Issue - meetings

This report provides an annual update and a 5-year overview on the progress of the Council’s first Climate Change Action Plan.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Consider and note the progress made on the delivery of the Council’s first Climate Change Action Plan over the past year and over its 5-year term.

The Committee received a report providing an annual update and a 5-year overview on the progress of the Council’s first Climate Change Action Plan.

The Committee considered the following matters:

a)            Clarification of ‘fleet’. In response to a question from a Member, the Environment and Sustainability Officer explained that the term ‘fleet’ within the Action Plan referred collectively to all of the Council’s operational vehicles, whether owned by the Council directly or leased.

b)            Public Drinking Fountains. In response to a question from a Member, the Chair explained that the installation of the drinking fountains in the borough was considered as a climate change initiative in order to reduce people’s use of single-use plastic water bottles by providing people with a means of filling their refillable bottles.

c)            Wi-fi in the Town Centre. In response to a question from a Member, the Environment and Sustainability Officer explained that, since the genesis of the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan, it had been identified that providing Wi-fi in the town centre was not a climate change initiative and would not be included within the next Climate Change Action Plan.

d)            Communication to Residents. In response to a question from a Member, the Environment and Sustainability Officer stated that multiple press releases had been carried out with respect to a number of the Council’s climate change initiatives, such as the recent tree planting project and the solar panel installation projects at the leisure centre and Bourne Hall. He stated that an upcoming press release reflecting on the achievements of the five years of the Council’s first Climate Change Action Plan was currently being composed. He stated that a home and garden guide was being developed for residents on what actions can be taken to boost and promote biodiversity. The Head of Place Development stated that the ‘Climate Change’ page on the Council’s website, accessible via the ‘Residents’ tab on the homepage of the Council’s website, provided information on climate change and the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Consider and note the progress made on the delivery of the Council’s first Climate Change Action Plan over the past year and over its 5-year term.