Issue - meetings

To receive and approve the Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/19/35) recommending an approach setting a revised energy and carbon strategy for the Council’s (DCC) operations in response to the climate emergency, together with the Minute 408 (a and b) of the Cabinet held on 9 October 2019.

The Report is attached.

The Council considered the recommendations of the Cabinet from the meeting held on 9 October 2019 relating to proposals for an approach in setting a revised energy and carbon strategy for the Council’s (DCC) operations in response to the climate emergency.

The Leader of the Council MOVED and Councillor McInnes SECONDED that the recommendations of Cabinet be approved and that the revised energy and carbon strategy, as set out at Minute 408 (a and b) of the Cabinet, be endorsed.

The motion was put to the vote and, nem con, declared CARRIED.

Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/19/35) recommending an approach setting a revised energy and carbon strategy for the Council’s (DCC) operations in response to the climate emergency, attached.

An Impact Assessment is attached for the attention of Members at this meeting.

A meeting of the Climate Change Standing Overview Group (Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee) will take place on Friday 4th October 2019 and will be making comment accordingly.

(Councillors Atkinson, Biederman, Connett, Dewhirst, Greenslade, Hannaford and Whitton attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Planning Transportation and Environment (PTE/19/35) on a revised Energy and Carbon Strategy, setting carbon reduction targets for the Council’s activity, circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

The Cabinet heard from the Chair of the Climate Change Standing Overview Group (Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee) updating the Cabinet on a meeting that took place on 4th October 2019. The Group had supported the recommendations in the Cabinet paper to declare the Authority would be carbon neutral by 2030 through the Corporate Carbon Footprint and Supply Chain Carbon Footprint targets outlined in the recommendations.

Additionally, the Climate Change Standing Overview Group had asked the Cabinet to

(a) Add additional targets and strategies in the plan to address the 30% (of current figures) residue corporate emissions after 2030 and not rely on carbon offset;

(b) Undertake discussions with Town and Parish councils to switch off streetlights;

(c) Write carbon reduction expectations into contracts for new leases;

(d) Review the heating strategy across the Council estate to encourage less carbon being used;

(e) Ask the LEP to invest in improvements in the link with national grid to support greater use of renewable sources of energy;

(f) Use influence to Improve and increase the grid capacity for electric vehicles;

(g) Explore the local opportunities around school transport to move to carbon neutrality;

(h) Explore the encouragement of train travel on Council business by putting on a shuttle bus to the station;

(i) In line with the Friends of the Earth ’33 actions local authorities can take on climate change’ report; Does not have a default position to build new roads, considering other options where possible, and have regard to the carbon impact of building new roads; and

(j) Explore greater opportunities to use the residual heat from waste processes including incineration for heating in localities.

The Leader highlighted that the issues raised could be considered further by the Cabinet Member for Community, Public Health, Transportation and Environmental Services and the Environmental Performance Board for incorporation into a revised Energy and Carbon Strategy.

The Cabinet noted that the Council’s corporate carbon footprint had fallen by almost 40% since 2012/13. The current target was to reduce the 2012/13 emissions by 50% by 2030, which was likely to occur by 2021, therefore a more ambitious target was needed, with consideration of when and how to achieve carbon neutrality. The Authority also explicitly needed to increase efforts to reduce emissions from its supply of procured goods and commissioned services, not currently included in the corporate carbon footprint.

The proposal was that the Authority should elect to be carbon neutral by 2030 by implementing a number of activities within its corporate carbon footprint and supply chain carbon footprints.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 408