Powys County Council

RESOLVED to1. Declare a Nature Emergency as demonstration of theCouncil’s commitment to protecting and rejuvenatingPowys’ natural environment for its inherent value, for therole nature plays in achieving a vibrant and viableeconomy and for the benefits nature provides to thewellbeing of our county’s residents. 2. Establish meaningful supportive structures that embednature in decision making including:a) Establish a cross-party Nature Emergency Working Groupwithin the Council to help embed biodiversity in Councildecision making, it’s engagement in partnerships and itsambitions for county-wide nature recovery.b) Appointment of a Council Member as a champion fornature as allowed for by this Council’s constitution.c) Actively seek to secure the funding from external newresources for a dedicated and permanent Nature RecoveryCounty Council 13 October 2022Officer, between them to help drive nature recovery withinthe Council and to animate action amongst stakeholders,seeking new external funds to help enable the delivery ofnature recovery.d) Reaffirm the Council’s support for the Local NaturePartnership and to actively encourage and enable itsdevelopment as an independent stakeholder group torepresent those who manage nature alongside those whouse and / or benefit from nature.3. Take meaningful action to help achieve a net increase innature county-wide including:a) To draw up a response – outlining the Council’s role – tothe recently published Powys Nature Recovery Planproduced by Powys Local Nature Partnership and whichsets out actions needed to protect and conserve existingsystems and to restore nature at a scale and pacecommensurate with the threats it faces.b) To show meaningful leadership by reviewing how theCouncil’s assets and services can be more fullyharnessed for reversing our county’s loss of nature. Animmediate priority to be the County Farm Estates. To thenextend this as resources allow to review all services theCouncil provides such as Planning (exploringopportunities afforded by the review of the LDP toimplement the motion for example), Procurement (a lot ofnature’s recovery can be aided by what and how weconsume for example), Highways (further adoption ofroadside verges as nature reserves), Education Services(skills development, school grounds), Countryside (parksmanagement for example) etc.

— Full council (Source)