Agenda item

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Recreation.

Oliver Jones (Director of Recreation) Richard Bradbury (Director of Environment and Sustainability) and Darrell Abercrombie, (Green Spaces Operations Manager) made the following comments in response to members questions:

·       With regards to whether the Council proactively encouraged residents to weed their area like other boroughs such as Lambeth, the Council engaged with local groups and those interested in Parks on how they could keep the parks tidy, how they could plant, as well as what they could do to assist with weeding the environment.

·       The Council had the infrastructure to support engagement with the local community and worked with a lot of Community Groups such as think and do the Climate Action Network. Through these various networks Streets collaborated with the Council on a whole range of issues such as the spray free approach as well as with communities that wanted to plant tree pits which attracted a lot of weeds.

·       The local work done across the Council via various departments such as the Sustainability Team, Environmental Services, The Trees Team, helped the Council understand what the community wanted in the local neighbourhoods and to provide that support appropriately.

·       Rather than distributing leaflets like some other Councils, Camden collaborated with the community in a more focussed way through its networks.

·       Camden had a good balanced integrated weed management approach. The Council had some aspects of what other boroughs such as Hackney did in its approach.

·       Camden tried to manage the risk between what was suitable and a somewhat grey area where there was no clearly defined right approach.

·       Considerable research had been conducted on behalf of Cardiff City Council to determine the climate impact and the right approach. The analysis indicated that alternative approaches had considerable side effects and biodiversity impacts.

·       In relation to gardens, the Council does not spray herbicide on a planted area, the only time herbicide was used was to tackle invasive species.

·       Although Officers were not aware of the situation in Belgium with regards to statements about the eradication of pesticides, in France the bold statement did not quite match the reality. Organisations when making bold statements about absence of pesticides, were in reality mostly referring to a subset of an area rather than the whole area.

·       In relation to use of pesticides, the Council provided an accurate depiction of what it was doing and how it was dealing with the situation and managing the risk.

·       It would be ideal to have a situation where the Council did not have to use chemicals, however this was not the case and the Council continued to look at alternatives and best practise.

·       The scientific report from the EU was confusing, the guidance provided was not clear.

·       Managing green spaces required a wholistic approach and one aspect of this was conservation led maintenance which was introduced by the Council over 7 years ago, this was aimed at improving the soil as well as using manual techniques to improve the turf.

·       The Council had trialled other different methods such as the hot foam trial which was not successful and conversations continued to be had across London about alternative options.

·       The Council was carrying out a lot of planting however if selective herbicides were not used it would result in more weeds.

·       Educating people by way of guidance, explaining what the Council did and why it was done. There were some elements of this in the biodiversity plan. Officers could look into providing this information on the Council’s website.

ACTION BY: Director of Recreation/Green Spaces Operations Manager

·       Officers agreed to provide the Committee with an update on the Biodiversity Action Plan in the new municipal year.

ACTION BY: Director of Recreation

Members made the following comments:

·       The efforts being made by the Council to reduce the use of pesticides were welcomed, however there should be less herbicide use and the Council should more proactively engage with street groups on how to control weeds, as well as work closer with neighbouring boroughs and NLWA partners.

·       The Council should look to raise general awareness and knowledge of why it was using pesticides in the public realm.

Officers were thanked for their report.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted.