Issue - meetings

Proposal to establish an Environment Advisory Sub Group of the Oxfordshire Growth Board

Meeting: 09/04/2021 - Cabinet (Item 103)

103 Oxfordshire Growth Board Environment Advisory Group pdf icon PDF 582 KB

To consider the report of the acting deputy chief executive – partnerships. 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the report of the acting deputy chief executive – partnerships.  This set out a proposal for an Oxfordshire Growth Board Environment Advisory Group. 

 

The Growth Board’s review of its own operating arrangements in 2020 had concluded that its work would benefit from a greater consideration of environmental issues.  This could be achieved by strengthening the Board’s structure and networks through an environmental work stream.  The proposal also supported the environmental aims of the strategic vision for Oxfordshire. 

 

Cabinet welcomed the proposal, seeing it as an opportunity to strengthen Oxfordshire’s partnership working, to provide a member-led arena to discuss areas of common ground, and to provide a formal mechanism on countywide environmental matters.  The chair and membership would be appointed after the forthcoming local elections. 

 

As part of the environment work stream, work was proceeding on establishing a local nature partnership.  It was hoped that this would be formally operational by the autumn. 

 

Cabinet also endorsed the Oxford to Cambridge Arc Environment Principles and supported the development of an Arc environment strategy. 

 

Some disappointment was expressed that it was not clear whether all principal councils in Oxfordshire had declared a climate emergency.  It was hoped that this would be changed after the local elections.  The Leader reported that she would seek clarification of the county council’s position. 

 

RESOLVED: to

 

(a)      support the establishment of a Growth Board environment advisory group; 

 

(b)      endorse the Oxford to Cambridge Arc Environment Principles, as set out at Appendix 3 of the acting deputy chief executive’s report to Cabinet on 9 April 2021, recognising that this statement of ambition applies to a diverse range of urban and rural communities, and that further evidentiary work will be required at a local level to understand their longer-term implications; and

 

(c)       support the development of an Arc environment strategy, which will provide for how the principles can be delivered. 


 

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