Agenda item

A report is attached. There will be a presentation at the meeting.

The Cabinet Member for Climate and Sustainable Travel (& Deputy Leader), Councillor Sarah Warren introduced the report. Jane Wildblood, Corporate & Community Sustainability Manager, gave a presentation which covered the following:

·  Key facts

·  Modelling issues

·  Leadership and influencing

·  CCC on local authorities

·  A new approach to annual reporting

·  Annual Emissions and Action Report Proposal

·  Annual Emissions and Action Report

Panel members raised the following point and asked the following questions:

(Officer responses shown in italics)

Councillor Hirst stated that he had hoped that it would be clear where we are now in relation to our target of net zero carbon by 2030 and what was still left to do. The officer responded that it cannot be presented that simply and that modellers are being honest in that, at local level, there are limitations partly due to this work being in its infancy, the changing nature of the data and assumptions and partly due to the scope of local authority powers

Councillor Hirst asked if there is a timeline for the developing the KPIs for the three indicators. The officer explained that this is a huge piece of work and it is being developed as rapidly as possible across all services as part of the development of the new Integrated Reporting Framework . Information on the climate and ecological emergency element of the new Framework will be reported in the next annual report.

Councillor Hirst stated that there was public perception that we are not doing enough – how can the Panel help. The officer explained that the new performance framework will help with monitoring which will be reported by the end of the year. She also explained that there is a difference between quantitative and qualitative measuring.

Councillor Hirst stated that he was keen to see a rating system for employers/university’s etc. The officer explained the report in November will include information on specific partners.

Councillor O Brien asked if there could be some measures regarding the things we do have local control over such as buildings and homes eg. Amount of Curo properties retrofitted. She added that this Panel should see the report before it goes to Council in November. Councillor Walker agreed. The officer explained that there is a survey of Council buildings, funding has been obtained to retrofit a care home (this was covered in the January report to the Panel). In response to a query from Councillor O Brien on the cost of modelling, she explained that was not a high cost.

Councillor Crossley asked the Cabinet Member what leadership role she is taking to move forward. He stated that we should not blame the Government. The Cabinet Member explained that she had been leading public engagement events and also changing policies that underline all Council activities. She gave examples of the Clean Air Zone, Active Travel Plans and Liveable Neighbourhoods along with updating the Local Plan with the primary purpose of addressing the Climate Emergency. She stated that it is a priority that underlies every area of work but that there is clearly more work to do.

Councillor Wright asked which Cabinet Members had received the relevant training to date, including the Leader. The Cabinet Member explained that she did not have that information with her.

Councillor Wright asked what number of trees were the Council aiming to plant by 2023 and how 61% acreage was going to be achieved. The Cabinet Member explained that tree planting is a normal part of the Council’s work but the aim was 100,000. She added that educating people was also important.

Councillor Wright raised the following points (officer and Cabinet Member responses are shown in italics)

·  In this rural area, carbon sequestration can be achieved through farming, not just tree planting. The Cabinet Member stated that nobody has suggested that tree planting is the whole answer.

·  There is a mismatch between the messaging and what we are doing, we need to recognise the magnitude of what needs to be done. The officer explained that a lot of webinars were conducted during the pandemic and that we are doing as much as we can and that we are engaging with our communities. eg. Through Parish Councils. Councillor Wright stated that Bath does not have Parish Councils. The Cabinet Member stated that Bath residents are able to join webinars and information events.

·  What are the KPIs and will the dashboard be available in November. The officer explained that the performance dashboard will be available in November.

·  What is the involvement of WECA. The Cabinet Member stated that she did not have that information.

Councillor Johnson stated that members represent residents who want to see direct action on Climate Change and it is disappointing that we haven’t achieved anything. In business, KPI’s are developed twice a year. The Cabinet Member explained that it was an incredibly complex area and we are pioneers in trying to do some of these things for the first time. The officer stated that the Panel might wish to look at the report to the  January Council meeting, which was the annual progress report and contained updates on action against all the Climate Emergency Declaration commitments, as the report today was focused on one aspect, is the carbon footprint and trajectory, that couldn’t be reported in January. and to explain the scope of the Council’s influence.

Councillor Johnson asked why we only had 2017 data. The officer explained that this is the information available from the Government and that this year, the Government will give the data for 2018.

Councillor Dr Kumar wished to state on record that this is a pandemic crisis and that it is not true that we have not done anything. He stated that we should be proud that Councillors and officers are working hard and not attack. He gave one example of the Clean Air Zone – the first to be implemented after London.

Councillor O Brien stated that it is the role of the Panel to scrutinize and be a critical friend and that nobody would suggest that officers are not working hard. She added that she is not a great believer in modelling as there can be flaws and inconsistencies. She also suggested that we make a practical list of things we can do as a Council (such as renewable energy and solar on buildings).

It was RESOLVED that the Panel:

1.  Note the action taken against the 2019 commitments, summarised in the January Special Council report, attached, as well as the development of a new Climate and Ecological Emergency Performance Monitor, embedded into the Council’s mainstream Integrated Reporting Framework.

2.  Note the Council’s leadership role across a range of spheres of influence in Bath and North East Somerset to enable action by others in achieving the 2030 goal

3.  Ask the Cabinet Member to come back to the Panel with some specific goals and target dates.

4.  Note the limitations of local authority carbon footprint and pathway modelling, which we have learnt as a pioneer council in this work, and the development of alternative methods.

5.  Note that for future annual progress reports, the focus will be on measuring action to reduce area carbon emissions through improved energy efficiency in buildings (including net zero new build), renewable energy development and the shift to sustainable transport (the priority areas for action), using a combination of in-house quantitative and qualitative monitoring and reporting tools, including the emerging Climate and Ecological Emergency Performance Monitor, through the following lenses:

a)  Council’s direct and Bath and North East Somerset area-wide emissions reporting/monitoring;

b)  Action from within key Council services;

c)  Action as a result of place-based partnership working, action planning and delivery;

d)  Action as a result community engagement and facilitation.