Issue - meetings

To consider the progress against year three of carbon reduction action plan and to approve the year four action plan. 

1.     That the progress achieved against year three of the carbon reduction action place be NOTED. 

2.     That the Year Four action plan be APPROVED.

32.1          The report of the Head of Service: Asset Management, circulated at Pages No, 31-60, sought to update Members on the progress achieved against year three of the carbon reduction action plan and asked the Committee to approve the recommended year four action plan.

32.2          The Lead Member for Clean and Green Environment advised that, following the declaration of a climate emergency in October 2019, Officers and Members of the Climate Change and Flood Risk Management Group undertook a baseline audit of the Council’s carbon consumption.  The report, along with an overarching action plan, was presented to Council in June 2020 and was now in its third year.  Following a further motion to Council in May 2023 which had extended the declaration boroughwide and expanded it to include the ecological emergency, Officers had been working on additional reporting to incorporate the new motion into the plan; this had included looking further at baseline data.  One outcome was that some data had initially been misreported.  In some areas, including the Roses Theatre, this had meant that the numbers were lower than hoped but, by making sure the baseline was accurate throughout, Members could look forward to future annual reports producing accurate and positive figures.  Whilst the current report showed that small savings had been made regarding the Council’s carbon footprint, it was important to remember this was a transitional stage due to the new climate change motion and the return to ‘normal’ following the COVID pandemic.  Several achievements from the third year plan were highlighted in the report including over £140,000 in external funding for areas such as electric vehicle charging points, the installation of the solar canopy and grant funding for an air source heat pump, along with winning awards such as Council of the year in the Southwest Energy Efficiency Awards.  Moving forward, the fourth year of the plan would be monitored by the Climate Change and Ecology Management Group with specific projects also monitored by the Programme Board and relevant Lead Members.

32.3           A Member noted that Page No. 44 of the report highlighted an important point in that it would not be easy to work out the carbon footprint from remote working; for instance, some people who worked from home would also have a partner or spouse working from home and therefore the heating and lights would already be on which would be completely different for someone living alone, some people would be happy to wear lots of layers rather than putting their heating on, there would be different size homes which would be insulated differently etc.  She expressed the view that more technology could be used in the Public Services Centre, such as solar chargers for laptops and telephones which were inexpensive but would contribute to carbon savings and she asked if that could be considered.  She had asked for the report to reflect the fact that not all Councillors claimed mileage for travel and she questioned how many did claim.  The Carbon Reduction Programme Officer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32