FI15165

Request

1. Please can you indicate what, if any, software the council has obtained specifically to help with implementing the following aspects of BNG?

a. Validation of applications, including checking that the correct version of the Biodiversity Metric has been submitted.

b. Determination of applications subject to BNG, including assessment of ecological considerations.

c. Determining if the biodiversity gain objective (biodiversity gain condition) is met.

d. Monitoring of planning obligations set out under S106 agreements or Conservation Covenants, analogous to other planning obligations.

e. Ecological monitoring of BNG habitats, a new statutory duty required by legislation, including ensuring that individual habitats on a given site are progressing in line with expectations set out in the Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan.

f. Statutory reporting of BNG habitat progress under the NERC Act Biodiversity Duty.

2. Is the council generating income, or planning to generate income, by charging BNG monitoring fees? If so, how are you calculating this fee?

3. Please answer the questions below to indicate if the council has made use of the government’s new burdens funding for BNG in the financial year 23/24:

a. How much of the funding was spent by the council in this year?

b. What was the funding spent on?

4. Please answer the questions below to indicate if the council has made use of the government’s new burdens funding for BNG in the financial year 24/25:

a. How much of the funding was spent by the council in this year?

b. What was the funding spent on? 

Response

1. Mycelia (Verna).

2. The Council is planning to charge monitoring fees for BNG. How this is calculated has not been finalised.

3. (a) £34,128.

(b) Habitat Classification Training, Legal Training Course, Mycelia Verna Software, Staffing Costs, Pilot Assessment of Council owned sites for BNG potential, Kent County Council Ecological Advice.

4. (a) £7,323.50.

(b) Kent County Council Ecological Advice.