Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to outline the results of the consultation on the draft Climate Emergency and Sustainability strategy, which was agreed at CCLC in March 2023, and to seek adoption of the final strategy detailed at Appendix 1. This report also provides an update on the Climate Emergency and Sustainability action plan.

Recommendation

That the Climate Change, Community and Leisure Committee:

·        Approve the revised Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2023-2027 and recommend to the Policy and Resources committee for adoption

The Committee considered the report updating the Committee on the Council’s Climate Emergency & Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan.

The purpose of the present report was to outline the results of the consultation on the draft Climate Emergency and Sustainability strategy, which had been agreed at CCLC in March 2023, and to seek adoption of the Final Strategy set out at Appendix 1 of the report.

It was recommended that the Climate Change, Community and Leisure Committee:

1.    Approve the revised Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2023-2027 (“the Strategy”);

2.    Recommend the Strategy to the Policy and Resources Committee for adoption; and

3.    Note the updates arising from the Climate Change and Sustainability Action Plan

In the subsequent discussion, Ms Hewitson provided the following information in response to questions by Members of the Committee.

a)    Regarding Paragraph 2.11.6 of the report, which referred to the decision, in view of the overwhelming scientific evidence supporting climatic change caused by humans, not to take into consideration responses to the consultation based on climate change denial, it was noted that this was a very small percentage of all the responses received. Officers were engaged in an information campaign to make residents aware of the causes of climate change.

It was proposed that any information campaign should focus on those residents indifferent to the issue of climate change rather than those residents who were unlikely to change their views with regard to the causes of climate change and who were climate change deniers.

b)    Noting Paragraph 2.11.2 of the report which referred to criticism about the Strategy and Action Plan’s lack of SMART and measurable targets, it was noted that there were various dates, including national and local targets, for or achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions (“net zero”).

c)    To the extent that the 2030 net zero target was aspirational or realistic, it was noted that the 2030 target was optimistic. However, given that the Council had secured £300,000 funding from Innovate UK as one of 21 local authorities selected as a “Fast Follower” to overcome the non-technical barriers to net zero, it was incumbent upon the Council to try to achieve that target by 2045.

d)    Regarding funding to achieve net zero, it was noted that, as well as local authority and central government funding, there were other sources of funding including working with community organisations, such as Grand Union Community Energy,[1] which were being set up across the country, as well as working with publicly funded projects. Accordingly, officers were looking at all possible sources of funding.

e)    To encourage residents to address issues of climate change, Council Members could encourage residents to become part of the “Transition Streets” pilot program which would encourage domestic decarbonisation and more suitable living. It was hoped that the pilot project would have a snowball effect which would draw more households and streets into the programme.

f)      Regarding responses to the consultation, it was noted that these were detailed in Appendices 2 & 3 of the report.

At this stage in the proceedings, the Chair invited Councillor Mitchell to address the Committee. Councillor Mitchell stated that he endorsed the work being carried out by Ms Hewitson and the Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy. He stated that he was concerned about how to measure the effectiveness of the strategy in the wider community and obtaining sufficient funding for the various climate change initiatives.

In response, Ms Hewitson noted that the results of the District Council’s climate change initiatives were reported retrospectively in June of each year. Ms Hewitson informed the Committee that an additional member of staff would be joining her Team in November and, therefore, there would be four officers (not all full-time) in the Team.

Councillor Tankard spoke passionately in support of the Strategy and Action Plan and the work of Climate Change & Sustainability Strategy Team. In so doing, he exhorted Members of the Committee that the various targets and ambitions set out in the Strategy and Action Plan were achievable and that it behoved the Council to do everything necessary to ensure that the various targets and deadlines were met. Therefore, he moved that the Committee approve the recommendations set out in the report. Councillor Drury seconded the motion. On a show of hands, the Chair announced that Members were unanimous in their support for the motion.

RESOLVED: That the Climate Change, Community and Leisure Committee –

1.    Approve the revised Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2023-2027 and recommend it to the Policy and Resources Committee for adoption; and

2.    Note the updates arising from the Climate Change and Sustainability Action Plan.