A POLLINATOR strategy is set to be created at Clackmannanshire Council after the first motion by the Wee County's first Green councillor was agreed.

Cllr Bryan Quinn tabled a motion at last week's meeting in a bid to tackle the decline of pollinator species, not just bees, in the area and to review the local authority's biodiversity action plan.

The motion also sought to rename the Climate Change Forum, established last year, to the Climate Change and Biodiversity Forum to reflect the issue's importance.

While the virtual Kilncraigs chamber was in agreement with the motion, the renaming will not go ahead following an amendment by Cllr Fiona Law who sought to keep the forum's name unchanged.

Tabling the motion, Cllr Quinn said: "Bumblebees are really essential to what we do, it's important we support them.

"Over the 20th century two species of bumblebee became extinct in the UK, there's many more species that are currently under threat.

"They are an important part not only of our ecosystem and environment but it's important part of the economy as well."

Cllr Law explained Climate Change Forum encompassed all aspects of the issue to be looked at while Cllr Quinn said the emphasis on biodiversity comes as it plays a big part in the solution.

"Biodiversity is not a small part of the solution, it's a big part of what's going on – it's essential to life on earth," he continued.

"By putting biodiversity in the name it helps keep its importance there, I don't think it's often given the attention it needs."

He added: "We can reduce and cut our emissions, we can go net zero on things, but we can still all be dead if we don't look after biodiversity and we've got no food to eat."

Representatives were split on the issue, voting nine to seven for the amendment with Cllr Darren Lee abstaining.

He said: "I fully support the motion, I don't think the name makes any difference, it's the action that makes the difference."