The Strategic Manager of Parks and Countryside introduced the report of the Director of Neighbourhood Services which sought the approval of the Wirral Pollinator Strategy which supported the Council’s biodiversity commitment. The strategy had been developed to ensure the Council and its residents, businesses and landowners were provided with information to help to protect and increase pollinator populations. The strategy spoke to the national strategy and addressed the recent Environment Act 2021 which placed a duty on Local Authorities to enhance biodiversity and to protect and encourage pollinators.

Members thanked officers for their work and noted the report contained a lot of interesting information and captured the context of why the Council needs a Pollinator Strategy.

Councillor Andrew Gardner proposed a motion, seconded by Councillor Tony Cox that –

Committee resolves that recognised official and affiliated park groups to the Council can be impacted in their work by “No Mow May” and such groups can apply for exemption from “No Mow May” providing that they produce a pollinator policy that will describe how they will otherwise prosper pollinators in lieu of “No Mow May”.

A discussed ensued where officers outlined that “No Mow May” had two purposes, one to promote pollinators and second was that budget options agreed included reduced grass cutting with certain exemptions. It was reported that officers were in the process of meeting with the parks friends’ groups to see what mitigation could be done.

The Committee moved to a vote on the motion from Councillor Andrew Gardner, it was put and lost (4:7).

On a motion by Councillor Liz Grey, seconded by Councillor Tony Smith it was –

Resolved (unanimously) –That the Wirral Pollinator Strategy be approved, and officers and their partners, Wirral Wildlife, MEAS and New Ferry Butterfly Park be thanked for their hard work on this excellent report.