Agenda item

To receive an update on the Council's Corporate Climate Change Adaption Plan.

The Climate Change & Sustainability Team Leader presented an update to the Committee on the work undertaken by the Council in relation to Climate Change Adaptation.

In 2019, the Council declared a Climate Emergency and set out an ambitious target to ensure its activities and operations were carbon neutral by 2030. At the time of the meeting, the Council had achieved a 60% reduction in emissions since 2018/19 through mitigation strategies.

The report provided a summary of the Council’s focused efforts on both mitigation and adaptation and the need for an adaptation plan following an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events. Members heard that the development of an adaptation plan had ensured business continuity, particularly during emergencies and demonstrated a proactive approach taken by the Council to manage future climate risks. A graph presented to the Committee during the meeting showed a rise in average temperatures since the pre-industrial era, with the hottest years occurring since the 1990s. A further graph illustrated an increase in rainfall intensity and extreme weather events. 

Since presenting the last update to Committee in March 2024, the Council had been working on the development of a climate change risk register and the implementation of several new adaptation measures. Members heard that many of the Council’s mitigation efforts were already supporting adaptation such as the Council’s housing scheme Nuplace which had continued to promote climate resilience through low-carbon housing design with the installation of solar panels, electric vehicle (EV) charging points and high insulation standards.

The Council had also implemented a Climate Change Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to encourage best design practices to reduce overheating in buildings. The Council’s Tree Policy had continued to promote biodiversity through the planting of native and non-native species and the Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDs) handbook had helped manage surface water runoff and reduce flood risks.

Members also heard how strategic planning policies had supported adaptation. The Council’s Local Plan outlined how developments should reduce water demand, manage flood risk, incorporate sustainable drainage and ensure resilience in public spaces. Developers would be required to submit sustainability statements demonstrating how projects contributed to climate change objectives including net zero targets.

The report highlighted how community engagement had been a key focus The Annual Climate Change Borough Partnership Conference was held in October 2024 to raise awareness and encourage local organisations to consider adaptation strategies. The current Council Plan also emphasised building community resilience, with support provided through local flood groups, Councillor’s pride funding for adaptation projects and signposting to funding sources such as Reaching Communities England.

Looking ahead, Members were informed that the Council had planned to keep the Climate Change Risk register under regular review, with an updated version expected to be presented to Cabinet in October 2025. The update would form part of a broader report of the Council’s progress towards reducing emissions. Additionally, the Council would also be exploring how to integrate climate adaptation into its business continuity planning.

In response to questions raised during the meeting, the Climate Change & Sustainability Team Leader confirmed that the Council was well ahead of the curve in respect of climate change adaptation and mitigation and that the proactive approach, including the development of a comprehensive Climate Change Risk Register, integration of sustainability into planning policies, and community engagement initiatives had placed the Council amongst leading local authorities in this area.

The Climate Change & Sustainability Team Leader also advised Members that the Council had a flood plan in place and had already identified and mapped out areas which were most at risk. It was noted that in order to effectively tackle issues around flooding, the Council would need to continue working closely with national agencies and other stakeholders to share responsibility to manage and reduce flood risks. Whilst the Council had a role in mitigation and resource allocation, long-term solutions would require coordinated efforts across multiple levels.

The Cabinet Member: Neighbourhoods, Planning & Sustainability stated that at the time of the meeting, the Government had also recently announced national funding to help the Severn Trent Drainage Board to address key drainage issues. The Council had promoted the use of sustainable drainage systems to manage water on-site in a more controlled and environmentally friendly manner. Whilst some systems had been seen as unattractive, the Council had continued to work to create spaces that were both functional and aesthetically pleasing such as pond areas.

In response to a question raised around processes for testing and reviewing business continuity plans, the Climate Change & Sustainability Team Leader advised that business continuity plans were not only about identifying why floods had occurred but were also in place to ensure that critical services could continue to operate despite the disruption. There had been a significant overlap between the emergency response process and business continuity, and it was noted that the continuity framework had remained active and relevant. The Council had conducted several drills and simulations as part of the testing process and whilst many were not specifically focused on climate change, they did address scenarios which would have been exacerbated as a result of climate change.

The Cabinet Member: Neighbourhoods, Planning & Sustainability commented how in places such as Ironbridge, the response system had become a well-oiled machine out of necessity and that, that model had been later adopted in other parts of the Borough. The same approach had also been applied to trees following a significant number of trees coming down during storms. Although all trees had been surveyed and assessed by the Council, trees which were healthy were brought down as a result of the weather, highlighting how difficult it had been to predict outcomes and the balance between managing risk and preserving the environment.