Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Green Spaces, Natural & Historic Environment presented the report of the Director: Communities, Customer & Commercial Services.

It was COP26 at the time of the meeting and the Council was present at COP26 via the LGA Pass the Planet campaign. Locally, the Council was undertaking a number of COP26 related events, such as the Ocean Fish Trail.

The Council continued to make progress towards its net zero 2030 target, carbon emissions for the year 2020/21 had been reduced by 33% on the previous financial year. This was in part a result of new ways of working, with less travel involved in council activities and more work carried out via Microsoft Teams.

However, the Council’s own carbon footprint was only part of the wider picture for the Borough. The Council had continued to play an active role in the Borough’s Climate Change Partnership, helping to develop a draft action plan and completing a consultation on the plan. The consultation period had finished and included input from 525 people including children and young people. Additionally, a £1 million community bond scheme was to be established to support environmental projects in the Borough. 

Members welcome the report praising the positive steps that had been made.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrat/Independent Group stated support for the policy but noted that he would wish to see greater funding for tree planting initiatives to combat the impact of ash dieback.

The Leader of the Conservative Group welcomed the report but noted that the impact of lockdowns would have to be taken into account with regard to the reduction in the Council’s carbon emissions in the year 2020/21.

RESOLVED – that

a) The progress the Council had made over the past 12 months in its journey to become carbon neutral by 2030 and how the Council would continue to work to reduce carbon emissions from the Council’s operations and activities and influence carbon reduction Borough-wide be noted;

b) The launch of a £1 million Community Bond as detailed in this report be approved and authority delegated to the Director: Finance and Human Resources to agree terms and any documentation to give effect to the implementation of the bond and any projects as detailed in the report.

c) That it be noted that the report was in relation to the Council’s response to the Climate Emergency Declaration and would be referred to Full Council for information as part of the ‘Matters Determined by the Cabinet’ report.