Our climate action scorecards assess climate action across seven sections.
1 - Biodiversity
Does the council use peat-free compost or soil in all landscaping and horticulture?
- Yes we do use peat free alternatives.
Has the council banned the use of pesticides on all council owned and managed land?
- We haven’t banned the use of pesticides but apply as little chemical as we can.
- We apply Glyphosate using CDA sprayers which use small amounts of chemical.
- We don’t blanket spray we only spot treat, the use of Glyphosate was reviewed in December 2025.
Has the council stated they are mowing their green spaces less for wildlife?
- Yes, we have identified 5 locations as a trial for grass framing this mowing season, find out more about our mowing and grass cutting.
Does the council have a target to increase tree cover and is a tree management plan agreed as they grow?
- Yes, as stated in our tree policy. We are on track to increase woodland coverage to 16.5% by 2050 (target set as part of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, to be implemented in 2026.)
Have the council's parks been awarded Green Flag status?
- We have not applied this year for Green Flag Status but we are looking to manage our parks to a higher standard.
Does the council employ a planning ecologist to scrutinise planning reports for improvements to biodiversity in new developments, such as biodiversity net gain?
- No, we currently don’t employ a planning ecologist.
Does the council require a higher biodiversity net gain commitment from new developments?
- We currently don’t require higher than the statutory 10% Biodiversity Net Gain.
Has the council introduced a Green Space Factor to increase habitat in new developments?
- We currently don't have a green space factor.