Agenda item

Purpose: This is twofold:

(a)       to present the Environment Strategy Delivery Plan for approval and

(b)       to seek agreement of the process for monitoring, updating and reporting progress in relation to the Delivery Plan.

Resolved that:

(a)  The Environment Strategy Delivery Plan, as included in Appendix C, be approved as a first version of the Plan.

(b)  The proposed process for monitoring, updating and reporting on the progress of the Plan be agreed as detailed in section 5 of the report.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on Friday 23 July 2021, then it will be implemented.

The Executive considered a report (Agenda Item 7) proposed by Councillor Steve Ardagh-Walter. The report sought approval of the Environment Strategy Delivery Plan and agreement of the process for monitoring, updating and reporting the progress in relation to the Delivery Plan.

Councillor Ardagh-Walter stated that the plan itself would not deliver the key goal ofcarbon neutrality for the district automatically because the Council only represented a small proportion ofthe District's overall carbon footprint. However, the Council had aduty and they were in a position of leadership to set anexample for residents, businesses and groups within the District.

Furthermore, there was an intention of transparency and openness over the coming years and the plan would be published on the Council website provided it was approved tonight and would be updated every month and every year including a high-level summary which would be presented to the Executive showing progress against a number of targets for the achievement of Carbon Neutrality. Targets were challenging and all possible efforts would be given to achieving them.

The high level of engagement was praised and recognition was given to Jenny Graham and her team for all their hard work.

Further comments were given in relation to the public environment alongside the plan and how, for example in the consideration of hedgerow overgrowth and the dangers of pedestrians needing to walk in the streets due to lack of pathway space, it was important for the Council to recognise that in the delivery of this plan it must also take into account the safety of its residents.

A suggestion was made of liaising with larger landowners, who were doing much for local wildlife, perhaps through a forum, to keep them informed and involved in creating a working synergy. It was confirmed that this engagement would happen.

Concerns over unclear timescales were raised and assurances were given that focus was being given to both precise and deliverable outcomes.

There were also comments given around some of the wording in the report and that a ‘high standard’ should not be the aim but rather a ‘net zero’ or ‘carbon positive’ should be the goal. There was also a suggestion of the creation of a simple measure such as a thermometer which would be updated quarterly to show progress on hitting the targets, as this would quantify the carbon footprint. Concern was also raised around actions in the plan having not been started yet, some of which would be short term gains. In response, it was agreed that the wording in the report would be updated to reflect some of the concerns and other suggestions would be looked into further including simplifying the message of carbon neutrality. The difficulty with a thermometer was in assessing the carbon footprint on a district wide basis.

Questions were asked around whether the addition of electrical charging points would be in dedicated bays rather than outside people’s homes and regarding active travel promotion, whether there would be money in future budgets to advance those plans. In response, Councillor Ardagh-Walter advised that as demands increased for residential charging points there then would be a scheme put into place that enabled access to all those who required charging points. This would be strong consideration in terms of future budget setting. 

RESOLVED that the Environment Strategy Delivery Plan, as included in Appendix C, be approved as a first version of the Plan and that the proposed process for monitoring, updating and reporting on the progress of the Plan be agreed as detailed in section 5 of the report.