Policy
Environment
1. Introduction
1.1 Lyme Regis Town Council recognises it has a responsibility to the environment beyond legal and regulatory requirements. It is committed to reducing its environmental impact and continually improving its environmental performance as an integral part of its strategy and operating methods, with annual reviews. The council will encourage and influence the public, suppliers and stakeholders to do the same. This policy will specifically refer to, but is not limited to, paper, energy, water, transport, maintenance, cleaning, culture and monitoring.
2. Responsibility
2.1 The town clerk has overall responsibility for ensuring the environment policy is implemented and delegates day-to-day management of the policy to the operations manager. However, all councillors and employees have a responsibility to ensure the aims and purpose of the policy are met.
3. Aims
3.1 The council declared a climate and environmental emergency in 2019, with ambitions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2030.
3.2 To comply with, and exceed where possible, all regulatory requirements following government guidance and in concert with the principal authority.
3.3 To undergo accreditation as a Carbon Literate Organisation and thereby show leadership to our communities on practical environmental improvements.
3.4 To strive to improve the council’s environmental performance.
3.5 Where practical, to reduce environmental impacts.
3.6 To consider environmental factors in council decision-making and understand their environmental impact.
3.7 To increase awareness of environmental issues, introduce carbon literacy training for all members and staff within one year of their appointment.
3.8 Scope 3 emissions encompass indirect emissions from sources not owned or directly controlled by the reporting organization, i.e., the Town Council, but are related to its activities, such as those from suppliers, customers, and the use of products.
Scope 3 emissions cover both upstream emissions from suppliers and downstream emissions from product use and disposal activities.
Upstream emissions included purchased goods and services, capital goods, fuel and energy, upstream transportation and distribution, waste generated in operations, business travel, employee commuting, and upstream leased assets.
Downstream emissions include transportation and distribution, product use, end-of-life product disposal, and downstream leased assets.
3.9 The council will use local labour and materials, where available, to reduce CO2 and help the community.
4. Pollution
4.1 The council will identify, adopt, and promote technologies to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases within council properties and the wider community.
4.2 The council will minimise and, where possible, eliminate the release of any pollutant which may cause damage to health and the environment.
5. Paper and office supplies
5.1 The council will minimise the use of paper in the office.
5.2 The council will favour more environmentally friendly and efficient products.
5.3 The council will reuse and recycle everything it is able to.
6. Energy and Water
6.1 The council will reduce the amount of energy and water used as much as possible and use renewable energy providers.
6.2 The council will introduce solar panels on council buildings as they are refurbished.
6.3 Where practical, the council will insulate its buildings to improve energy performance and reduce costs and, when appropriate, retrofit with clean energy heating and ventilation systems. The council will encourage its tenants and residents to insulate and retrofit their homes and commercial premises, in accordance with government regulations and guidelines.
7. Transport
7.1 The council will reduce the need to travel.
7.2 The council will promote the use of travel alternatives such as email and phone conferencing.
7.3 Where reasonable, the council will accommodate the needs of those staff using public transport or bicycles.
7.4 The council will favour ‘green’ vehicles, where possible, when considering replacements and consider installing electric charging points for its vehicles and in its car parks.
8. Cleaning, maintenance and waste
8.1 Cleaning materials used will be as environmentally friendly as possible.
8.2 The council will favour ‘green’ machinery, where possible, when considering replacements.
8.3 The council will manage unavoidable waste and use licensed and appropriate organisations to dispose of waste.
8.4 The council will minimise waste by the best practicable environmental option through eliminating, reducing, reusing, composting, and recycling.
9. Gardening
9.1 The council will garden organically and limit the use of chemicals to the essential where organic gardening is not time or cost-effective. Glyphosate products will only be used to tackle invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed and mare’s tail.
9.2 The council will favour ‘green’ machinery, where possible, when considering replacements.
10. Natural and Built Environment
10.1 The council will protect, conserve, and enhance the environment including landscape character, habitats and heritage.
10.2 The council will promote biodiversity and local distinctiveness and the conservation of both renewable and non-renewable resources.
