Agenda item

Presentation following the informal climate change workshop held on 30 July 2019.

The Strategic Director, Commercial and Operations provided a presentation outlining the findings from the climate change workshop. The workshop held on 30 July 2019 facilitated the gathering of information relating to climate change and explored how the Council could approach the issue and make priorities moving forward.

In the wider context of the Council’s approach to climate change, a report to Cabinet had been made on 10 September 2019 recommending that South Kesteven District Council declare a climate emergency. Cabinet agreed a number of points to recommend to full Council on 26 September 2019, including the timescale by which the Council would aim to become net-zero carbon, the importance of the Council’s role as a community leader in reducing South Kesteven’s carbon footprint, the creation of a ‘Climate Change Action’ task and finish group and the allocation of funds from the 2019/20 budget to allow for the recruitment of a Climate Change Officer.

The climate change workshop had been an interesting opportunity to trial new ways of using technology to hold meetings, with the main presenter and one of the Members using Skype to participate. This highlighted the potential of using such technology to allow virtual attendance at future meetings. An officer from Lancaster City Council had provided an example of how the issue of climate change could be approached. Members were also given an update on the Council’s ‘Energy Reduction and Climate Change Action Plan’. This had been initially launched in 2012, and Members were informed of the actions taken and progress made since that time.

Key messages from the workshop had included the need to have a clear target and the importance of Senior Member and Officer ownership. Also noted were the importance of coherent decision making, and having short-term and long-term goals. An update had been given on the role of technology and agile working, indicating that responding to climate change would lead to adopting new technologies. There was also an overview of the Council’s use of utilities included. It was noted that there would need to be further work carried out to ensure that the Council’s baseline usage was fully represented and that a clear understanding of the data included was given. The information would be circulated wider once it had been developed to be fully representative of the Council’s current usage. An overview of the Council’s use of solar panels was also provided at the workshop, with Members being given details of the types on panels used and the financial benefits of their use. Members had agreed that a further workshop would be held on 28 October 2019. Councillor Baxter requested that the names of those in attendance at the workshop were recorded (Members in attendance at the workshop were Councillor Trollope-Bellew, Councillor Baxter, Councillor Dilks and Councillor Mrs Judy Smith). He also disagreed with the use of the word ‘informal’ to describe the workshop. 

The Interim Chief Executive then presented the draft Terms of Reference for the ‘Climate Change Action’ task and finish group. The Terms outlined the purpose of the task and finish group and its role in supporting the Council’s ambition of reducing the organisation’s carbon footprint by 2030 and becoming net-zero carbon by 2050. The group would be used to identify the  steps needed to work towards these goals in practical terms.

Members were then given the opportunity to discuss the draft Terms of Reference and ask questions:

·         One Member expressed that he felt the targets outlined in the Cabinet recommendations to Council (as reflected in the ‘purpose and context’ section of the draft Terms of Reference) could have been more ambitious. During discussion, it was noted that one of the primary objectives of the task and finish group would be establishing a more defined trajectory of the Council’s path towards the established targets. This would include the collation of data available regarding the Council’s existing carbon footprint, as well as external influences outside of the Council’s control. This information would then be used to ensure that decisions moving forward were data-led as well as ambitious. The current central government target was set at net-zero emissions by 2050. In aligning the Council’s target with this, it was intended that work could be undertaken to reduce the Council’s carbon footprint as quickly as possible, whilst also working to a deliverable long-term plan. It was also noted that this time frame would allow the Council to move in line with industry and commerce, as long-term goals would be influenced by the availability of the correct infrastructure. 

·         The membership aspect of the task and finish group was discussed. Importance was placed on the group including both elected Members and officers, in order for it to be established as a separate approach from the main Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

·         Members expressed that it was important that the selection of members for the task and finish group was made based on their ability to provide valuable input on the critical work to be done by the group.     

·         It was suggested that one of the officer places in the task and finish group be offered to an external appointee who may be able to provide valuable expertise on the climate change subject. Members noted that in addition to this, if Council agreed on the funds to be allocated as recommended by Cabinet, there would be additional scope to seek external advice.

·         Members also considered inviting guests to the task and finish group meetings, in particular those from Authorities who had already made in-roads into addressing climate change themselves, in order for a sharing of information to take place.

·         Members enquired as to the relationship between the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the task and finish group. It was explained that the task and finish group would be focused on fact finding and looking at specific actions, whereas the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be developing policy to support the ambition to deliver and ensure that the Council had the framework in place to maintain its stance after the task and finish group had ended. The task and finish group would be reporting its initial findings to the Committee in Spring 2020. Immediate budget requirements identified would be presented in a timely manner in order to feed into 2020/21 budget proposals.

Members then voted to agree the recommendations outlined as a result of the climate change workshop, with additional points included based on the meeting of Cabinet on 10 September 2019 and the present meeting:

Recommendations

Ø  A further climate change workshop be held on 28 October 2019

Ø  The request be reiterated to add ‘climate change’ to the list of potential themes for the Gravity Fields Festival

Ø  Recommend to Cabinet that SKDC seeks to reduce single use plastic at its organised events from 2020

Ø  That the Council allocate up to £50,000 to enable external advice and the recruitment of a Climate Change Officer

Ø  That the Council contact Lincolnshire County Council for advice in moving towards its climate change targets

Ø  That an external appointee of an environmental background be invited to become a member of the Interim Chief Executive’s Climate Change Action task and finish group