Agenda item

To consider the motion regarding Climate Change (as attached).

Councillor Light presented the motion regarding Climate Change to Full Council. Under rule 12.7 of the Council’s procedure rules, she moved to alter the motion as follows (alteration in bold):

 

On 30 July 2019 this Council resolved to declare a Climate and Ecological Emergency, acting now to prevent a climate and ecological catastrophe that will greatly impact our children, grandchildren and future generations. Following this, an Energy and Climate Change Working Group has been established to produce “a bold plan of action that is realistic, measurable and deliverable”.

The huge scale of the climate and ecological emergency is becoming ever clearer, as is the need for urgent, bold, ambitious and decisive action.

 

This Council now resolves:

 

1. To call on the Cabinet and Climate Change Working Group to develop an Environmental Road Map for approval by Council on February 25, 2020. This Environmental Road Map will have clearly defined actions, deliverables, timelines and costings with definitive, timed and measurable milestones and targets to be met by December 2020 and annually thereafter until April 2023. 

 

2. To ask the Cabinet to include in its budget recommendations for 2020/21 substantial budget provision for the development and implementation of the Council’s Energy and Climate Change Strategy and to deliver the Environmental Road Map initial priority actions during the year.

 

3. That the Environmental Road Map will include at least, but will not be limited to the following priorities:

 

Tree planting across the district

 

In partnership with local community and environmental organisations, county, parish councils and other landowners to:

 

·         Plant a tree per resident in the next year and 10,000 a year after that

·         Provide a tree for life for every expectant family in Uttlesford

·         Develop planning policy to require one tree per bedroom to be planted for each new build property in the district, with at least two trees planted to replace any tree which cannot be preserved and is felled.

 

Bees and other pollinators

 

·         Map and protect their habitats and create new ones

·         Adjust the Council’s grass-cutting schedule to encourage the establishment of wild flower meadows on public green spaces and verges

·         Establish bee hotels and green walls on Council buildings and incentivise residents to set up bee hotels

·         Plant bee friendly trees and plants and work with residents to encourage planting

·         Stop using insecticides and herbicides on all Council owned and managed land and encourage residents and local farmers to do the same

 

Hedgehogs and habitats

 

·         Create at least six wilding sanctuaries and corridors and preserve existing ones

 

Electric car charging points

 

·         Install a minimum of 55 points in the next 12 months and 250 by 2023 within a clear strategy to encourage growth of electric vehicles

·         Develop planning policies to facilitate installation of charging points for new houses

·         Install charging points at Council-owned properties

·         Change the Council’s fleet to electric vehicles by the end of 2023

 

Renewable energy

 

·         Install solar panels on all council buildings and include sustainable energy sources in its property investments

·         Ensure that the new Waste Management Depot at Great Dunmow is designed to be an exemplar of new green technologies

·         Establish a solar farm to offset the Council’s energy use

·         Ensure that any future Garden Settlements are carbon negative through the creation of local wind and solar power generation

·         Undertake an annual energy audit on usage and sustainability of the District Council’s estate

·         Develop planning policies to require all new builds, including the Council’s own developments  to have sources of renewable energy fitted and to comply with ‘Passivhaus’ or similar standards of energy efficiency

 

Reduction of single use plastics

 

·         End the use of single-use plastics in Uttlesford by 2023 and increase recycling

·         Provide water fountains in towns and villages

·         Establish a ‘Chairman’s Charter’, similar to the Saffron Walden ‘Mayor’s Charter’ to encourage businesses, community groups, schools and residents to commit to undertake specific actions to reduce or discourage the use of plastics

·         Set up an online forum to provide information on the reduction of plastic use

 

Air Transport

 

 

Council signified consent to alter the motion.

 

Councillor Light said her motion defined the bold action that was required to combat climate change.  It was vital that the Council played its part in ensuring that Uttlesford remained green and the time to act was now. She had been told that the figure of £14 million provided to cost the motion had been calculated as a very rough estimate and no breakdown of costs had been provided. The argument that the 2020/21 Budget had been finalised, and therefore these initiatives could be not be implemented in the coming year, was untrue.

 

The Leader disputed this account and asked for Councillor Light’s comment regarding costings to be struck from the record, which the Chair agreed to.

 

Councillor Light summarised a number of schemes related to the motion such as tree-planting, electronic charging points and renewable energy provision. She said none of these initiatives would come close to costing £14 million.  She said that her motion called for provisions to be made in the budget to ensure green schemes were properly resourced and could be delivered. She said the proposed amendment was unnecessary and questioned its purpose.

 

Councillor Dean said it was reasonable and important to have a “roadmap” to know the Council’s direction in terms of climate change. There was a need to prioritise but it was clear that climate change initiatives would require sufficient resources. He added that the Council were looking at how to make the proposed Garden Communities carbon neutral settlements. He would be supporting the motion.

 

Councillor Pepper proposed an amendment to the motion as follows (amendment in bold):

 

The Council notes that immediately upon being elected the new R4U administration created an Environment Portfolio for the UDC Cabinet, in May this year.

