Agenda item

Report of Corporate Director Communities and Climate Action Manager

Purpose of report

To set out the background and content of a newly produced 12-month Action Plan for climate change, which is based on our 2020 Climate Change Framework.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1         To accept the ambitions of this Action Plan.

1.2         To recognise the implementation of this Action Plan will have on-going resource implications for council budgets and that additional requests will be forthcoming, as and when business cases are developed, e.g. for the provision of additional Solar PV to reduce energy bills. Each business case will be assessed and brought forward if affordable.

Resolved

(1)          That the ambitions of the Climate Action Plan 2023-2024 be accepted.

(2)          That it be recognised that the implementation of the Action Plan will have on-going resource implications for council budgets and that additional requests would be forthcoming, as and when business cases were developed, e.g. for the provision of additional Solar PV to reduce energy bills, and each business case would be assessed and brought forward if affordable.

The Corporate Director Communities and Climate Action Manager submitted a report to set out the background and content of a newly produced 12-month Action Plan for climate change, which is based on our 2020 Climate Change Framework.

In introducing the report, the Portfolio Holder for Cleaner and Greener Communities commended the Climate Action Manager for his hard work producing the Action Plan and thanked the Climate Action Working Group for their invaluable contribution and work with the Climate Action Manager.

The Portfolio Holder for Cleaner and Greener Communities explained that the 12-month Action Plan had been written to detail the actions that needed to be taken over the next year, to help the council achieve the ambitions of the  Climate Change Framework. These included CDC becoming a carbon net zero organisation by 2030, and CDC supporting the wider district in its journey to become carbon net zero. The Plan recognised that more work was required to embed climate activity into how the council developed and implemented its policies.

Councillor Creed, Chair of the Climate Action Working Group, addressed Executive commenting that the cross-party group had worked very well with the Climate Action Manager through the process of developing the Action Plan.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Creed for her valuable contribution Chairing the Working Group.

The Leader of the Opposition and Progressive Oxfordshire Group, commented it was positive there was cross-party and ongoing support to tackling climate issues.

Resolved

(1)          That the ambitions of the Climate Action Plan 2023-2024 be accepted.

(2)          That it be recognised that the implementation of the Action Plan will have on-going resource implications for council budgets and that additional requests would be forthcoming, as and when business cases were developed, e.g. for the provision of additional Solar PV to reduce energy bills, and each business case would be assessed and brought forward if affordable.

Reasons

The Action Plan is an ambitious set of actions that sets both the council and the district on the right pathways to reach carbon net zero. The Plan recognises that more work is required to embed climate change into the council’s approach and operations, but equally, that a significant amount of work is already being done by the council to support the net zero targets.

The report begins with the actions to achieve six key goals that will lead to reductions in council emissions, across our fleet, our corporate estate and our operations. This is followed by a further eleven key goals with actions, set out to achieve a reduction in the district’s emissions. The actions in green are those which our consultant recommends should be prioritised.

The Actions reflect activity which should take place right across the authority if the council is to be successful and fulfil its ambitions to be a climate leader.

The references to Carbon Saving and Relative Cost are included to help prioritise actions, although both of these are only high-level assumptions and further work and analysis would be needed if additional details were requested.

The Climate Change Framework 2020, included the council ambition to be a net zero organisation by 2030. Then, as now, this remains a very ambitious challenge requiring concerted and on-going efforts to achieve emissions reductions across our corporate estate and our fleet. Without a coherent plan, it is unlikely that the council will achieve its 2030 target or that we will in a position to support the district in also achieving significant reductions in emissions.

Alternative options

Option 1: Not to adopt the Climate Action Plan but this leaves CDC with little chance of achieving its 2030 net zero target.

Option 2: Adopt a more ambitious Plan than this iteration, however that is unlikely to be affordable with current budget pressures.