11. Biodiversity – Statutory Duty
11.1 In accordance with the duty imposed on town and parish councils by Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, updated by Section 102 of the Environment Act 2021, Lyme Regis Town Council (hereinafter referred to as the council) which has any functions exercisable in relation to England must from time to time consider what action the authority can properly take, consistently with the proper exercise of its functions, to further the general biodiversity objective.
11.2 This duty also means that town and parish councils can spend funds in conserving biodiversity.
12. Biodiversity – Definition
12.1 According to Defra (Biodiversity 2020), biodiversity is the variety of all life on Earth. It includes all species of animals and plants – everything that is alive on our planet.
12.2 Biodiversity is important for its own sake and has its own intrinsic value. A number of studies have shown this value also goes further. Biodiversity is the building block of our ‘ecosystems’ that in turn provide us with a wide range of goods and services that support our economic and social wellbeing. These include essentials such as food, fresh water and clean air, but also less obvious services such as protection from natural disasters, regulation of our climate, and purification of our water or pollination of our crops. Biodiversity also provides important cultural services, enriching our lives.
13. Biodiversity – Aims and Objectives
13.1 The object of this policy is to work towards conserving and enhancing the biodiversity of the council’s area.
13.2 The Full Council and any committees of the council will consider sustainability, environmental impact and biodiversity when making decisions and will develop and implement policies and strategies as required.
13.3 In particular, the council will aim to improve the biodiversity of the area in the following ways:
13.3.1 consider the potential impact on biodiversity represented by planning applications.
13.3.2 manage its land and property using environmentally friendly practices that will promote biodiversity.
13.3.3 support local businesses and council operations in the adoption of low impact / nature positive practices.
13.3.4 encourage and support other organisations within the town to manage their areas of responsibility with biodiversity in mind.
13.3.5 support residents and local organisation activities to enhance and promote biodiversity.
14. Biodiversity – Actions
14.1 Planning applications – the council will:
14.1.1 when commenting on planning applications, support site and building design that benefits biodiversity through the conservation and integration of existing habitats or provision of new habitats.
14.1.2 support protection of sensitive habitats from development and will consider whether the development would mean the loss of important habitats for wildlife in respect of all applications.
14.1.3 consider what each proposed development might make in terms of biodiversity net gain.
14.1.4 include policies in support of biodiversity within the neighbourhood plan.
14.2 Land and property management – the council will:
14.2.1 carry out a biodiversity audit of its landholdings.
14.2.2 consider the conservation and promotion of local biodiversity with regard to the management of its open spaces. This will include adopting beneficial practices with regarding to cutting and removal of vegetation, application of chemicals and timing of maintenance work, paying attention to the Government’s regulations for plant protection products.
14.2.3 take special care in the specification of grounds maintenance contracts to ensure the work, while reaching acceptable standards, does not harm the natural environment
14.3.4 source sustainable materials when procuring supplies for the council’s use
14.3.5 consider biodiversity issues and the implementation of changes when managing its buildings.
14.3 Local community – the council will:
14.3.1 raise public awareness of biodiversity issues, including through its website, briefings, magazine and social media posts.
14.3.2 engage with local businesses and residents regarding biodiversity in the community and how members of the community can assist and make a difference.
14.3.3 where feasible, involve the community in biodiversity projects on its land including for example tree planting, wildflower meadows, birdbox making.
15. Biodiversity – Partners
15.1 The council will work in partnership with other organisations to protect, promote and enhance biodiversity within the council area.
15.2 It will review any local nature recovery strategies, species conservation strategies, or protected site strategies in respect of local Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and consider how it may become more involved in implementing the strategies’ recommendations.
16. Monitoring and review
16.1 The council will continually improve and monitor environmental performance by conducting annual environmental reviews against its objectives and by monitoring key performance indicators. The audit will feed into the council’s annual corporate report and the council’s strategic five-year plan.
16.2 This policy will be reviewed every three years or sooner if there are changes in legislation or best practice.
Implementation date: April 2025
Review date: April 2028
John Wright
Town clerk
April 2025