Lack of Biodiversity officers

The Association of Local Government Ecologists produced a report in November 2013 called ‘Ecological Capacity and Competence in English Planning Authorities: What is needed to deliver statutory obligations for biodiversity?’. It states, ‘The results show that many local planning authorities do not currently have either the capacity and/or the competence to undertake the effective, and in some cases necessarily lawful, assessment of planning applications where biodiversity is a material consideration.’ I would have thought that being two of only three London boroughs without a biodiversity officer places Hackney and Waltham Forest at the very bottom of any league table of competence, and would call for this to be rectified immediately.    

Not sure you will find the report as the web site seems very out of date!

ALGE