Agenda and minutes
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Apologies for absence and declarations of interest To receive any apologies and declarations of interest. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from the Landscape Officer.
There were no declarations of interest.
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Minutes of the previous meeting To consider the minutes of the previous meeting. Minutes: The minutes of the previous meeting held on 8 February 2022 were approved as an accurate record.
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Climate Change Action Plan Update To receive a Climate Change Action Plan update. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair noted that 80% of current emissions were from the fleet`s refuse trucks. She explained that the Climate Change Commission supported end of life replacement which delayed positive action.
Councillor Pavitt said that the Climate Change Action Plan had not been embedded in the Council`s strategy and elsewhere in the organisation nobody seemed to take notice. He said that the Climate Change Action Plan needed highlighting at every level to state what the Council is working towards and was incumbent on senior management embracing the plan.
The Assistant Director of Environmental Services agreed that climate change had not received sufficient attention throughout the Council to date, in part as a result of Covid. He said that the opportunity needed to be grabbed as the Council returns to the offices to ensure that each service had a number of individuals paying attention to the climate change aims.
The Chair confirmed that they were looking to employ two Climate Change Officers to deliver their plan.
Councillor Caton said that there had not been a corporate approach to climate change to date and noted his disappointment regarding the lack of documentation to measure success, progress or the forward plan.
The Assistant Director of Environmental Services noted that the Green House Gas Emissions Annual Report was published today on the website and demonstrated good progress. He confirmed that regular briefings and meetings took place with Senior Management and the Chief Executive to help move the agenda forward.
Councillor Caton acknowledged that the Chief Executive had taken charge of the Action Plan and made it more corporate. He said that the Energy and Climate Change Working Group (ECCWG) should drive the action plan and needed to be more pro-active to ensure delivery.
Councillor Pavitt left the meeting.
The Chair acknowledged the need to measure progress and said that the ECCWG should be proud that despite the lack of resources, the plan remained on target.
Councillor Light concurred with Councillors Pavitt and Caton and said that the environmental policies needed to be incorporated into all council policies and functions to ensure the carbon footprint is reduced. She said that more action and decisions were required to increase the impact of the ECCWG.
In response to a question from Councillor Light the Assistant Director of Environmental Services confirmed that the biomass of food waste is recycled and that the plant produced energy from the decomposition process, which the Council did not receive direct benefit from due to the site location.
The Chair highlighted the need to encourage residents to access the recycling information that was available on the Council website, to increase awareness, knowledge and understanding of individual portfolios and related responsibilities.
The Assistant Director of Environmental Services confirmed that the process of embedding the climate change requirements within each service was underway, to ensure Officers were up to speed and delivering, and that regular review would highlight areas of slippage. He confirmed that the outgoing Climate Change Officer had reviewed the corporate report process and ... view the full minutes text for item 3. |
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Priority Areas for Climate Change Expenditure (verbal update) To receive a verbal update on the priority areas for Climate Change expenditure. Minutes: The Chair reported that: · Comments had been received regarding a perceived lack of spending from the Climate Change budget · The allocation of funding to council housing was being investigated · The bio-diversity survey had been undertaken · The funding of an Ecology Officer to undertake further research was being investigated · Key focuses remained transport, biodiversity and the appointment of a replacement and additional Climate Officers · £80,000 of the £1m had been spent, predominantly on the biodiversity and transport surveys. They had focussed on the local cycling and walking infrastructure, highlighting potential improvements and had been well participated by residents, with 2000 responses. · The website launch is anticipated and would keep residents updated on actions completed and related constraints
The Assistant Director of Environmental Services agreed to circulate the specific breakdown of the expenditure after the meeting.
The Environmental Health Manager for Protection noted the need to maximise the opportunities of the DEFRA funding and confirmed that he had put a proposal forward to the Corporate Management Team which had tentative approval and could require £40k out of the climate change budget in 2024. The proposal would require a senior project officer, climate change officer and a support officer to focus on transportation issues and drive the climate change strategy.
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Saffron Walden Clean Air Initiative (verbal update) To receive an update on the Saffron Walden Clean Air Initiative. Minutes: The Environmental Health Manager – Protection provided a verbal report on the Saffron Walden Clean Air Initiative. · Diffusion tube monitoring stations have been extended to cover all the schools within the district · The Air Quality Management Area existed due to previous failure to meet air quality objectives. They have improved and have not exceeded objective levels in the last four years, although complacency was not encouraged · New regulations were anticipated in the autumn · A successful application to the DEFRA Air Quality grant was split into two lots, linked to Air Quality Action Plans and open to all English local authorities with projects linked to improving public awareness and dealing with particulate matter · A grant of £517k was granted to provide a holistic approach to improve air quality in Saffron Walden as a small market town. The trial measures initiative would aim to reduce particulate matter and NO2 and emissions to improve air quality and focus on behaviour change and develop air quality interventions that could be implemented elsewhere · The Saffron Walden Clean Air Initiative (SWCAI) menu included: i. Awareness, education and behaviour change School engagement and education - £27k Wood burning particulate matter monitoring and engagement - £45k Business engagement - £28k Town wide air pollution awareness and behaviour change - £53k ii. Clean air pilot schemes Zero emissions delivery service - £50k Try before you buy bike scheme - £37k E-cargo bike community hire scheme - £15k Electric vehicle car club - £41k E-bike hire scheme - £64k Market Square pedestrianisation - £15k iii. Traffic management scheme Saffron Walden Traffic Management Strategy - £30k + £40k S106 Town Centre Parking and Servicing Strategy - £28k HGV Access and Routing Strategy - £15k iv. Enhanced monitoring · Funding for monitoring had not been successful, but there was £10k available for monitoring, particularly for particulate matter · DEFRA approval was required to change any of the objectives · A Project Manager was required · Resources would be pooled with Climate Change to maximise the opportunities for change · Governance was proposed to be via ECCWG with core milestones reported to the Council`s Joint Executive Team and Full Council · Reporting requirements included quarterly progress reports and a final evaluation report upon completion
Councillor Light thanked The Environmental Health Manager for Protection for his work on the Air Quality Initiative.
Councillor Light left the meeting.
The Chair thanked the Environmental Health Manager for Protection for securing the funding and congratulated them on the achievement. They asked when the roles would be advertised and the Environmental Health Manager for Protection confirmed that the roles would be advertised imminently.
The Chair requested that Members put forward funding objectives for consideration. In response to a question from Councillor Driscoll the Chair confirmed that she communicated monthly with parishes, suggesting grant schemes and areas for climate reduction and decarbonisation. She noted that Essex County Council have £20k available in grant funding to establish grass roots level engagement
Councillor Driscoll said that many Parish Councils did not own buildings or land and so ... view the full minutes text for item 5. |
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Future Working Group Meetings and Arrangements (verbal update) To agree future Climate Change Working Group meeting dates. Minutes: The Democratic Services Officer proposed scheduling quarterly Climate Change Working Group meetings and the following dates were agreed:
Members agreed that they preferred Wednesday meetings and requested that the dates were circulated.
The meeting closed at 20:37
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