Agenda item

To receive an update report on Telford & Wrekin Council becoming Carbon Neutral and Plastic Free.

The Climate Change & Sustainability Team Leader presented Members with an update on the Council’s efforts to becoming Carbon Neutral and Plastic Free. The report which was presented to Cabinet on 19 October 2023 highlighted the Council’s decision to declare a climate emergency in 2019 and that by 2030 the Council would be Carbon Neutral and Plastic Free. The report also outlined that the Council was on target to have a 70% reduction in carbon emissions and plastic use by 2027. Members were presented with a number of examples of work that the Council had recently undertaken to reduce carbon emissions including decarbonising Oakengates leisure centre, the installation of 140 electric vehicle charging points and retrofit of facilities such as the swimming pool in Newport which had reduced gas usage by 40%.

Members were informed of future projects including work to secure funding to support the retrofit of sites across Wellington. Officers were also supporting residents across the Borough to cut down their carbon emissions through the provision of LED lightbulbs. The report also highlighted that this goal was beyond just the Council’s emissions but also aimed to support residents across the Borough to reduce their emissions and would further supports the Climate Change Adaptation Plan due to be presented at a meeting of Full Council in late2024 and the Corporate Risk Register to support with both adaptation and mitigation.

Following the presentation of the report, Members posed the following questions:

Were residents, Ward Members and Parish/Town Councils consulted on the development of the 140 electric vehicle charging spaces across the Borough?

Officers noted Members comments on the difficulties that the planned charging locations had presented and advised that further discussions with Members could take place to find the best solution.

How much engagement has there been with Town and Parish Councils regarding the plastic free agenda?

Officers were unable to provide full details at the time of the meeting but that they were still actively working on the plastic free agenda. Work was ongoing to support Town and Parish Councils to be accredited and there were currently three Councils with the accreditation. The Cabinet Member: Climate Action, Green Spaces, Heritage & Leisure said that the Council had been one of the first to declare the ambition to be plastic free and work was being undertaken to provide information to Town and Parish Councils on how to reduce plastic usage.

Could plans be implemented to include electric charging points at leisure centres?

Members were informed that the funding application required the charging points to be near residential areas.

Members commented on the positive work that had taken place with electric vehicle charging points and the work undertaken so far to reduce the level of carbon emissions within the Borough.

What were the costs for installing electric vehicle charging points?

The 140 charging points were out for tender and Officers would work with suppliers to share the cost information.

Following the discussion, Members voted on the recommendation outlined in the report.

RESOLVED – that the update on Telford and Wrekin Council Becoming Carbon Neutral and Plastic Free, be noted and reviewed by the Environment Scrutiny Committee.

Councillors T J Nelson and I Preece left the meeting at 6:36pm.