Agenda item

To agree the establishment of a new and permanent Climate Change Officer role within the Council plus associated operating budgets and to approve the virement of £66,276 from trade waste budgets to fund the ongoing cost of the proposal.

1.     That the establishment of a new and permanent Climate Change Officer role within the Council plus associated operating budgets be AGREED.

2.     That a virement of £66,276 from trade waste budgets to fund the ongoing cost of the proposal be APPROVED. 

33.1          The report of the Executive Director: Resources, circulated at Pages No. 61-64, set out a proposal for additional resources to deliver the Council’s climate change ambitions and targets following approval of a motion in May 2023 to widen the scope of the declaration of a climate emergency to include the whole borough and to declare an ecological emergency and support the Climate and Ecology Bill.  Members were asked to agree the establishment of a new and permanent Climate Change Officer role within the Council, plus associated operating budgets, and to approve the virement of £66,276 from trade waste budgets to fund the ongoing cost of the proposal.

33.2          The Lead Member for Clean and Green Environment advised that, following the motion in May 2023 to extend the climate emergency boroughwide and to include an ecological emergency, it had become clear that it was necessary to expand resources in terms of dedicated Officer time.  The Council currently employed one full time Carbon Reduction Programme Officer and it was proposed that an additional permanent Climate Change Officer post be established within the Council in order to provide the capacity needed to take on the work created by the widening of the climate and ecological emergency beyond the Council’s own buildings.

33.3          The Executive Director: Resources explained that the recommendation included a virement of £66,276 from the trade waste budget, the majority of which would cover the cost of the new Officer; the post would need to go through the job evaluation process but it was anticipated it would be at a similar level to the existing Carbon Reduction Programme Officer post.  Part of the budget supporting the post would be used to support issues arising from Climate Leadership Gloucestershire and the work which needed to be done across the county to achieve its ambitions – a small pot of money to help support Tewkesbury Borough Council’s contribution to that was essential going forward.  Fortunately, there was ongoing funding in the financial year from the cessation of the trade waste service which could be vired across rather than requesting new resource.  Subject to the Committee’s approval, it was anticipated that the new Officer could be in post by February 2024.

33.4          A Member was supportive of this recommendation given the enormous amount of work that needed to be done and it was only realistic to ensure the right resources were in place.  He felt that having someone who was deeply engaged in how to approach the development of the Garden Town was very important in terms of green spaces and ecology etc; however, the danger was that the new Officer would be expected to do everything and care needed to be taken in identifying the right person for the job.  In his view, part of the role should be around how the authority applied for funding - there was a lot of money available for the Council to access with the right resource to identify sources and make applications.  Another Member expressed the view that community engagement and education were two areas which were currently lacking in the Carbon Reduction Action Plan and hoped to see these included going forward.  The Executive Director: Resources agreed with these points and advised that the Carbon Reduction Action Plan could be reviewed when resources were in place to see what else could be added and Officers would work with the Lead Member and the Climate Change and Ecology Management Group to address the most important issues for the new role.

33.5          It was proposed, seconded and