 

It further notes that in July 2019 the Council resolved:

 

1.    To declare a Climate and Ecological Emergency, acting now to prevent a climate and ecological catastrophe that will greatly impact our children, grandchildren and future generations

 

2 . To commit to achieving net-zero carbon status by 2030 and protecting and enhancing bio-diversity by:

 

• requesting the Cabinet Member for Environment and Green Issues to establish an Energy and Climate Change Working Group of Cabinet
• working collaboratively across the Council and engaging with individuals, community groups, businesses and other partners in the district, including young people who should have a voice to help shape our future
• lobbying Central Government to urgently provide funding and implement necessary policy changes
• producing a bold plan of action that is realistic, measurable and deliverable 
• ensuring significant progress has been made to deliver the action plan by April 2023.

 

To advance the Climate Change and Green agenda as quickly as possible the cabinet member then created a cross party Energy and Climate Change Working Group, which was formally established at the next Cabinet meeting on 26 September 2019, and which includes all three Green party Councillors. The Council urges all residents of any party or none to contribute to the Climate Change Working Group.

 

The Council asks the Working Group urgently to pursue the production of its plan of action and, in drawing up proposals, to consider the feasibility and effectiveness of the initiatives listed below:

 

Tree planting across the district

 

In partnership with local community and environmental organisations, county, parish councils and other landowners to

 

·         Plant a tree per resident in the next year and 10,000 a year after that

·         Provide a tree for life for every expectant family in Uttlesford

·         Develop planning policy to require one tree per bedroom to be planted for each new build property in the district, with at least two trees planted to replace any tree which cannot be preserved and is felled.

 

Bees and other pollinators

 

·         Map and protect their habitats and create new ones

·         Adjust the Council’s grass-cutting schedule to encourage the establishment of wild flower meadows on public green spaces and verges

·         Establish bee hotels and green walls on Council buildings and incentivise residents to set up bee hotels

·         Plant bee friendly trees and plants and work with residents to encourage planting

·         Stop using insecticides and herbicides on all Council owned and managed land and encourage residents and local farmers to do the same

 

Hedgehogs and habitats

 

·         Create at least six wilding sanctuaries and corridors and preserve existing ones

 

Electric car charging points

 

·         Install a minimum of 55 points in the next 12 months and 250 by 2023 within a clear strategy to encourage growth of electric vehicles

·         Develop planning policies to facilitate installation of charging points for new houses

·         Install charging points at Council-owned properties

·         Change the Council’s fleet to electric vehicles by the end of 2023

 

Renewable energy

 

·         Install solar panels on all council buildings and include sustainable energy sources in its property investments

·         Ensure that the new Waste Management Depot at Great Dunmow is designed to be an exemplar of new green technologies

·         Establish a solar farm to offset the Council’s energy use

·         Ensure that any future Garden Settlements are carbon negative through the creation of local wind and solar power generation

·         Undertake an annual energy audit on usage and sustainability of the District Council’s estate

·         Develop planning policies to require all new builds, including the Council’s own developments  to have sources of renewable energy fitted and to comply with ‘Passivhaus’ or similar standards of energy efficiency

 

Reduction of single use plastics

 

·         End the use of single-use plastics in Uttlesford by 2023 and increase recycling

·         Provide water fountains in towns and villages

·         Establish a ‘Chairman’s Charter’, similar to the Saffron Walden ‘Mayor’s Charter’ to encourage businesses, community groups, schools and residents to commit to undertake specific actions to reduce or discourage the use of plastics

·         Set up an online forum to provide information on the reduction of plastic use

 

Air Transport

 

 

           

Councillor Pavitt seconded the motion and said he was disappointed that this issue had become a matter of contention when all Members were moving towards the same goal. He said the objectives were laudable and some schemes could be implemented immediately, such as the hedgehog and bee initiatives. Other elements in the proposal required proper costing and thought to ensure they were realistic and deliverable.

 

Councillor Barker said there were a number of inexpensive measures which could be taken, such as the protection of hedgerows, the planting of trees around the district and discussions with Stansted Airport regarding the use of sodium lamps. She said that she would like to see more members of the Administration sit on the Energy and Climate Change Working Group (ECCWG) since the defection of three Members to the Green Group, and that the economic viability of solar panel and ‘Passivhaus’ standards had to be carefully considered before taking any decisions.

 

Councillor Criscione said he would support the motion but not the amendment. He said the Council had to be ambitious in the challenge to tackle climate change.

 

Councillor Driscoll said the ECCWG had looked at the viability of schemes and that the Council could not spend money it did not have.

 

In response to a question from Youth Councillor Birkbeck, Councillor Pepper confirmed that consultation with young people over climate change had been included as part of her amendment.

 

Councillor Hargreaves said the original motion was a vague, long list of schemes with no costings attached. This was not the way to get things done and a detailed plan would emerge out of the ECCWG. He supported the amendment.

 

Councillor Reeve, a member of the ECCWG, said he was passionate on climate change and supported the amendment. He thanked officers for providing information as requested by members of the working group, and cited a number of challenges the district faced, with particular regard paid to the carbon dioxide levels emitted by aviation activity. He said there was much urgent work to do in the challenge against climate change and asked Members to work together.

