Agenda item

To consider a request from a resident for Road Verge Nature Reserves and a circular walking route for Witney.

With the permission of the Chair, this item was moved up the agenda so the member of public could hear the discussion and outcome.

The Committee had heard how pleased the member of the public was with the current state of the verges in the Burford Road area and how they hoped these could be further maintained as road verge nature reserves.

Members were supportive of any activity that would assist the protection of the species identified in the residents brief to the Committee and welcomed the potential inclusion in the town biodiversity portfolio. It was noted that some of the verges highlighted were in a neighbouring parish however the Biodiversity & Green Spaces Officers (B&GSO) explained the ownership structure of the verges and offered to make contact with Oxfordshire Country Council (OCC) to discuss changes or possible adoption into the Road verge nature reserves scheme.

Discussion turned to that of walking routes within the town. The residents expressed their keenness to be involved in developing a group of three walking routes with resilient signage options. A Member who was also a West Oxfordshire District Council suggested that collaboration with WODC could lead to cost savings as work was already under consideration.

Members were unanimously supportive of these ideas and asked that they be delegated to Officers to explore the options further.

Recommended:

1.      That, the report and verbal updates be noted and,

2.      That, the B&GSO make contact with OCC to discuss the action to adopt the areas identified as a road verge nature reserve and,

3.      That, Officers explore the options of walking routes in and around the town with a potential collaboration with WODC.