Cabinet Decisions

Pollinators are declining at a fast pace which will impact our food security and biodiversity with wide ranging consequences. One of the main reasons for this decline is the loss of wild areas and flowers providing insects with food and a place to live.

As we manage our open spaces in house, we can make changes to grass cutting regimes to help stop this decline. Not cutting in May (No mow May) as promoted by the charity Plantlife will increase the number of little flowers in parks. Also, changes to cutting in certain allocations along the seafront, as promoted by the Bumblebee Trust and Kent Wildlife Trust, will create wildflower grasslands and provide pollen for a wider range of bees and butterflies.

TDC called a climate and ecological emergency in July 2019 and this change in cutting regime is the one of the first steps taken to address the emergency.  It is well documented that areas high in biodiversity improves wellbeing and has a positive effect on mental health, and so the benefits of this project will go beyond protecting beautiful butterflies and bees. 

Cabinet agreed to approve the proposed trial change in grass cutting regimes based on the 4 levels of management for Open Spaces as described in the Cabinet report. Summary as follows:

1.  Regular amenity cut in areas that need to be cut short

2.  No Mow May in parks and some squares

3.  Reduced cutting for pollinators in specific areas to create wildflower meadows.

4.  Continue cut and collect, hay meadow management at Westbrook Undercliff and Foreness Point.

Cabinet also agreed to delegate authority to the Director of Operations, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Operational Services, to approve minor amendments to the policy.

In 2017 Thanet District Council consulted on a new dog  Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for dog fouling, exclusion and dog control, which was adopted and came into force on 25 October 2017 and extended until 25 October 2023. 

The decision is that the current PSPO is altered to support the suggested minor amendments until  2023 and adopted in accordance with the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB), Crime and Policing Act 2014 to provide better management of the coastal areas and support wildlife conservation.

To approve that the current PSPO is amended to last until 2023 and adopted in accordance with the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB), Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Thanet District Council is proposing to introduce a new Beaches and Coast Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). Creating a new PSPO will help protect our coastline and beaches with one code of conduct that replaces all previous beach byelaws. The introduction of the new PSPO will create a safer beach environment for all to enjoy, through deterring and reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and other undesirable activities, which our local communities and visitors are impacted by currently.

Cabinet agreed to adopt the new beaches and coast PSPO on 18 March 2021, in accordance with the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB), Crime and Policing Act 2014.