Agenda item

5:05pm to 6:05pm

The Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing and Assistant Director – Health and Wellbeing attended to present a progress report on the efforts which were being made to make Chesterfield Borough Council (CBC) a more environmentally friendly council.

CBC declared a Climate Emergency on 17 July, 2019 and resolved to establish a Chesterfield Climate Change Working Group to respond to this challenge.

The influence of CBC as a direct contributor of emissions was small and the challenge was to influence the majority of emissions outside of CBC’s control. The areas CBC could influence included: -

·        Service provision;

·        Social landlord;

·        Employer;

·        Lead by example;

·        Contact with partnerships and collaborating organisations;

·        Purchasing of goods and services;

·        Communication;

·        Lobbying central Government.

The key responsibility of the working group was to inform the action plan and the group were on schedule to deliver the plan to the set deadlines. The key requirements of the plan were to be realistic and achievable.

The working group had established eight themes and action areas to be included in the action plan. The Assistant Director provided examples of action areas for the themes:-

·        Housing: thermal / energy efficiency investment in CBC stock, planning guidance, energy efficiency standard for new CBC housing, CBC asset management strategy – clean energy.

·        Power: LED lighting in CBC premises, support for a local organisation to help residents source sustainable energy suppliers, CBC electricity supply from renewable, explore energy generation opportunities.

·        Transport: residential developments need links to cycle and foot path networks, assessment of integrated transport across the borough, electrification of public transport, CBC fleet electrification.

·        Business: engagement with local enterprise partnership, engagement with local business community to facilitate sharing of good practice.

·        Land use: maximise carbon capture opportunities, explore opportunities for nature friendly corridors, borough wide tree planting programme, planning guidance.

·        Waste: sustainable waste policies, community sharing, sustainable waste education programme, focus on reduce and recycle.

·        Engagement: communication plan for climate change, suite of marketing collateral, reinforce reduce, reuse, recycle message, encourage use of local labour, services, goods and sustainable food.

·        Policy: joint working with neighbouring local authorities on climate change, communicate sustainable initiatives, procurement and governance, resource to support CBC climate change work.

Members asked about the government funding issues and were advised that funding was one of the biggest challenges give the size and scale of actions required. Resource and support from Central Government was really important given that limited direct influence of CBC. The working group included a large amount of knowledge about grant funding and a lottery funding application had been started.

The Assistant Director was asked how the action points in the action plan would be measured. Nottingham City Council had been commissioned to carry out an assessment to understand the current position and enable the future position to be monitored and measured.

A discussion took place regarding whether the working group would have the longevity to stay with the issue. The original remit of the working group was time limited as it was specific to the notice of motion. However given the positivity around the group and the opportunity that this affords the Council to help widen the message it was likely that the group would continue but with different terms of reference.

The importance of single interest group involvement and the value of working with Nottingham City Council because of how they would advance the progress of the borough was noted.

The challenge to fully engage all CBC staff and ensure the provision of required staffing resources for the work of the council was emphasised.

The need to advertise the adoption of the action plan and the actions within it steps was identified as a critical area to ensure that members of the public would be informed about what they can do to support this issue and about the progress of CBC and the borough.

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing and the Assistant Director - Health and Wellbeing for their contribution to the meeting.

RESOLVED –

1.   That the More Environmentally Friendly Council progress report be noted.

2.   That the inclusion of further updates on the More Environmentally Friendly Council as an item on the Committee’s work programme for 2020/21 be considered as part of the annual scrutiny work programming.