Agenda item

Three Rivers District Council heard the climate change motion on Tuesday 21 May 2019 at Council, which was put forward by the Leader, Cllr Sara Bedford and Councillors: Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Chris Lloyd, Alex Michaels, Sarah Nelmes, Andrew Scarth and Dominic Sokalski.

The motion asked for the details of the strategy to be brought for consideration by the Council. It requested the Council to work with partners in the public and private sectors and engage with residents and businesses to gain their input and support when developing the strategy.

The motion commits the Council to use all practical means to reduce the impact of council services on the environment and use planning regulations and the Local Plan to cut carbon emissions. It also calls for help from the Government to provide the support and resources needed to progress the action plan.

A draft Climate Change Strategy was presented to the LEC Committee on 7th October 2020 which was recommended by the Committee for public consultation. The Consultation was formally completed on 30 November 2020.

This report presents the revised Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy, (attached at Appendix A) which includes new ambitions in relation to climate change and sustainability, our achievements so far, and how we can lead, enable and engage individuals and businesses to adopt pro-environmental behaviours to reduce their environmental impacts. The associated action plan will be developed and used by officers to deliver the strategy once agreed.

The Acting Head of Community Partnerships presented the Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2021-2026 to the Committee.  The consultation had provided a great insight into the emergency of the strategy and what we can do to achieve our objectives for Three Rivers.  

A presentation was provided to the Committee which would be published as an appendix to the minutes.  The presentation highlighted the suggested changes to be made to the strategy as a result of the consultation. 

A Member asked questions on a procedural matter on why the policy was coming to P&R Committee first and not the Leisure Committee then to P&R Committee to adopt.  The Principal Committee Manager advised that it was only the Policy and Resources Committee who could agree any new policy or strategy and the procedure was that it always had to come to this Committee first before going to the relevant Service Committee.  Once the strategy was adopted all the details/action plan could then be presented to the Leisure Committee and would not need to come back to this Committee.  It was only because it was a new Policy/Strategy that it was coming to this Committee. 

The Lead Member for Environmental Services and Sustainability thanked Joanna Hewitson, Elen Roberts and Ellie Nathan for all their hard work on the strategy and for getting the strategy prepared so quickly which had been a very hard task and they should all be commended.  This was endorsed by all the Committee Members. 

A Member made the following comments:

•           Could the strategy include a review to re-wild verges on Three Rivers land which could be immediately actioned and could set a tangible target to achieve? 

•           To introduce no idling zones outside schools as they believed the Lead Member was looking into this which could then be enforced by the parking enforcement team.

•           Put in a presumption that front driveways should not be 100% hardstanding although appreciated this would not be appropriate in all circumstances.

•           Proactively remedy water logging which was happening on our own land with some areas waterlogged and referred to Rickmansworth Golf Course.

•           A motion was passed at full Council regarding the planting of trees but was not included in the strategy.

•           Could the new tree strategy coming forward be included?

•           Can we include planning conditions to ensure we have hedgehog friendly boundary treatments?

•           Alternative methods of travel - we don’t always have a genuine choice of transport modes in Three Rivers and we need to look at our parking standards to ensure that all dwellings have their own electric charging point.

•           Look at sustainably and generating our own energy from our land.

The Councillor agreed to forward all the points to the Lead Member.

The Climate Change Officer responded:

·                A review to re-wild our verges was happening at the moment with a biodiversity audit coming up in early summer, an opportunities audit and apilot project covering a number of areas this spring.

·                No idling zones – would discuss with the relevant officers.

·                Front driveways not being all hardstanding – details would be provided in the action plan if something more can be done on this.

The Lead Member advised that the Youth Council were going to be discussing no idling zones outside schools.  Officers would review the comments made about hedgehog friendly boundaries as part of the local plan. On Transport modes the cycling strategy had gone out for consultation and we are working on the electric charging points.  The Council were one of the leading authorities on climate change in England and having this strategy would move us further up the list of green Councils. 

