Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members are asked to declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in respect of any item of business to be considered at the meeting.

No declarations of interest were made in relation to items on the agenda.

No declarations of interest were made in relation to items on the agenda.

This report sets out the Council’s commitment and action plan to tackle climate change including actions to reduce the environmental impact of its activities and the steps to become carbon neutral.  It reflects the work of the cross party Member Working Group which was established to coordinate the development of the Climate Change Action Plan.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

That the Committee:

(1)          endorsed the adoption of 2035 as the year for when the Council should aim to be net carbon neutral;

(2)          approved the Climate Change Action Plan, at Annexe 1 to the report, as its plan for future work programmes;

and recommended to full Council:

(3)          the adoption of the climate change target of the year 2035 for the Council’s operations to be net carbon neutral;

(4)          the adoption of the Climate Change Action Plan set out in Annex 1 to the report;

(5)          that the Council delegates to the Chairman of the Environment and Safe Communities Committee, action to make representations to Government to provide local authorities with the powers and resources necessary to address climate change in their local area.

The Committee received a report setting out the Council’s commitment and action plan to tackle climate change, including actions to reduce the environmental impact of its activities and the steps to become carbon neutral.  The report reflected the work of the cross party Member Working Group which was established to coordinate the development of the Climate Change Action Plan.

It was noted that all Members of the Council had been invited to attend the Committee meeting, and that if the Committee were to approve the Climate Change Action Plan, it would be recommended for adoption at an Extraordinary meeting of the Council on the same evening.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Written representations received. The Committee noted that a written representation had been distributed by the Extinction Rebellion Group to all Members of the Council following the publication of the agenda. The Committee noted that the matters raised in the representation had been considered by the Climate Change Action Member Working Group during the development of the Climate Change Action Plan.

b)            Targets set by the Climate Change Action Plan. The Committee considered that the Climate Change Action Plan set challenging but realistic targets, and expressed its congratulations to members of the Member Working Group and officers for their work to produce it. The Committee noted that progress against the Action Plan would be monitored at its future meetings.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

That the Committee:

(1)          endorsed the adoption of 2035 as the year for when the Council should aim to be net carbon neutral;

(2)          approved the Climate Change Action Plan, at Annexe 1 to the report, as its plan for future work programmes;

and recommended to full Council:

(3)          the adoption of the climate change target of the year 2035 for the Council’s operations to be net carbon neutral;

(4)          the adoption of the Climate Change Action Plan set out in Annex 1 to the report;

(5)          that the Council delegates to the Chairman of the Environment and Safe Communities Committee, action to make representations to Government to provide local authorities with the powers and resources necessary to address climate change in their local area.