Agenda item

To receive and discuss the update of the Director: Communities, Customer and Commercial Services and the Climate Change & Sustainability Coordinator.

Councillor C Healy (Cabinet Member for Visitor Economy, Historic & Natural Environment and Climate Change) will also attend for this item.

The Director: Communities, Customer and Commercial Services delivered an update on the Council’s work to combat climate change.

The Council had declared a climate emergency in July 2019 and had a declared aim for carbon neutrality by 2030, for the Council, and the aspiration that the Borough would be carbon neutral by the same date. The Climate Change Action Plan was published in February 2020.

Despite the challenges presented in 2020, the Council had been delivering on its plan. Members heard that the Council had six new electric vans, with a value of 1 ton of carbon emissions saved; there was also the potential to replace further vehicles with electric vehicles in the future. The Council had also made progress with its sustainable buildings project, retrofitting buildings with solar panels and LED lighting. These were especially beneficial projects as they reduced emissions, saving 268t CO2e, and brought about costs savings and grant funding. Habitat creation had also created 9t CO2 storage from enhancing habitats. There had also been a pilot cutting scheme using hay from rich grassland in other areas.

Members were also informed of actions that had been delivered in the community. The Council’s Trees4TW scheme had been a success; having to be closed early due to the popularity of the scheme and the worry that oversubscription was likely. Work was also being carried out with the Council’s contractors to introduce carbon reduction plans and food recycling schemes.

Funding had been secured for new cycle stands and facilities and the Local Authority had been successful in a second round bid to carry out further work on cycling and footpath infrastructure.

The Council had engaged with residents over climate change actions; there had been campaigns to raise awareness for residents, a significant amount of work had been done around World Environment Day, campaigns on recycling week, and a reusable facemask campaign. Officers were encouraged by the responses received from residents in the Residents Survey. There was an strong appetite for greater action on climate change. 

A number of actions were in progress; eight more buildings would be retrofitted; officers were examining decarbonising heat and installing heat pumps; natural cooling was to be installed for the Councils data centre (an action brought forward from 2025).

NuPlace’s Southwater development had received planning approval and work would begin in early 2021. All units would have electric vehicle charge points and solar panels. A planning application for another site, at Donnington Wood Way, was also being submitted with the same environmental provisions and a number of additional features. Fifteen of the properties on the Donnington Wood Way site would be involved in a battery storage pilot scheme that would be monitored with a view to incorporating battery storage in future schemes.

A number of additional actions were under consideration such as a establishing a Climate Assembly, renewable generation auctions for residents, and verge rewilding amongst a range of other actions.

A discussion ensued and members asked a number of questions –

It was great to hear that the Trees4TW had been popular; could the Committee hear more on other habitats?

Often people think of woodland when they think of carbon storage but other habitats could be as beneficial. There was a commitment to bring forward schemes for habitat creation and there was Government funding for these schemes that the Council was actively bidding for.

Where was the Council in terms of the parish and town council climate change toolkit?

The toolkit had been shared and the councils were involved in the Climate Change Partnership. There were a number of grant funding opportunities for the councils which had not previously been applied for which were now receiving applications. The main barrier for organisations was match funding.

Could the Council look at requiring private builders to abide by the future homes standard?

House building was difficult as private developer’s viability reports stated that schemes would not be viable if they were to abide by such standards. Change would be needed at a national level, but the Council could lobby for change.

Could the Council examine having more local food in its own café and in schools? Would it also be possible to have a veggie day?

The Council wished to strengthen procurement so it had already looked at some of this. Discussions were being held with the café and schools over menus with a view to having vegetarian/vegan days. Work could be done with schools to encourage take up and a change in behaviour.