 

Councillor Tayler said he was bewildered by the substantive motion; he sat on the ECCWG and had been impressed by the support provided by officers. He said information was being collated to provide the basis for a realistic and viable programme of schemes. He would be supporting the amendment.

 

Councillor Fairhurst said all agreed on the initiatives outlined in both the motion and amendment, and there was no need for contention. However, he said the initial motion had more edge and set a baseline on which the Council would be judged.

 

Councillor Caton said he was frustrated that nothing had happened since the climate change motion had been passed in July. The issue of climate change was urgent and the issue needed to be taken extremely seriously.

 

Councillor Coote said he was disappointed as the motion before Council was a political point scoring exercise. He said all councillors should be working together to tackle this issue.

 

Councillor Dean said the original motion provided a roadmap to the Council’s challenge against climate change; the amendment amounted to a commitment to request money from central government. If there was nothing in the budget, the issue would not be taken seriously. He said he could not support the amendment.

 

Councillor Foley said the issue of aviation had to be included in whatever motion was passed. He said the airport was the greatest threat in terms of climate change.

 

Councillor Pepper said the substantive motion would bypass the ECCWG and this work had to travel through the correct channels to ensure informed decisions were made. She said the cross party working group was the democratic means to engage with the issue of climate change.

 

The Chair called for a vote on the amendment to the substantive motion.

 

The amendment was carried.

 

The Chair called for Members to vote on the amended substantive motion.

 

            RESOLVED to:

 

Note that immediately upon being elected the new R4U administration created an Environment Portfolio for the UDC Cabinet, in May this year.

 

It further notes that in July 2019 the Council resolved:

 

1.    To declare a Climate and Ecological Emergency, acting now to prevent a climate and ecological catastrophe that will greatly impact our children, grandchildren and future generations

 

2.    To commit to achieving net-zero carbon status by 2030 and protecting and enhancing bio-diversity by:

 

• requesting the Cabinet Member for Environment and Green Issues to establish an Energy and Climate Change Working Group of Cabinet
• working collaboratively across the Council and engaging with individuals, community groups, businesses and other partners in the district, including young people who should have a voice to help shape our future
• lobbying Central Government to urgently provide funding and implement necessary policy changes
• producing a bold plan of action that is realistic, measurable and deliverable 
• ensuring significant progress has been made to deliver the action plan by April 2023.

 

To advance the Climate Change and Green agenda as quickly as possible the cabinet member then created a cross party Energy and Climate Change Working Group, which was formally established at the next Cabinet meeting on 26 September 2019, and which includes all three Green party Councillors. The Council urges all residents of any party or none to contribute to the Climate Change Working Group.

The Council asks the Working Group urgently to pursue the production of its plan of action and, in drawing up proposals, to consider the feasibility and effectiveness of the initiatives listed below:

 

Tree planting across the district

 

In partnership with local community and environmental organisations, county, parish councils and other landowners to:

 

·         Plant a tree per resident in the next year and 10,000 a year after that

·         Provide a tree for life for every expectant family in Uttlesford

·         Develop planning policy to require one tree per bedroom to be planted for each new build property in the district, with at least two trees planted to replace any tree which cannot be preserved and is felled.

 

Bees and other pollinators

 

·         Map and protect their habitats and create new ones

·         Adjust the Council’s grass-cutting schedule to encourage the establishment of wild flower meadows on public green spaces and verges

·         Establish bee hotels and green walls on Council buildings and incentivise residents to set up bee hotels

·         Plant bee friendly trees and plants and work with residents to encourage planting

·         Stop using insecticides and herbicides on all Council owned and managed land and encourage residents and local farmers to do the same

 

Hedgehogs and habitats

 

·         Create at least six wilding sanctuaries and corridors and preserve existing ones

 

Electric car charging points

 

·         Install a minimum of 55 points in the next 12 months and 250 by 2023 within a clear strategy to encourage growth of electric vehicles

·         Develop planning policies to facilitate installation of charging points for new houses

·         Install charging points at Council-owned properties

·         Change the Council’s fleet to electric vehicles by the end of 2023

 

Renewable energy

 

·         Install solar panels on all council buildings and include sustainable energy sources in its property investments

·         Ensure that the new Waste Management Depot at Great Dunmow is designed to be an exemplar of new green technologies

·         Establish a solar farm to offset the Council’s energy use

·         Ensure that any future Garden Settlements are carbon negative through the creation of local wind and solar power generation

·         Undertake an annual energy audit on usage and sustainability of the District Council’s estate

·         Develop planning policies to require all new builds, including the Council’s own developments  to have sources of renewable energy fitted and to comply with ‘Passivhaus’ or similar standards of energy efficiency

 

Reduction of single use plastics

 

·         End the use of single-use plastics in Uttlesford by 2023 and increase recycling

·         Provide water fountains in towns and villages

·         Establish a ‘Chairman’s Charter’, similar to the Saffron Walden ‘Mayor’s Charter’ to encourage businesses, community groups, schools and residents to commit to undertake specific actions to reduce or discourage the use of plastics

·         Set up an online forum to provide information on the reduction of plastic use

 

Air Transport