The Council of Gravesham Council met and agreed to adopt the revised schedule of polling districts and polling places for Parliamentary Elections, noted the progress of the council during 2024 in developing its activity to deliver the Climate Change motion and agreed to publish the Climate Change Annual Report 2024, and approved the Biodiversity Duty - First Consideration Report.

Review of Polling Districts, Polling Places and Polling Stations for Parliamentary Elections

The Council is required to undertake and complete a review of its polling districts, polling places and polling stations¹ at least once every five years. The last review was undertaken in 2022 so very few changes were needed. It was proposed that Trimarco’s Hair Salon at 6 The Parade, Valley Drive, Gravesend be adopted as a polling station instead of a mobile unit that had previously been situated at Wye Road. This change was proposed because the facilities will be better as well as the accessibility needs of disabled persons, the proposed station is in the correct polling district, it is more cost effective and removes the pressure of finding a mobile unit of adequate standard. The Council noted that the [Acting] Returning Officer was mindful of the fact that changing polling stations can cause confusion for electors who have been used to going to the same station for some years. The Council agreed to adopt the revised schedule of polling districts and polling places.

Climate Change Annual Report

The Council noted that the borough-wide carbon emissions for 2022 were 361 KtCO2e. The council's own emissions for 2023-2024 were 1951.56 tCO2e. The Council noted the recent activities that have taken place to reduce the council's carbon footprint:

• Installation of energy efficiency measures at Cygnets Leisure Centre.
• Replacement of 18 of the council's vans with electric vehicles.
• The commencement of work to replace the council's fleet of diesel HGVs with vehicles powered by HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil).
• Completion of energy efficiency improvements to 105 council homes under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) Wave 2.2.
• The completion of retrofit works to improve the EPC ratings of 21 council homes.
• The installation of EV chargers at Carl Ekman House, Bishops Court, and Valley Drive.
• The commencement of construction of 46 new council homes at St Columba’s Close, Gravesend.
• The identification of 22 sites that could contribute to the council's Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) strategy.
• Participation in the Kent County Council (KCC) Tree plan.
• A recycling campaign for small electrical items. The Council noted that the obstacles in the way of achieving net zero remain high and challenging to overcome and that their own operational net zero target was unlikely to be met. The Council noted that the council’s own carbon emissions, i.e. 1951.56 tCO2e for the last financial year only account for around 0.54% of those across the Borough as a whole. As a consequence, the council is proposing to refocus its limited resources to activity that will make the most impact to the emissions of the borough as a whole. The Council agreed to publish the Climate Change Annual Report 2024.

Biodiversity Duty - First Consideration Report

The council has a legal obligation under the Environment Act 2021 to consider what can be done to conserve and enhance biodiversity, agree policies and specific objectives based on that consideration and then take action to deliver against those policies and achieve objectives. The council must publish a report every 5 years on its actions. The council noted that Gravesham has a wide variety of natural resources supporting a diverse range of habitats and species. The council noted the significance of the partnership work to create the North Kent Woods and Downs National Nature Reserve (NNR). The council also noted the importance of its work to develop a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) receptor site at Hazell’s Farm, Durndale Farm and Wingfield Bank Farm near Istead Rise. The Council approved the Biodiversity Duty - First Consideration Report.