Purpose

Highlighting
the recent award of funds from the DLUHC Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund for
delivery of nutrient mitigation across the Poole Harbour catchment to enable
development and the arrangements for spending the fund.

Content

 

(a)   
That spending from the Local Nutrient Mitigation
Fund be delegated to the:

 

(i)   
Environment/Policy/Partnership Manager –
individual expenditure decisions not exceeding £50,000.

 

(ii)  Head
of Planning – individual expenditure decisions over £50,000 but not exceeding
£100,000

 

(iii) Portfolio
Holder for Planning in consultation with the Corporate Director for Economic
Growth and Infrastructure individual expenditure over £100,000 but not
exceeding £1.5m.

 

(b)   
That regular (at least 6 monthly) reports be
prepared for the Portfolio Holder to outline the spend to date and the number
of homes enabled through the delivery of nutrient mitigation.

 

(c)   
Cabinet agreed to commit to the spend the Local
Mitigation Fund on the delivery of nutrient mitigation with the indicative
programme of spend as detailed in Appendix 2 to the Cabinet report of 12 March
2024.

 

(d)   
That the emerging outline strategy for the
management of nutrient mitigation credits be acknowledged including
transitional arrangements as set out in Appendix 3 to the Cabinet report of 12
March 2024.

 

Reason for the decision

 

Grant funding had
been provided through the Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund by the Department for
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for the delivery of nutrient mitigation
within the Poole Harbour catchment. Mitigation would need to be provided for qualifying
development (primarily residential) in the parts of the catchment that fall
within both the Dorset Council area and the BCP Council area, but Dorset
Council were accountable for any financial transactions.