Decision details

To consider progress in delivering the Council's Climate Change Strategy.

Public Question

A member of the public asked a question as set out below.

 

1.    A member of the public raised the following points:

      i.          Suggested that the 0% emission aspiration for 2050 was not sensible because it was too far away.

    ii.          Making significant change needed to take a more inclusive approach through activities such as: public education campaigns, reducing meat consumption and using roof space to generate solar energy.

 iii.          The urgency of the situation needed to be recognised.

 

The Strategy and Partnerships Manager responded:

       i.          The Council had tried to raise awareness through education campaigns, articles in Cambridge Matters, working with Cambridge Sustainable Food.

     ii.          Plans were in place to put solar panels on the roof on the Guildhall.

 

Matter for Decision

The report provided an update on progress during 2016/17 on

actions taken to deliver the five objectives of the City Council’s Climate Change Strategy, which covered a five year period from 2016/17 to 2020/2021. As part of this, the report included an update on progress in implementing the Council’s Carbon Management Plan. The Plan sat under the Strategy and played a key role in achieving its first strategic objective, which was to reduce carbon emissions from the City Council’s estate and operations.

 

The report also provided an update on the current position of the

Climate Change Fund, which provided support to projects that helped to reduce the Council’s own carbon emissions and/or manage climate change risks to Council staff and property.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources

       i.          Noted the progress achieved during 2016/17 in implementing the Climate Change Strategy and the Carbon Management Plan.

     ii.          Noted the Climate Change Fund Expenditure Status Report.

   iii.          Agreed to add to future annual reports the Council’s actions and their impact on the energy efficiency performance of its commercial property portfolio.

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

 

Councillor Bick formally proposed to add the following recommendation to the Officer’s report:

·       Agreed to add to future annual reports the Council’s actions and their impact on the energy efficiency performance of its commercial property portfolio

Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Committee resolved to agree the additional recommendation nem con

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Strategy and Partnerships Manager.

 

Opposition Councillors made the following comments in response to the report:

       i.          Welcomed the report and the success of the Strategy so far.

     ii.          Referred to the transport section of priorities and queried why carpark prices had been reduced in the city centre?

   iii.          Raised concern over the absence of any reference to the commercial property portfolio? In doing this £120million had been excluded from the definition of the Council’s estate so had not been considered under the Strategy.

   iv.          Sought clarification of the decision process when determining which funding source would be used between the Climate Change Fund and the budget.

    v.          Stated that the report lacked a large scale scheme. Building passive housing would raise the standard for new developments.

   vi.          Suggested restricting the use of cars on new sites such as the Mill Road Depot and encouraging public transport to reduce congestion.

 

Councillor Sinnott stated that it would be difficult to police a car free site at the Mill Road Depot; making restriction would just displace the problem and push it onto surrounding streets.

 

Councillor Gillespie attended the committee with the prior approval of the Chair and made the following comments: 

       i.          Raised concern that the report stated only an ‘aspiration’ to reduce emissions by 20% by 2020/21, the wording suggested a lack of commitment to achieving this goal.

     ii.          Queried why outdated figures were being used, referring to total carbon emissions per capita figures dating from 2005.

   iii.          Stated that good work was being undertaken but more opportunities needed to be explored urgently. Pressure could be applied to the Mayor of the Combined Authority to reduce carbon emissions when negotiating the next devolution deal.

   iv.          Made the following suggestions:

·       Investing in sustainable energy sources.

·       Only selling sustainably sourced food in council cafeterias.

·       Work toward a sustainable city food gold or silver standard.

·       Include a community impact section on all council reports so that climate change impact and carbon efficiency would always be considered and taken seriously.

·       Introduce a city car share club.

    v.          Highlighted that at the Climate Change Leaders’ meeting it was agreed that a follow up email would be circulated, this had still not happened.

The Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources responded:

       i.          The reduction is carpark fares on a Monday and Tuesday aimed to encourage customers because it was underused on these days.

     ii.          The commercial property portfolio had undergone extensive expenditure on improving the energy efficiency of council buildings.

   iii.          Stated that the Climate Change Fund was a major funding opportunity and would continue to be used more into the future.

   iv.          Welcomed ideas and suggestions of new environmentally friendly ways to work.

    v.          The Cambridge sustainable housing guide which was used in all new development in the city was equivalent to energy performance level 4.

   vi.          Explained that restricting the use of cars on the Mill Road Depot development was difficult, residents needed to be considered too.

 

The Strategy and Partnerships Manager said the following in response to Members’ questions:

       i.          The aspiration of 0% carbon emissions by 2050 was set in March 2016. This was a phased aspiration because district councils had limited control over all services.

     ii.          Stated that the Climate Change Leaders Group had brought together a number of different groups in an attempt to join up and work collectively. There had been a delay getting the follow up email circulated but it had now been sent.

   iii.          Highlighted that the figures used from 2005-2015 were from a national government data set, it took two years to compile the set so it would always be two years out of date.

   iv.          The City Council had reduced its emission by 10% since 2014/15 so it was set to reach its target of 15% by 2021.

    v.          Exploratory work for finding new ways to generate energy was ongoing.

   vi.          Confirmed that a section relating to climate change impact would be included in future committee report templates.                             

 

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.