Agenda item

A proposal to introduce a Staff Environmental Charter to embed and inspire the consideration of environmental and carbon impacts when making decisions, implementing policies, and interacting with the wider District and County. The proposed Environmental Charter also encourages the consideration of climate change in staff’s everyday lives when working from home or the office with particular consideration to transport, waste and energy.

The actions in the Charter are a response to the declaration of a Climate Emergency in 2019 followed by a Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy and associated action plan put together to aid the Council and the District to reach net-zero carbon by 2030 and 2045 respectively.

The Head of Community Partnerships reported that this was a proposal to introduce a Staff and Member Environmental Charter although the title of the report had not included “Member” it should be for both Staff and Members which was outlined within the report.The reason for the Charter was to look to embed our Climate Change ethos across the Council in our everyday work in making decisions, implementing policies, day to day working life of staff and Members.This would only form a small part of our action plan but would help to deliver the declaration made by the Council two years ago around the Climate Emergency.The Charter would be included as part of the new staff inductionsand wouldlook topromote thework weare doingacross theCouncil such asthe GreenHeroes project.It wasfelt thatthe Charterwas importantfor staff/members who are not directly involved in delivering the Climate Change projectsbut allhave apart toplay. Theappendix attachedto thereport wasan example of the type of poster the Council would look to put up around the Council offices to promote our vision.The poster focused on signing everyone up to how the Council want to work and would be used as part of the induction with the second part around what we are looking to do across the District as part of our Climate Change strategy.

Councillor Phil Williams welcomed the report coming to the Committee and movedthe recommendation,seconded byCouncillor MatthewBedford. The Councillorwas pleasedto seethe Councilwere nowholding somemeetings virtually.

A Member said they were very environmentally minded and supported the implementation of the Charter but questioned the wording which seemed to move into the personal life of staff/members. The Member would not wish to see someonesanctioned becausethey hadtheir thermostathigh oneday and wanted to make sure the Council were not intending to sanction anyone.

Councillor Alex Hayward thought there was an issue with the wording and allowingpeople tohave freedomto dowhat theywant athome andshould not refer to people’s home life.

TheChair hadread thewording asaiming toinspire peopleto changetheir behaviour and had no concerns.

A Member could not understand the concerns that were being raised around thewording andit wasup tothe peoplethemselves whetherthey adhereto the Charter or not.

Councillor AndrewScarth thought thepoint inthe Chartercould beamended to read “Aim to inspire our officers to be advocates for Climate Change.”

The ChiefExecutive advisedthat thereport hadbeen broughtto theCorporate Management Team, which HR are a member of, and everyone on the Team was happy with the Charter.

Councillor Alex Hayward moved an amendment to the Charter wording, secondedby CouncillorReena Ranger,for theCharter toread “Aimto inspire our officers to be advocates for Climate Change at work and in their personal lives should they choose to.”

Onbeing putto theCommittee theamendment tothe motionwas declared LOST by the Chair the voting being 3 For, 7 Against and 2 Abstentions.

The original motion to adopt the Charter as worded and to form part of the Council’scommitment todeliver theClimate andSustainability ActionPlan was declared CARRIED by the Chair the voting being 8 For, 0 Against and 4 Abstentions.

RECOMMEND:

The Environmental Charter as part of the Council’s commitment to deliver theClimate and Sustainability Action Plan.