Issue - meetings

Report of Director for Environment and Place

Purpose of report

To update the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the progress in delivering the Climate Action Programme and the reduction in the council’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2020/21.

Recommendations       

The meeting is recommended:

1.1          To note the progress and next steps in the Climate Action Programme.

1.2          To note the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report for 2020/21 (Appendix 1).

Resolved

(1)       That the progress and next steps in the Climate Action Programme be noted.

(2)       That the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report for 2020/21 be noted.  

The Committee considered a report from the Director for Environment and Place, and a presentation from the Climate Action Mobilisation Manager which gave an update on progress in delivering the Climate Action Programme, and the reduction in the council’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2020/21.

The Climate Action Mobilisation Manager explained that 20 homes suffering from fuel poverty had been approved for ‘green homes’ grant funding, which would include provision of insulation and in some cases solar powered generation solutions.

The team was also working on a heat network feasibility study, which would give a district-wide map of opportunities available to take heat from a central source and deliver it to properties that may need it. A more detailed map of Banbury would be produced that would allow the team to approach potential partners to gauge interest in applying for funding for a pilot scheme. The mapping exercise was being completed with funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with match funding provided by Cherwell District Council.  

The Climate Action Mobilisation Manager explained that the team had secured a £6m government grant from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.  The grant was being used to focus on heat decarbonisation of council buildings, through methods such as the replacement of boilers with heat pumps or solar thermal systems.

Once all replacements had been completed it was anticipated the changes would save 1000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.  

The next steps for the programme included the continued rollout of park and charge points in Bicester, Banbury and Kidlington, and Carbon Literacy training during 2022 for senior officers and members.

With regards to the Greenhouse Gas emissions report for 2020/21, the Climate Action Mobilisation Manager explained that the 22.5% reduction in emissions compared to the 2019/20 figures was as a direct result of the COVID-19 lockdowns and the closure of council buildings. It was expected that the figures would increase for the 2021/22 year to reflect the buildings reopening, but the decarbonisation work being undertaken would offset some of the increase.

In response to questions from the Committee, the Climate Action Team Leader agreed to circulate more information after the meeting regarding a previous pilot scheme in Oxford that involved using gullies to assist EV charging.

The Climate Action Mobilisation Manager agreed to circulate more information after the meeting in response to a question regarding the potential for shared heat schemes such as ground source heat pumps as part of the local plan related developments in the south of the district. 

Resolved

(1)       That the progress and next steps in the Climate Action Programme be noted.

(2)       That the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report for 2020/21 be noted.