To provide an update on the progress of the Cabinet Commission and set out the Council's future Phosphate Mitigation Strategy to enable housing development in the Lugg catchment and to provide a progress update on the work of the Cabinet Commission.

That:

 a) To note the successful completion of Phase 1 of the Council’s Nutrient Trading Phosphate mitigation scheme.

b) To authorise the Section 151 Officer to accept the capital and revenue grants from the Department for Levelling up Homes and Communities outlined in this report.

 c) To authorise Phases 2 and 3 of the Council’s Nutrient Trading Phosphate Mitigation scheme

d) To delegate authorisation to proceed with Phases 2 and 3 of the Council’s Nutrient Trading Phosphate Mitigation Scheme to the Corporate Director of Economy and Environment in consultation with the Cabinet members for Finance and Resources and the Cabinet member for Environment.

 e) To work with partner Council’s to undertake a review of the future role of the Cabinet Commission

1. Not to proceed with any further Council led mitigation schemes. This would lead to continued under delivery of new Housing in the Lugg Sub-Catchment. Proceeding to phase 2 and 3 of the scheme will see costs met by additional grant from central government or developer fees and will not cause any additional burden on local council taxpayers.

 2. To not develop any further wetlands and invite the private sector to bring forward their own mitigation schemes. Herefordshire is the first Council to bring forward a Phosphate mitigation scheme. Whilst the Council welcomes proposals for private mitigation schemes and recognises they form a vital part of the solution, the private sector does not have the delivery capabilities to provide sufficient mitigation of the scale and speed required and this would result in considerable delays before the market brought forward credits. The Ecology service has set up an advisory service to support private mitigation schemes.