Agenda item

This paper provides a strategic overview of the progress of the 3 core workstreams of the OLNP – Nature Recovery, Nature Finance and Nature & People.

The Board is asked to reflect on the state of play and challenges, endorse the objectives, and recommend additional solutions or supporting activities to achieve our aims.

The Board considered a written report setting out a strategic overview of the progress of the three core workstreams of the OLNP, Nature and Health Nature Finance and Nature Recovery and representatives of the workstreams also provided a verbal update.

Nature and Health

Michelle Leek and Rosie Rowe highlighted:

·           The most recent meeting of the group had received a presentation on Live Well Oxfordshire IT platform. This was partnership between Oxfordshire County Council and Age UK Oxfordshire to provide a directory to bring together information about groups and organisations offering services for adults with a variety of needs in one place.

·           Research to support the work of the group, (and wider partnership) was shortly to commence looking at the priorities for the provision of nature rich green spaces within Oxfordshire. This would build on a number of existing data sets, seeking to consolidate the available information and produce an opportunity map setting out access to green spaces.

·           The advertisement for the LNP Health and Nature Project Officer post.

·           Good progress had been made towards the data mapping evidence piece objective for the group.

·           Green social prescribing awareness was increasing and it was hoped to influence the green social prescribing policy. Although this was taking its time to finalise, discussions about leveraging resources in support were continuing.

·           The Oxfordshire Health and Wellbeing Board Strategy was shortly to be refreshed, looking a health and wellbeing properties for the whole system and as part of the review process the connectivity with nature would be made.

Nature Finance Update

Prue Addison and Matt Whitney highlighted:

·           Key progress made had been in finalising the draft Nature Finance Strategy as set out in the agenda papers. In developing this it had been important to collate sufficient evidence in order to be able to put a proposition to local planning authorities and business in order to start to have conversations about private investment in nature’s recovery within Oxfordshire.

·           The assistance of Oxford University through Isabelle Hawkins who interned to support the project in examining the size of the biodiversity net gain market was much appreciated.

·           The draft Nature Finance Strategy did not explicitly make reference to the creation of an Oxfordshire Environmental Fund, but that was a potential next step it was thought to be appropriate to do so.

Nature Recovery

Simon Smith highlighted:

·           Oxfordshire County Council had not as of the date of the meeting been formally appointed as the LNRS responsible authority but was expected by late June. An initial induction had been given regarding the grant budget for the production of the Strategy.

·           A LNRS Project Manager had been recruited and it was expected this person would be representing the County Council on the steering group and there would a role to help guide them.

·           The district and city councils would be asked whether they wished to be represented collectively or via individual representatives.

·           There had been revaluation of the different groups supporting the LNRS steering group to avoid duplication and it was felt that would be a future need to liaise with the Nature and Health group more.