Issue - meetings

Report of Climate Action Manager

Purpose of report

To provide an overview of the “Oxfordshire Net Zero Route Map and Action Plan” which is attached at Appendix 1. The report sets out the context for the production of the Route Map and Action Plan, along with detail of the structure and key areas of activity, such as decarbonising buildings and transport across the district.

During recent years, Cherwell District Council has worked collaboratively on the climate change agenda with Oxfordshire County Council and other authorities in Oxfordshire leading to successful outcomes, such as the Park & Charge EV infrastructure in our car parks. This approach has led to investment in the district, whilst minimising the resource impact upon staff, e.g. to deal with procurement, project management etc. The Route Map and Action Plan focus on the areas of activity which can be enabled through joint working with our local authority partners.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1         Support the proposed Route Map and Action Plan which seeks to deliver the ambitions of the Pathways to a Zero Carbon Oxfordshire (PaZCO) 2021 report.

Resolved

(1)           That the proposed Route Map and Action Plan which seeks to deliver the ambitions of the Pathways to a Zero Carbon Oxfordshire (PaZCO) 2021 report be supported.

(2)           That, for the avoidance of doubt, it be agreed that this Council does not support the closure of the level crossing at London, Road, Bicester.

The Climate Action Manager submitted a report to provide an overview of the “Oxfordshire Net Zero Route Map and Action Plan”. The report set out the context for the production of the Route Map and Action Plan, along with detail of the structure and key areas of activity, such as decarbonising buildings and transport across the district.

During recent years, Cherwell District Council had worked collaboratively on the climate change agenda with Oxfordshire County Council and other authorities in Oxfordshire leading to successful outcomes, such as the Park & Charge EV infrastructure in our car parks. This approach had led to investment in the district, whilst minimising the resource impact upon staff, e.g. to deal with procurement, project management etc. The Route Map and Action Plan focussed on the areas of activity which could be enabled through joint working with our local authority partners.

Resolved

(1)          That the proposed Route Map and Action Plan which seeks to deliver the ambitions of the Pathways to a Zero Carbon Oxfordshire (PaZCO) 2021 report be supported.

(2)          That, for the avoidance of doubt, it be agreed that this Council does not support the closure of the level crossing at London, Road, Bicester.

Reasons

This Action Plan and Pathway which aim to achieve a zero carbon Oxfordshire, is a detailed study of the work and actions needed to achieve the county-wide 2050 target. The actions are based on the most ‘ambitious’ pathway to achieve 2050, with an interim target of reducing our emissions by half by 2030. It has been written with Cherwell in mind, and there are many aspects that we will be responsible for delivering ourselves.

By working jointly with our local authority partners on this Route Map and Action Plan, we place ourselves in the strongest position possible to meet our climate change objectives.         

Examples of areas of work where working collaboratively is particularly beneficial include regional retrofitting of homes, conserving and enhancing our natural capital and planning to meet future energy needs.

The entire body of work required to achieve the 2050 target is not contained within this study, although there is a wider programme of work already taking place, of which this study is a part.

The delivery of significant and high impact decarbonisation solutions is dependent on building and sustaining successful and productive co-working relationships across the public, private and third sectors. Oxfordshire is fortunate enough to have strong existing partnerships and collaborations on which to build.

Securing the appropriate funding to execute the priority actions is an integral part of Oxfordshire’s net zero journey, with finance acting as either a key enabler or barrier to success. Whilst a fundamental component, finance is historically difficult to secure. It requires ongoing attention, critically taking forward the enabling action to identify innovative approaches to sit alongside conventional funding sources (including grants from national government and the allocation of local authority budgets).

An innovative approach to delivering the actions will be needed. This includes sourcing and accessing alternative funding  ...  view the full minutes text for item 111