Agenda and minutes

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RESOLVED that - the minutes of the meeting held on 6 October 2021 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

To receive the presentation of Fliss Mercer (Director: Communities, Customer & Commercial Services).

The Cabinet Member: Climate Change, Green Spaces, Natural & Historic Environment will attend.

The Director: Communities, Customer and Commercial Services delivered an update presentation the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan (the Plan).

A climate emergency was declared in July 2019 and the Authority aimed for carbon neutrality by 2030 with carbon emissions for the Borough at large to be net zero that same year. In the summer of 2020, the boroughwide Climate Partnership had been established and since the Plan had originally been presented to Cabinet in February 2020, there had been two updates to Cabinet (in March and November 2021).

In terms of emissions, there had been sustained downward progress from the 2018-2019 baseline year. In the two years to the meeting, there had been a 58% reduction in emissions. There was still progress to be made but it was thought positive that sustainable progress had been made during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A number of actions that had been delivered were noted:

-       Retrofititng – eleven retrofit schemes had been completed, a further three were in progress, and two schemes were at the funding application stage. These schemes were 60% grant funded with the Authority only contributing 40% of the capital.

-       LED Lighting – since 2016, 99.3% of streetlights had been converted to LED, car park lights had been converted in 2020, funding had been approved for solar and LED light schemes in the Town Park.

-       IT – there had been a rollout of more efficient laptops and a new datacentre had been built with natural cooling systems.

-       Transport – the Authority had purchased six electric vans, a further seven were on order for a range of departments. Two electric minibuses had been ordered for the Arthog Outdoor Education Centre. Two e-bikes had been ordered for enforcement officers.

-       Dual aperture recycling bins – the initiative, recommended by the Committee, was being piloted in the Town Park.

The Authority had undertaken a number of community projects. Schemes noted included the Climate Change Fund, the Trees and Seeds for Telford and Wrekin programme, the Ocean Fish Trail initiative, and a Carbon Watcher pilot programme that was being set up. 

Telford & Wrekin Council had been involved in a series of partnership programmes; helping to establish the Climate Change Partnership in the Borough, setting up the Plastic Free Taskforce, and working as part of the Integrated Care System with health organisations and Shropshire Council.

Members heard that the Authority had a number of upcoming projects as part of the Plan:

-       In Newport, decarbonisation work was being undertaken at the swimming pool with grant funding to install an air source heat pump, improve insulation, and to lessen the depth of the pool. It was anticipated that these works would result in a saving of 115 tonnes of Co2e per annum. 

-       The NuPlace development at Southwater Way was the most sustainable NuPlace project to date, the first tenants would be moving into their properties in February 2022 and all properties at the development were reserved. The Council had received feedback on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item ENVSC40

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