Decision

Approval for the implementation of the North Yorkshire Nature Fund Pilot Project and the collection and distribution of voluntary donations and contributions to support nature recovery activity across North Yorkshire, including delegated authority to the Assistant Director for Environment and Transport for any minor alterations and amendments to the project.

Reasons for the decision

The recommendations enable North Yorkshire Council to test a simple, low-risk pilot that supports nature recovery through voluntary donations from event organisers. The approach provides a practical opportunity to trial a model that could, if successful, be expanded to other venues and used to accept contributions from a wider range of organisations, including businesses seeking to support environmental outcomes or meet Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments.

Alternative options considered

The Council could choose not to establish a pilot, but this would limit opportunities to direct voluntary contributions towards environmental projects and would slow progress on nature recovery and climate resilience across North Yorkshire. Developing a simple, low-risk pilot provides a proportionate way to test demand, understand operational requirements and assess the benefits before considering whether to expand the model to other venues.