Agenda item

Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at this meeting if they have given notice and provided the text to Barry Khan, Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services – email: barry.khan@northyorks.gov.uk or in writing to Barry Khan, Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services, County Hall, Northallerton DL7 8AD by midday on Friday, 8 November 2024.  Each speaker should limit themselves to 3 minutes on any item.

If you are exercising your right to speak at this meeting, but do not wish to be recorded, please inform the Chairman who will instruct anyone who may be taking a recording to cease while you speak.

There was one public question, as follows:

1.     The following public question was read out by Georgina Ashton, Clerk to Biggin Parish Council:

I note and welcome the motion from Cllr Mason with regard to supporting the Climate and Nature Bill which has passed its first reading in the House and is backed by over 370 local authorities and 250 MPs.  The Bill requires the UK government to develop and deliver a new environmental plan.  Not only halting but reversing the decline in nature, setting nature measurably on the path to recovery by 2030.  Ensuring that no-one is left behind, prioritising nature in decision making giving people a say in finding a fair way forward through an independent and temporary Climate & Nature Assembly.

I am heartened that the Council resolve to support the principle of the Climate and Nature Bill and to reduce inequalities across the region. 

My question to this meeting is:

Will residents be able to be involved in the Climate and Nature Assembly and how will the Council’s support of this bill actively impact on residents and policy making at NYC?  In our local parish of Biggin in Appleton Roebuck and Church Fenton, there has been unlawful deforestation of over 100 trees and no action has been taken by this Council in over 6 months.

Councillor Greg White, Executive Member for Managing our Environment, provided the following response:

The Climate and Nature Bill is an exciting piece of emerging legislation, as you say, which requires the UK government to develop and deliver new environmental plans which halt and reverse the decline of nature. We are aware this has gone through the first stage of the House of Commons, with the 1st reading taking place earlier in March this year; but are cognisant there are many more phases this Bill must go through before it reaches Royal Assent.

As such, proposals around the Climate and Nature Assembly or who can participate remain unclear at this stage and ultimately would be up to the Secretary of State to define. But we recognise the importance of such an Assembly and will proactively seek out opportunities to participate, if and when this becomes possible.

Whilst we wait for this Bill to progress through the House of Commons Bill Passage. I would draw your attention to the work already underway in North Yorkshire; including the statutory requirement to develop a Local Nature Recovery Strategy for York and North Yorkshire. The LNRS seeks to consider land at a county scale and will identify locations to improve nature and provide other benefits, such as capturing carbon from the atmosphere, flood regulation and access to nature-rich spaces where this is most needed for health and wellbeing.

North Yorkshire is also leading on the Local Investment in Natural Capital (LINC) Programme, which is working to understand how we can attract investment into natural capital that can restore and sustain the natural environment, whilst unlocking significant economic value. LINC is developing a model to support us to increase green finance for nature-based solutions such as tree planting and peatland restoration, and support farmers to access new private sector investments that increase resilience in the landscapes they manage.