The Isle of Wight Council's Environment and Community Protection Committee met on 28 August 2025, and agreed to develop adaptation plans for areas at high risk of landslides and coastal change, adopt an updated environmental enforcement policy, and consult on a potential ban of disposable barbecues, sky lanterns, and balloons on council-owned land. The committee also reviewed the Climate and Environment Strategy and approved the inclusion of information from a highlight report into a reviewed strategy for 2025-2040.

Climate and Environment Strategy

The committee approved the inclusion of information from the 2040 Highlight Report into a reviewed strategy for 2025–2040, which will be submitted for approval in October 2025. The Climate and Environment Strategy 2021-2040, also known as the Mission Zero Climate and Environment Strategy 2021-2040, sets out the council's targets to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 for its own operations and by 2040 for the wider island.

The highlight report noted that of the 168 outputs listed in the revised action plan:

• 88 are in progress
• 45 are on hold due to resourcing or other constraints
• 16 have been completed
• 11 have been cancelled
• 8 are new

The report also noted some barriers to success, including funding and staff resourcing. Councillor Karen Lucioni, Chair of the Environment and Community Protection Committee, agreed to circulate a costing of pushing towards net zero, following a query from a member.

Landslide and Coastal Change Adaptation Plans

The committee approved the development of Landslide and Coastal Change Adaptation Plans (LCCAPs) for high-risk areas identified in a report, including Bonchurch, St Lawrence, Ventnor and West Wight. The plans are intended to help communities prepare for and respond to coastal changes caused by climate change, such as rising sea levels, erosion and more frequent storms. The strategy aligns with other strategies, and funding has already been secured for a dedicated co-ordinator.

The Environment Agency's best practice is to co-design and develop resilience plans with the involvement of communities. Partnership working will be necessary, especially to address S.19 report outcomes¹. The new Community Co-ordinator will be invited to give a presentation to the Committee at an informal briefing.

Environmental Enforcement Strategy

The committee adopted the updated Environmental Enforcement Policy, with the inclusion of links to the service standards. The updated policy includes a greater explanation of the enforcement of juveniles and the publication of enforcement action. The policy is overarching, with different service standards within it, and will be tailored to individual teams and applied on a case-by-case basis.

PSPO for Disposable BBQs, Sky Lanterns and Balloons

The committee approved a delegation of authority to the Service Manager for Waste & Public Realm to undertake a consultation process for the proposed implementation of new Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO's) banning the use of disposable barbecues and the release of sky lanterns and balloons on or in council-owned parks, open spaces, and beaches. It was agreed that each of the items should be treated separately and that evidence would be needed for the items to be included in a PSPO.

It was noted that the BBQ item was intended to relate only to single-use disposable BBQs and not multi-use personal ones which would be taken home afterwards. It was also noted that public areas were available for barbecues in some parts of the island and agreed that these should be promoted more widely and the possibility of providing further public areas be explored.

Service Performance and Improvement (Q1)

The committee noted the performance report. Members requested that in future reports it would be helpful to highlight the elements of the report which were statutory and those that were not.

It was clarified that the household waste figures were lower than usual due to the hot, dry conditions over the summer, resulting in less garden waste than usual. It was confirmed that dog waste could be put into normal waste bins and that consideration would be given into replacing dog waste bins with mixed waste bins at some point in the future. The contract with Island Roads would need to be amended.

The recent tree policy had determined that, for every tree felled, two were planted. This was carried out by two members of staff, contractors, Green Gym volunteers and other voluntary groups.

Fly tipping metrics were stipulated by DEFRA², and the figures included litter picks left at the roadside for collection.

Committee Workplan

It was noted that outside agencies were to be invited to the next meeting to give a presentation on the S.19 flood reports. Councillor Paul Fuller - JP, Independent Councillor, requested that he be given a briefing prior to the next Southern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (SRFCC) meeting so that he could ensure the right decisions were made on behalf of the council.

Members asked that a discussion be held regarding a future item on the efficiency of dog waste bins, which would be initially discussed at an informal members' briefing.

Members' Question Time

Councillor Rebecca Cameron submitted a written question in relation to the availability of contractors under the ECO4 Flex scheme³. A written response was provided by Councillor Karen Lucioni, Chair of the Environment and Community Protection Committee, who stated that the council is undertaking a review of its contractor onboarding process for ECO4 Flex delivery.