Agenda item

Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy

Decision:

The Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy had been developed following the motion at Council on 15 July 2020 regarding climate change and subsequently approved at Cabinet in February 2021 for further engagement.

The Strategy set out the approach to addressing climate change and air quality across Buckinghamshire, including targets for emissions reduction from the Council’s direct operations. Further engagement activity had been undertaken since Cabinet last considered this Strategy, the feedback from which had been supportive.

Members were informed that one amendment needed to be made to paragraph 3.11 of the Officers’ report to reflect the current position and for the Strategy moving forward. As such, paragraph 3.11 should be replaced with the following text:

“We have already made some progress on EV charging but there is more to do. The Government are also seeking views on accelerating the provision of EV infrastructure as part of their Future of Transport consultation. To allow us to match this ambition our strategy will look for opportunities to accelerate our own provision based on focused engagement with key stakeholders and partners. This will ensure we increase provision of EV charging points across Buckinghamshire in a speedy manner.”

RESOLVED –

(1) That the outcomes of the recent engagement activity be noted.

(2) That the ongoing work being done to address climate change and reduce carbon emissions in 2020/21 be noted.

(3) That the Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy be agreed and adopted, subject to the updated information provided on paragraph 3.11 of the Officers’ report.

(4) That the MTFP be amended to reflect the revenue and capital budgets for the Strategy.

(5) That Cabinet be provided with an annual update on the implementation of the Strategy.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change introduced a report on the Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy that had been developed following the motion at Council on 15 July 2020 regarding climate change. It had subsequently been approved at Cabinet in February 2021 for further engagement. Climate change was a global emergency and it was critical that everyone played their part.

The overall strategy was based upon the Council’s ability to control or influence different sources of emissions. The degree of control or influence was reflected in the nature of the actions for an emission source. The influence had been articulated across four levels / approaches:

(i) Direct Control: Where we have direct control, we will take action to reduce emissions, for example by installing renewable energy systems (such as solar panels) on our buildings.

(ii) Financial / Regulatory Role: Where we have financial or regulatory influence, we will look to use these abilities to reduce emissions, for example using our local planning powers to reduce emissions from new developments.

(iii) Enabling Change: Where we can enable others to reduce emissions, we will support that change, for example by providing electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

(iv) Inform and Influence: In other circumstances, we shall seek to inform and influence those who do have control over emissions, for example by raising public awareness of climate change and air quality issues.

The strategy was ambitious with 60 proposed actions across a range of emission sources, with the actions being arranged in sections aligned with the degree of control model – importantly it was a costed and deliverable plan which would put the Council on the path to reducing emissions by 75% by 2030 and 90% by 2040 reaching net zero by no later than 2050 and put Buckinghamshire on a sharper decline than the UK’s national approach:

(a) The Council’s Emissions – covering how we will reduce our direct emissions.

(b) Suppliers and Partners – covering how we will work with Community Boards, schools, suppliers and partner organisations to reduce emissions.

(c) County-wide – covering how we’ll work to reduce emissions from non-council sources of emissions across Buckinghamshire, such as a from transportation and new developments.

The strategy explain in more detail:

· about carbon emission targets and the actions that would support achieving emission targets.

· this Council and its predecessors have a long history of tackling climate change and in recent months have been particularly supporting nature base solutions. These included securing over £200k from the Local Authority Treescapes Fund (LAFT) to support tree planting in non-forest locations as part of a bid with 5 partner organisations, working with several community groups who were interested in planting trees in road verges, and supporting the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 and have offered every school and care home a free tree that they can plant in their own grounds. The Council were now out to tender to deliver on the first of those sites.

· the Council were simplifying the process in planting trees in road verges and would help those interested in undertaking planting to access resources on re-wilding road verges and other materials to support individuals and organisations to plant trees.

· information on building and transport emissions that were under the direct control of the Council and how they would be reduced.

· information on the Council’s carbon emissions for 2020-21, which showed there had been a 75% reduction in emission since the 1990 baseline, and a 40% reduction compared to the 2018/19 carbon audit.

· emissions were expected to increase next year following Covid and the return to normal working practices although there were more flexible ways of working.

· the Cabinet Member would be launching today the Bucks Climate Green Challenge Campaign to raise awareness and encourage everyone to make a change in their lives to reduce their impact on the climate and the environment.

· whilst most people would aim to move to electric vehicles for many it was not an affordable option to date however the Cabinet Member highlighted there were still low cost measures that could make a difference. In support of COP 26 the Council would be taking part in a regional event called green wheels in motion hosted by the Leonards Group at their facility in the Silverstone Technology Park where the decarbonising of transport was being developed and trialled in Buckinghamshire.

During discussion the following points were noted:-

· A Cabinet Member commented that Buckinghamshire seemed to be leading the way especially with EV charging and commended embedding climate change into all the service areas of the Council The Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment reported that this Council was doing well compared to other councils but it was important to reach out to other Councils and identify any good initiatives which could be adopted by Buckinghamshire. It was important to embed this area into all Council processes for example procurement – to ask contractors to ensure they follow the Strategy as far as possible.

· In response to a question, the Cabinet Member agreed to regularly suggest small low cost measures that residents could undertake to make a difference.

· The Cabinet Member who was responsible for the agricultural estate had visited all sites in the first phase for tree planting and was excited that the first phase would be undertaken this winter. He commented it was important to engage with Parish Councils, Community Boards and schools to get their input, ideas and ownership by the local community. Reference was made to cultivation licences and the cost and bureaucracy involved in obtaining them and whether this process could be simplified. In response the Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment reported that there were two types of planting programme; one on Council land following the correct governance processes and the other through Parishes and Community Boards. It was crucial to offer appropriate advice that the right tree was planted correctly in the right place and some form of maintenance was included in this.

· Air quality – a Cabinet Member commented that it was important to look at impact of major infrastructure projects such as HS2 and to monitor compliance. The Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment acknowledged that it was important that major projects did not impact on air quality and said that the Council were monitoring HS2 on a daily basis.

· COP 26 – reference was made to the need to be agile to any policy changes. The Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment reported that they would expect additional Government funding for any initiatives arising from COP 26. The Service area would remain flexible to any new initiatives and their ability to make a better environment for all. The aim was to meet and match Government legislation if not improve it. The Energy and Climate Change Manager reported that the Government would be issuing a Net Zero Strategy which had a heating and building strand to it; the first part announced was gas boilers moving over to heat pumps in 15 or so years and to understand the details of funding support for residents.

· Climate change would be embedded in the emerging Local Plan and there were expected changes coming through in legislation.