Agenda item

To approve the Telford and Wrekin Climate Change Adapatation Plan.

The Cabinet Member: Climate Action, Green Spaces, Heritage & Leisure presented the Telford and Wrekin Climate Change Adaption Plan.

In 2019 Telford and Wrekin Council declared a Climate Emergency and set out an ambitious target to ensure its activities and operations were carbon neutral by 2030.  Climate change mitigation was being undertaken by implementing actions to reduce the release of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. The Council had already delivered 60% reduction in emissions compared to a 2018/19 baseline.

However, as a local authority, Telford & Wrekin Council must ensure that its services could react to current and future predicted impacts of climate change, known as climate change adaptation.

In the UK, it was predicted that climate change would cause warmer, wetter, winters, and hotter, drier, summers. This is coupled with a predicted increase in frequency of extreme weather events, such as storms and droughts.

Flooding remained one of the biggest risks to the local area as frequent storms impacted the infrastructure, homes, and businesses.  Flash flooding had been experienced across the borough with infrastructure unable to cope with the intensity of the rainfall.

Extreme weather events had a huge impact on peoples’ health, staying active and food prices. 

Six key risks had been identified as flooding, temperatures, water supply shortages, impact on eco systems and biodiversity, food production and pests and diseases.  It was asked that a cross-party pledge be encouraged to counter misinformation.

The Plan took a risk management approach to meet the needs of services and enabled the Council to be prepared for any intense flooding events.  Input had been received from the Environment Scrutiny Committee, a member workshop together with input from Members. 

Risk management would be kept under continual review, which was best practice, and to ensure that it remained valid to cope with any forthcoming challenges.

Members welcomed the report and commented on the effects of climate change year on year particularly in relation to health implications, GP and medical services, the effect on roads and infrastructure and increases in maintenance and repair costs.  It was important to identify hazards and risks and adapt to deal with any issues, share information and learn from experience.  Cool spaces during spells of heat were welcomed together with the joint work with the ICS and their guidance on keeping residents safe.

The Leader of the Conservative Group encouraged cross-party working with the Council although he felt that he could not guarantee unconditional support.  He acknowledged the contribution and commitment to climate change and that it was sensible to have a set of plans in place but that this would require continual revision.  It was asked that problems that had already been highlighted be recognised and resolved and not be included within the adaption plan and that Parish and Town Councils be consulted in relation to identify and clearing of drains and mitigating against floods.   Severn Trent need to look after the drinking water.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group welcomed the report and asked that officers work with Severn Trent to resolve the disputes in order to reduce the impact of flooding on residents.

The Leader expressed that there were sadly things that could not be done due to the savings require each year.   The Council could only do so much, and he requested that the Environment Agency work alongside to the Council to install semi-permanent flood barriers in the Ironbridge Gorge.  In relation to Severn Trent the Council had to compete with other areas for infrastructure improvements.  Working with Parish and Town Councils required cooperation in order to undertake joint working.  With regard to planning and working with developers, powers were required to be put into place in order to hold developers to account and to ensure this was not costly and complex in time and money. 

The Cabinet Member: Climate Action, Green Spaces, Heritage & Leisure commented that the Council worked well with the Environment Agency and Severn Trent but that it could be complicated.  Severn Trent had previously engaged with the Environment Scrutiny Committee; gulley cleaning was not always simple with some work needing suitable arrangements putting in place.  There was presumption in favour of development and the Council had to have good grounds for refusal.  She hoped that in the future home standards would include solar panels grey water recycling systems and energy efficient fabric of buildings.  Further mitigation and adaption would be continued to drive down emissions by 2030.

RESOLVED – that:

a)    the importance of addressing the impacts that current and future climate change will have on the Council’s ability to deliver its services to its residents, communities, and businesses be noted;

b)   the Corporate Climate Change Adaptation Plan be approved; and

c)    delegated authority be granted to the Cabinet Member for Climate Change Action, Green Spaces, Heritage & Leisure and the Director for Communities, Customer and Commercial Services to ensure that the risk register is kept under regular review and updates are received by Cabinet on an annual basis.