FOI request (FOIR-679284721)

Ecological expertise

Requested Thu 16 January 2025
Responded Wed 22 January 2025

How does the local authority access ecological expertise? Is it through:

a. in-house ecological staff within the local authority,

b. through a Service Level Agreement/shared resource with another local authority,

c. through a Service Level Agreement with another body (for example, Wildlife Trust),

d. through other external expertise (for example, consultants),or

e. no access to ecological expertise?

If it is a mixture of the above, could you please specify what the arrangements are?

I am specifically looking for how the authority accesses staff/resources for implementing, delivering, monitoring and reporting on biodiversity net gain and other natural environment functions.

Response

a. Both internal and external.

b. No.

c. Planning matters are through a Service Level Agreement with East Sussex County Council.

d. No.

e. Not applicable