The Acting Head of Community Partnerships advised that more detailed answers could be provided following consultation with other departments as the strategy did not just sit within Community Partnerships.

A Member raised concern that the Youth Council would lead on the no idling zones outside school. This should be a Member led piece of work.

A Member raised concern that we are asking businesses and residents to achieve the target of net-zero for the District’s emissions by 2045 at the latest. This would require a lot of support, encouragement and help especially coming out of the pandemic as businesses will just be trying to survive.  The Climate Change Officer advised that we will work with the Economic Development Team to raise awareness of the strategy and encourage businesses to be more sustainable. 

Members welcomed the engagement by Officers of the Environmental Forum and Local Area Forums on the strategy and the other many different ways they had engaged with everyone on the strategy.  It was noted that the strategy was not the detailed action plan, was not set in stone and would need to be changed as national legislation changes.

Councillor Matthew Bedford said the Committee should not agree any significant changes to the strategy at this time and that it would be sensible that Officers over the next few days obtain extra information for LEC and that the recommendation to Council could be amended by LEC subject to the information provided. This would mean that any areas where we could stop cutting the grass could be considered so that we do not wait another whole year. 

A Member said the Council had already re-wilded some areas across the District (Horses field being one) but the areas have to be properly managed, surveyed in advance and have a clear maintenance plan.  Members need to understand what land is in our ownership and what areas are suitable.  There are various different land owners across Three Rivers and Members should wait for further details from Officers and discuss at LEC on Wednesday evening.  The Council not only have the best recycling rates in the country but we are the only local authority with solar powered street lights in Leavesden County Park. There are other measures which can be introduced and HCC are undertaking work on a strategy from Central Government on electrical charging points but required the infrastructure to be installed and needed to be a national planning policy.  HCC are looking at active travel and having no idling zones at schools as part of the sustainability agenda as they have responsibility for the roads in Hertfordshire. We must work in tandem with them and our neighbours and not solely within Three Rivers.  Members need to understand that there will be additional costs to do all this work.

A Councillor outside the Committee welcomed the work already completed by the Council but wished to focus on biodiversity.  97% of our semi natural grassland across Hertfordshire had been lost according to the Herts Wildlife Trust - State of Nature report and was Hertfordshire’s most threatened habitat. Members need to consider increasing our biodiversity on our own land and to stop cutting grass before the season starts.  It will allow for our wildlife/insects to come back and next year we will hopefully see an increase.  We can also save money by not cutting the grass and it would provide a substantial amount of benefits for the Council and the residents. 

Another Member outside the Committee welcomed the strategy but one area of concern remained around biodiversity and to re-wild of verges and amenity spaces which had not been taken forward and did not wish to see this delayed and suggested a 30% reduction grass cutting of all amenity spaces this year.

Councillor Phil Williams moved, seconded by Chris Lloyd, that the Committee recommend the strategy to Council subject to any comments by the Leisure, Environment and Community Committee.

Councillor Matthew Bedford moved an amendment, duly seconded, that LEC address the points made around rewilding and the pieces of land which may be suitable following advice from Officers so they have a precise understanding and can then agree some wording which could be included in the recommendation on the strategy to Council.  The amendment was agreed by Councillor Phil Williams the proposer of the motion.

The Lead Member for Environmental Services and Sustainability summed up by saying we already have the Millennium Woods in Chorleywood (15 hectares), the Withey Beds in Tolpits Lane (another 15 hectares), grazing on the Moor and at Chorleywood House, Horses Field in Abbots Langley/Leavesden, The Bury grounds and the Orchard.  We need to take this baton and move forward and work with our partners in Hertfordshire to be carbon neutral.

On being put to the Committee the motion with the amendment was declared CARRIED by the Chair the voting being by general assent.

RECOMMEND:

The proposed Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy to Council for adoption subject to any comments made by the Leisure, Environment and Community Committee.

That LEC address the points made around rewilding and the pieces of land which may be suitable following advice from Officers so they have a precise understanding and can then agree some wording which could be included in the recommendation on the strategy to Council.