Environmental Health Service, such as rodent and wasp control, were excluded from the report.

Key points from the report included:

• Historical Use: Pesticide use was significant 15-20 years ago, with chemical control being the primary method for managing weeds. Many older substances have since been banned due to their ecological harm.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM): In 2018, the council adopted an IPM approach, which combines practical methods and informed decision-making to minimise risks to people, property, and ecosystems.
• Glyphosate Reduction: There has been a steady reduction in the use of glyphosate since 2019. Glyphosate-based herbicides are no longer used for routine maintenance in Green Flag Award-winning parks[^2], children's playgrounds, or open spaces in Arundel. However, selective use may still be necessary for invasive species like Japanese Knotweed. [^2]: The Green Flag Award is a UK scheme that recognises well-managed parks and green spaces.
• Current Restrictions: Pesticide use is currently restricted to fine turf management (football pitches, bowling greens, golf courses), hard landscape areas, invasive weed control, and building maintenance.

The Parks and Greenspaces Team plans to provide a further update in summer 2026, including a detailed analysis and impact assessment regarding the phased withdrawal of pesticide products, primarily used by the council’s grounds management contractor, Tivoli. The team will conduct a PESTLE analysis¹ to evaluate the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental implications of withdrawing each pesticide product currently in use. The committee was asked to note the report, with Councillor Amanda Worne, Chair of Environment Committee stating that officers intend to present a further update and appropriate recommendations at a future meeting.

Budget 2026/27 Process

The committee received a summary of the budget process for 2026/27, which had been approved by the Policy & Finance Committee on 8 July 2025. The report outlined the timeline for budget consultation and approval, with key dates including:

• Budget Consultation Reports:
  • Planning Policy Committee (by email): 4 September 2025
  • Housing and Wellbeing Committee: 11 September 2025
  • Environment Committee: 18 September 2025
  • Economy Committee: 9 October 2025
• Medium Term Financial Forecast General Fund (Policy and Resources Committee): 11 December 2025
• Budget Reports:
  • Housing and Wellbeing Committee: 20 January 2026
  • Economy Committee: 22 January 2026
  • Planning Policy Committee: 27 January 2026
  • Environment Committee: 29 January 2026
  • Policy and Resources Committee: 12 February 2026
• Full Council: 25 February 2026

The report noted that the council continues to face cost pressures and increasing demands on service delivery. Committees will be consulted on the budget, taking into account the medium-term requirement to make savings and that any growth should be minimised and met from resource switching where possible.

The committee was asked to note the budget process for 2026/27 as outlined in the Environment Committee Report - 2026-27 Budget Process.

Q1 Performance Report for Key Performance Indicators

The committee reviewed the performance of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Quarter 1 (1 April 2025 to 30 June 2025), as part of the council's Vision 2022-2026. The report set out the performance of the KPIs at Quarter 1 for the period 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2025.

There are 30 Key Performance indicators and 6 are reported to this Committee:

• CP12 Number of missed refuse and recycling collections per 100,000 within contractual target
• CP13 Food businesses with food hygiene ratings of 3 (satisfactory and above)
• CP22 Vacant private sector dwellings returned to occupation
• CP23 Residual household waste per household per annum
• CP24 Household waste sent for re use, recycling and composting
• CP25 Contractor achieving performance target for all green space management operations following monitoring

Of the KPIs reported to the Environment Committee, 4 had achieved the target, 1 did not achieve the target by more than 15%, and the status of 1 was not known until Q4.

The committee was asked to note the contents of the Environment Committee report 18.9.25 Q1 Performance and provide any questions or comments on the indicators relevant to this Committee to the Policy and Resources Committee on 23 October 2025.

Work Programme

The committee noted the Environment Committee Work Programme 2025_26 Final for 2025/26.