Issue - meetings

To receive the Climate Change Adaptation report.

The Project Support Officer – Climate Change and Sustainability presented the Climate Change Adaptation report to the Committee. The presentation summarised the different climate events across the world over the last year and its impact on areas such as environmental, social and economic aspects of society. The presentation summarised some of the mitigations that were in place to reduce carbon emissions such as the adoption of a tree policy which included the planting a mixture of native and non-native species.

The adoption of a Climate Change Adaptation Policy was said to be focussed on the National context. The goal was said to examine how the best way it was to adopt the policy whilst maintaining consistent services across all Council services.

The development of the plan was said to take a two-pronged approach. These were to identify the risks as part of a developing Climate Change Risk Register and to develop actions to mitigate the identified risks.

Members were presented examples of risk registers and Adaptation plans from other local authorities such as Blaby District Council and Stafford Borough Council.

The next steps of establishing a Climate Adaptation Plan was summarised to Members to focus on developing the plan for March 2024 and to work with Members in forming the plan. Some possible external partners were mentioned such as the Environment Agency and Public Health bodies.

Following the presentation, Members posed the following questions and discussions.

Is there still a Climate Change Taskforce?

There was still the Plastic Free Task Force and the Climate Change Partnership.

Members thanked Officers for presenting the work and would like to be more involved with the development of the plan as well as hearing further information such as the work done by Glasgow Council.

How would the Scrutiny Committee add further value to the development of the plan?

The Director: Communities: Customer and Commercial Services explained that the approach presented to Members would allow scrutiny to help inform the development of the Adaptation plan.

Could Town and Parish Councils as well as those that live in the Borough support the development of the plan?

Members of the public would be able to support the development of the plan and feedback into its development.

Members recognised the importance of developing this plan with the increasing Climate Emergency both locally and nationally. Members voted on the recommendations.

Resolved –

The Environment Scrutiny reviewed the proposed approach to developing a Corporate Climate Change Adaptation Plan and recommended to form a working group to explore this further.