The Environment Scrutiny Committee meeting on Wednesday 09 October 2024 was set to consider the committee’s work programme for the 2024/25 municipal year. The meeting was also scheduled to discuss the committee’s terms of reference.

Work Programme 2024/25

The committee was scheduled to review and agree the proposed work programme for the 2024/25 municipal year. The proposed work programme included updates on the following:

• Climate Change Adaptation
• Biodiversity Duty
• Telford & Wrekin Local Nature Recovery Strategy
• The Green Pledge
• Climate Change and Plastic Free Telford & Wrekin
• Shropshire Good Food

Environment Scrutiny Committee Terms of Reference 2024/25

The committee was scheduled to review its terms of reference, as is required annually by the council’s constitution. The terms of reference are a document that sets out how a committee is run, what it’s for, and what it can and cannot do. They are separate from the work programme, which sets out what a committee will be working on.

The document states:

The Committee will be the main mechanism by which Scrutiny members will scrutinise and monitor issues relating to the following key areas:

It then lists a large number of areas, including:

• Environment and ecology
• The natural and built environment
• Sustainable planning
• Building conservation and heritage
• Ultra-Low Emissions Strategy
• Plastic Free Telford & Wrekin
• Waste management, including waste recovery and recycling
• Environmental maintenance
• All aspects of infrastructure (transport, communication, drainage and sewage, water, lighting, bridges and structures)
• Public Transport (bus and rail)
• Rights of Way
• Highways network including highways improvements, cycleways and car parking
• Local Nature Reserves, parks and green spaces, including the Green guarantee
• Local Plan (Jointly with Business & Finance Scrutiny Committee)

The document also notes that the Environment Scrutiny Committee will be:

the designated body for scrutiny of Flood and Water Management as set out in the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 .

The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 is an Act of Parliament that made changes to the way that flood and water management is governed in England and Wales. Among other things it made local councils “lead local flood authorities” with powers to investigate flooding, create flood risk management plans and require private landowners to take action to manage flood risks.

The terms of reference conclude by confirming that:

The Committee will set its own work programme in accordance with the areas set out above and may look at any issue deemed by the Committee to fall within its remit