The report provided revised options for sites bought forward by Clean and Green Committee for the trial of “rewilding” areas of parks and verges.

Cllr Reed suggested that “community planting days” could be considered with he support of the Council when the planting is taking place. 

Mr Hotten would bring this back in the Autumn for members to propose suggestions of areas in other wards and work to be taken. 

Following a full discussion, Cllr Aspinell MOVED and Cllr Fulcher SECONDED the recommendation in the report. A vote was taken and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that:

R 1. To agree the revised trial sites detailed below for rewilding and to agree the change in management for these areas during the trial period.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION

Officers have reviewed the sites bought to the committee by its members and have assessed the suitability of each site.

The below information sets out what is achievable at minimal cost with negligible impact on resource for the Green Spaces operational teams.

The sites have been assessed in line with the proposal of natural rewilding methods where grasses and flora are left to regenerate natively. These proposed sites as bought forward by ward members do not account for cultivation of specific wild flora, which is out of scope of the trial.

It should be noted that these sites if accepted, can be easily reverted to formally mowed verges/greens using existing resource and machinery.