Llansadwrn Community Council
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience Plan (Section 6)
1. Introduction and Legal Duty
Llansadwrn Community Council is a public authority for the purposes of Section 6 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016.
The Council must:
• Seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity, and
• Promote the resilience of ecosystems,
This Plan sets out how the Council will comply with this duty in a proportionate and practical manner, having regard to Welsh Government guidance.
2. Preamble (Context and Constraints)
Llansadwrn Community Council manages a community field which constitutes a publicly available open space and recreational facility within the parish. The community field was donated to the community by the Hudson family in loving memory of their son Lyn. The field was to be used for the benefit of the whole community as a recreation facility. The field plays a vital role in the life of the community and is used extensively for a wide range of purposes including:
• Recreational sports and informal play
• Community activities and organised events
• Car parking associated with:
village events, the local public house, funerals and weddings
• Dog walking and general informal recreation
The Council recognises that the field performs an essential social function and community function and supports the health and wellbeing of the residents of the community. The Council also recognises the importance of recreation in mental health and wellbeing.
Part of the field has been dedicated to community use through the granting of a lease to a local residents’ group for the establishment and maintenance of a community garden, contributing positively to local engagement and biodiversity.
The Council must also consider important public health and safety considerations. There have been recent issues with dog fouling in the field. The Council is mindful of the associated health risks and the practical difficulty of identifying and removing dog waste in longer grass. Measures such as appropriate signage and public awareness may be required to promote responsible use.
In addition, the Council is committed to complying with its obligations under the Equality Act 2010, trying to ensure that the field remains accessible, safe and inclusive for all members of the community, including:
• Children and families
• Older persons
• Individuals with mobility difficulties
• Those unsteady on their feet due to illness or injury
The presence of long grass or uneven ground may create hazards or restrict access and must therefore be balanced carefully with ecological objectives.
The Council operates with limited financial and administrative resources, and all actions must therefore be proportionate, achievable and cost-effective.
In exercising its functions, the Council must balance its Section 6 duty alongside its wider responsibilities to:
• Provide a safe and accessible community facility
• Protect public health
• Ensure inclusivity
• Fulfil contractual and financial obligations
This Plan reflects a balanced, pragmatic and proportionate approach, recognising both the ecological value of the land and its essential role as a shared community resource.
3. Council Functions and Scope
The Council is to adopt a proportionate balanced and pragmatic approach to compliance with its Section 6 duty recognising that:
• Biodiversity must be considered alongside and not to the exclusion of the land’s primary community function
• Measures must not:
Compromise safety
Restrict accessibility
Interfere with the lawful and established use of the field
The community field includes:
• A maintained field for recreation and events
• Boundary features (trees/hedges where present)
• A leased community garden area
Constraints include:
• High level of community use
• Contractual maintenance obligations of a grass cutting contract.
• Public health concerns (dog fouling)
• Equality and accessibility requirements
5. Objectives
The Council will:
1. Maintain existing biodiversity
2. Enhance biodiversity where compatible and appropriate considering the use of the field and financial constraints
3. Promote ecosystem resilience in a proportionate manner considering the limited resources available
4. Ensure the field remains safe, accessible and inclusive.
6. Actions
• Comply with the grass-cutting contract
On renewal of the grass cutting contract in 2027 (following tendering) the contract will require designated areas not be cut until mid Summer, consisting of a 2 metre strip around the boundary creating a wildlife corridor and the sloping area furthest away from the entrance of the field (approximately 1/3 of the area of the community field)
• Retain existing natural features
• Avoid unnecessary habitat removal
• Promote responsible behaviour through signage in relation to dog fouling
7. Public Health and Equality
• Address dog fouling issues through signage awareness
• The field is to remain inclusive and accessible to all including, older persons, children and individuals with mobility difficulties.
• Any biodiversity measures will not create barriers to the use and access of the field for its users.
8. Monitoring and Review
• Review in line with Section 6 reporting cycle (every 3 years)
• Adjust actions based on practicality and resources
9. Reporting
The Council will publish a Section 6 Report every three years, setting out:
• Actions taken
• Outcomes achieved
• Future priorities
10. Conclusion
Llansadwrn Community Council will take a balanced, proportionate and lawful approach to its biodiversity duty, ensuring that:
• Biodiversity is maintained where practicable
• The community field remains a safe, inclusive and well-used asset for the community
• Statutory and practical obligations are met
6.6.26
Llansadwrn