Issue - meetings

The report of the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods is attached.

It was RESOLVED that

a)    a target date for the Council’s direct operations to become carbon neutral by 2030 be approved;

b)    the Carbon Management Action Plan be noted; and

c)    the Communities Scrutiny Group be granted delegated authority to annually scrutinise the delivery and update of the Plan.  

The Portfolio Holder for Community and Sustainability presented the report of the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods providing an update on the Council’s Carbon Management Plan.

The Portfolio Holder for Community and Sustainability referred to the motion passed by the Council in March 2019, requesting a review of the Council’s Carbon Management Plan by a relevant scrutiny group before being brought to Cabinet by no later than March 2020. The Communities Scrutiny Group was thanked for its hard work and its recommendation to set a target date for the Council to be carbon neutral by 2030. The target date was both aspirational and challenging, changes had to made; however, that would also come at a financial cost and to offset that, a climate change action reserve of £1m had been agreed by Council as part of the Budget and Financial Strategy 2020/21. The Council would be at the forefront of change, working collaboratively and the Plan had been developed to integrate with the overarching D2N2 Energy Strategy to support cross boundary initiatives. 

In seconding the recommendation, Councillor Upton referred to the considerable work required to develop a new Carbon Management Plan in less than a year and thanked officers for their hard work and excellent report. The target date was challenging; however, the detailed Action Plan provided realistic, achievable targets and the £1m would be invaluable to support it. This Council had made a significant financial commitment, unlike the majority of other Councils.

Councillor Moore stated the importance of carbon management in all projects, and referred to the increased cost of £300k that had been agreed for additional carbon reduction measures for the new Bingham Leisure Centre development.  This was an example of another large project in Rushcliffe and how committed the Council was to becoming carbon neutral.

Councillor Robinson referred to the main source of emissions from the Council’s own operations being from leisure centres and fleet vehicles at 67% and 25% respectively. A programme of replacement vehicles would be extremely costly and was only one measure, and the £1m had been approved to ensure that the Council was focused on making a tangible and measurable difference to its operations.  

It was RESOLVED that

a)    a target date for the Council’s direct operations to become carbon neutral by 2030 be approved;

b)    the Carbon Management Action Plan be noted; and

c)    the Communities Scrutiny Group be granted delegated authority to annually scrutinise the delivery and update of the Plan.