Southwark Council faces mounting pressure to accelerate its response to the biodiversity crisis, with community groups and councillors demanding swifter implementation of measures to protect and enhance local wildlife.
The Environment Scrutiny Commission convened on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, to scrutinise progress on the council's Biodiversity Scrutiny Review. While some advancements have been noted, significant concerns remain regarding the pace and effectiveness of actions aimed at safeguarding the borough's natural environment.
Biodiversity Crisis Urgency
Anna Colligan of Southwark Nature Action Volunteers (SNAV) presented alarming data, highlighting a 25% decline in bird numbers in Dulwich over 13 years in one location and a 20% drop in another over two decades. The non-human residents of Southwark are actually having large chunks of their population disappear as a result of the stresses that they're facing,
she stated, underscoring the severity of the ecological emergency, which she equates to the climate crisis.
Concerns were voiced about the practical execution of green connectivity initiatives, with instances of volunteer plantings being removed by maintenance teams due to a lack of awareness. Simon Saville of SNAV echoed these sentiments, particularly regarding depaving opportunities and the absence of a structured approach to creating ecological corridors. He also expressed disappointment with the council's response to recommendations concerning vehicle footway crossovers, suggesting that more robust action is needed.
Progress and Challenges
Liam Nash, an ecology officer, provided an update on the 34 recommendations from the 2024 Biodiversity Scrutiny Review. Of these, 10 were fully accepted and 24 partially accepted by Cabinet. One year later, seven recommendations have been completed, 13 are integrated into ongoing business-as-usual activities, 10 are in progress, and four remain under consideration.
Key achievements include the refresh of the Southwark Nature Action Plan (SNAP) to align with the London Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS). The refresh of SNAP, originally published in 2020, is intended to be a robust nature recovery action plan aligned with the London-wide strategy and is expected to be published by next year, with the Southwark Nature Recovery Action Plan (SNRAP) anticipated in 2027. Furthermore, mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG) has been fully embedded into planning policy, with additional biodiversity considerations applied by condition. However, the national planning framework, updated in August 2026, limits local councils from setting BNG standards above the mandatory 10% minimum without full justification. The Southwark Plan review will investigate evidence and best practices for increasing BNG requirements.
Councillor Graham Neale highlighted that the council's response to the recommendation on vehicle footway crossovers did not sufficiently address the detailed concerns raised. The report indicates that Highways and Planning are exploring the introduction of an Article 4 Planning Condition on all vehicle footway crossovers (VFCs) and increasing the minimum design standard to 6m. Liam Nash acknowledged that this is an area outside his direct expertise and that a more comprehensive response would be provided.
Calls for Enhanced Action
Councillor Ruth Bannister sought information on the council's strategy for educating residents on biodiversity and wildlife-friendly practices. Councillor Catherine Dawkins inquired about the potential for the voluntary sector to support training for council officers. Liam Nash responded positively, noting that while it's a good idea, securing funding for such training remains a challenge, even if external organisations deliver it, as it still requires officer time for coordination.
Councillor Bullock requested clearer metrics on how the plan aims to stabilise or increase biodiversity levels within the borough. The council is developing measurable deliverables for the next iteration of the nature action plan. Simon Saville proposed a spatial target, such as increasing the percentage of land managed primarily for wildlife in parks and green spaces from 30% to 40% by 2030, as a sensible metric. Liam Nash agreed that while outcomes can be difficult to monitor, delivery-based metrics are being developed.
Officers acknowledged the constraints, particularly concerning officer capacity and resource limitations. The ecology team currently comprises two ecology officers and support staff, with many team members on fixed-term contracts, raising concerns about long-term stability. Nash expressed his concern: I just wish there was ten Liams and ten Hollies and ten Erasmus, and I'm quite terrified that you will disappear after you don't understand that you are on short-term contracts.
Four recommendations from the 2024 Biodiversity Scrutiny Review remain 'under consideration': Recommendation 13 on vehicle footway crossovers, Recommendation 25 on a training programme for biodiversity and wildlife-friendly management, Recommendation 30 on mapping food growing plots, and Recommendation 32 on developing a Community Gardening / urban food growing policy. The Environment Scrutiny Commission meeting information can be found in the Agenda frontsheet and the Public reports pack.
