Issue - meetings

This report updates Council on the action the Council has taken since the last Climate Emergency progress report in October 2019, further to the update and review of strategies and plans at the Climate Emergency and Sustainability PDS Panel in March 2020.  This report includes an update on the Council’s response to the Ecological Emergency declared in July 2020.

The Council considered a progress report which updated on the action the Council has taken since the last Climate Emergency progress report in October 2019, further to the update and review of strategies and plans at the Climate Emergency and Sustainability PDS Panel in March 2020.

On a motion from Councillor Sarah Warren, seconded by Councillor Tim Ball, it was

RESOLVED to

1.  Note the wide-ranging action that is being taken to tackle the climate and ecological emergency including:

a.  Strategic re-positioning of the core climate and ecological emergency policy through the new Renewal Programme to the heart of the Council’s place-based work;

b.  The development of the Renewal Vision with ‘green recovery’ at its heart, in order to create a stronger, more diverse and greener economy in the future;

c.  The range of specific service actions undertaken or in hand, including, but not limited to: the Local Plan Partial Update in order to respond to the climate and ecological emergency and the Liveable Neighbourhood development;

d.  The climate leadership training for members and senior officers that will be rolled out in 2021 followed by the carbon literacy training for staff.

2.  Note the specialist work underway that will inform further detailed action planning on renewable energy development.

3.  Note the degree of community engagement activity achieved despite the Covid constraints, enabling residents to have a bigger say.

4.  Note the initial response to the ecological emergency.

5.  Note the delay, due to Covid, in undertaking the annual carbon footprint review of the area and the review of the pathway to net zero carbon and endorse the recommendation that the results of this review are reported to the Climate Emergency & Sustainability PDS Panel meeting on 16 March 2021.

[Notes;

1.  The above successful resolution was carried with 56 Councillors voting in favour and 3 Councillors abstaining.]