The Environment Scrutiny Committee of Gloucestershire Council was scheduled to discuss the Gloucestershire Local Nature Recovery Strategy, the rollout of electric vehicle charging points, and the review of the original business case for the electric vehicle chargepoint rollout. Other topics included the Executive Director's report for Economy, Environment & Infrastructure, the Quarter 2 2025/26 performance report, and the committee's work plan.

Gloucestershire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (GLNRS)

The committee was scheduled to discuss the Gloucestershire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (GLNRS) as outlined in the report Local Nature Recovery Strategy update for Environment Scrutiny Committee Jan 2026 Scrutiny report LNRS Final Jan 2026.pdf. This strategy, a requirement of the Environment Act 2021, aims to identify and map important areas for nature and opportunities for its restoration and creation. The report detailed the preparation process, including extensive engagement with stakeholders, farmers, landowners, the public, and various organisations. It also outlined the consultation process, which received 110 responses to the online survey and additional written responses. Key themes from the consultation included formatting, clarity on Biodiversity Net Gain, mapping methodology, and requests for additional sites. The strategy is intended to guide the planning and development sector, public authorities, farmers, landowners, and community projects. The report noted that the Cabinet was due to be asked to approve and adopt the GLNRS on 28 January 2026, with publication expected in February 2026.

Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Rollout and Strategy Review

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. The report Environment Scrutiny Report - Update Jan 2026 - EV Strategy - Copy.pdf Environment Scrutiny Report - Update Jan 2026 - EV Strategy - Copy.pdf provided an update on public EV chargepoint deployment and the electrification of the council's fleet.

The council had been awarded £3,107,000 in Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding, supplemented by £500,000 of internal funding. This funding is being used to accelerate the deployment of EV chargepoints, particularly for residents without off-street parking. The report detailed the phased deployment approach, with Phase 1 (current delivery) using £932k of LEVI grant funding and £150k of internal funding, resulting in the deployment of 46 EVCPs across 13 locations in Work Package 1, with further installations planned. Phase 2, utilising the remaining 70% of LEVI funding, was at the tender stage and would be delivered under a concession arrangement, aiming to deliver a minimum of 1000 EVCPs over a 15-year contract.

The committee was also scheduled to review the original business case for the electric vehicle chargepoint rollout to understand whether objectives had been met, as referred from Corporate Scrutiny.

Executive Director's Report: Economy, Environment & Infrastructure

The Executive Directors Report EEI Scrutiny - 14 January 2026.pdf Executive Directors Report EEI Scrutiny - 14 January 2026.pdf was to be taken as read. This report would have provided information on progress and proposals within the Economy, Environment & Infrastructure directorate. Key areas covered included updates on highways projects such as the M5 J10 development, the Gloucestershire Cycle Spine, and structural maintenance. Traffic and transport matters, including Definitive Map Modification Orders, streetworks, road safety initiatives, and the ongoing EV charging rollout, were also detailed. The report also touched upon economy and environment initiatives, planning and economic development, libraries, registration services, and nature, climate, and waste reduction efforts.

Performance and Work Plan

The Environment Communities Scrutiny Q2 4.11.2025.pdf Environment Communities Scrutiny Q2 4.11.2025.pdf provided a strategic overview of the council's performance for Quarter 2 2025/26, covering areas such as tackling climate change, improving roads, and sustainable growth. The committee was also scheduled to review its work plan for future meetings, as detailed in the Work Plan public.pdf Work Plan public.pdf. This included potential themes for upcoming meetings such as public transport, winter preparedness, waste management, land use, and road safety.

Climate Leadership Gloucestershire

The committee was scheduled to note the minutes from the Climate Leadership Gloucestershire meeting held on 9 October 2025, as detailed in Approved CLG meeting notes October 2025.pdf Approved CLG meeting notes October 2025.pdf. This report would have provided an update on discussions regarding climate adaptation, energy planning, and the Greener Gloucestershire Action Plan.