Decision details

RESOLVED:

That Full Council agreed to ask that the Chief Executive:-

a.

write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to:

·      inform him of SSDC’s support for DEFRA’s ambition to phase out the badger cull, and that the Council are opposed to repeated badger culling in Somerset

·      offer access to SSDC owned land as part of a coordinated badger-vaccination programme

b.

continue to refuse permission to cull badgers on SSDC land, and to write to all Town and Parish Councils in South Somerset to encourage them to do the same;

c.

engage at the appropriate level with other councils across Somerset to ascertain what steps, if any, that our partners in local government are taking in relation to the issue of bTB;

d.

publicise the Council’s resolution to support DEFRA’s ambition to phase out the cull;

e.

provide councillors with an update regarding all of the above at least prior to the next badger cull due to commence in autumn 2021.

Reason:

To support DEFRA’s ambition to phase out the badger cull in England as a method of controlling the spread of bovine tuberculosis (bTB).

RESOLVED:

That Full Council agreed to:-

a.

write to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and to our local MPs to express concern over the proposals in their White Paper: Planning for the Future;

b.

reflect the strength of concern across the Authority in its official consultation response;

c.

highlight South Somerset District Council’s concerns over these proposals with the public at every suitable opportunity;

d.

provide Councillors with an update on the progress of these proposals at regular intervals;

e.

work with partner organisations such as social housing providers to understand the impact of these proposals on the delivery of affordable housing in South Somerset;

f.

work with partner organisations such as Somerset Wildlife Trust to understand the impact of these proposals on our biodiversity and habitats.

Reason:

To express the Council’s concerns on the Government’s consultation ‘Planning for the Future’.