Issue - meetings

Matter for Decision

The Officer’s report presented a new Climate Change Strategy for the five year period from April 2016 to March 2021.  The report summarised the key issues raised by consultees following the public consultation and outlined the changes that had been made to the Climate Change Strategy in response.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources

     i.        Noted the key issues raised through the public consultation as set out in Appendix A and B of the Officer’s report.

    ii.        Approved the Climate Change Strategy presented at Appendix C subject to an amendment in the action plan attached to Objective Two to add an additional activity 2.15 (p116) to consider convening and leading a City Leaders Climate Change Group (comprising businesses, other major employers, voluntary and community sector) to establish a collective and mutually supportive approach to reduce the city’s carbon footprint and agree an inspiring goal which the whole city can identify with and participate in.

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

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

 

Mr Tuckwood addressed the Committee and made the following points:

i.             The Green Party had commented on the Climate Change Strategy and were happy that some suggestions had been taken forward.

ii.            Could not agree with the target date for the City to achieve zero carbon status by 2050.  A much earlier date needed to be selected and it was suggested that the date was brought forward to 2030.

iii.           The energy usage from Cambridge City had increased in recent years.

iv.          Climate change was the biggest threat to public health.

 

The Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources made the following comments:

       i.                The Council had to operate within the national policy context.

     ii.                The Council did not have a ‘target’ date but had an aspiration date to achieve zero carbon status.  A target date was meaningless unless the Council had the means to make it happen.

    iii.                It was worth having an aspiration but he did not believe in setting a target which could not be met without major changes from Central Government.  Central Government had taken away the green deal and had cut feed in tariffs which did not assist the Council.

 

Mr Tuckwood addressed the Committee and made the following supplementary points:

       i.                He understood the limits of Local Government however he stated that Cambridge needed to be taking leadership.

     ii.                The Strategy recognised the challenge in the national context however it needed to set clearer target opportunities which had been missed.

 

Dr Eva addressed the Committee and made the following points:

       i.                Targets gave clarity and focus, the 2 degrees drop in global warming may be a cornerstone of the strategy.

     ii.                The Committee were turning their backs on the economy of Cambridge.

    iii.                Need to have zero carbon status to reduce the increase in global warming to 2 degrees. 

   iv.                More than 50 cities had pledged to have zero carbon status but he questioned who would be the first.

     v.                Stated that Cambridge had funding from the City Deal and should encourage the best and brightest individuals to develop innovations so that Cambridge could have zero carbon status.

 

The Executive Councillor made the following comments:

i.             The City Deal included South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council, it was not just the City Council.

ii.            The Council would do its best to achieve zero carbon status however there were other institutions which had more influence in the City to achieve this for example Cambridge University.

iii.           Requested practical examples which would provide the means for the Council to achieve zero carbon status.

 

Dr Eva addressed the Committee and made the following supplementary points:

i.             February 2016 had been the warmest February on record.

ii.            He had provided a suggestion that asked that Cambridge became the first zero carbon city in the United Kingdom.

 

Councillor Gillespie addressed the Committee and made the following points:

i.             It was obvious that people cared about climate change.

ii.            The Council did get opportunities to address climate change issues for example the University West of Cambridge site was an exemplar site for sustainability.

iii.           There were opportunities through the City Deal to look at the congestion in Cambridge.

iv.          The Council had tried to negotiate for more power over housing through the devolution deal, however the Council needed more power to be able to deliver zero carbon sustainable homes. 

v.           Requested less spending on fencing and more spending on the insulation of Council housing.

vi.          Requested that the Council looked at their catering contracts.

vii.         Renewable energy did not have to be fed back into the grid.

viii.       Referred to the energy supply contract for Council and the commitment made at the October 2015 Council meeting to make Cambridge fossil free. Commented that if the Council did not choose an energy supplier which used 100% renewable energy then the Council may as well not have a Climate Change Strategy.

 

The Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources made the following comments:

 

          i.             The Council had procured electric vehicles.

         ii.             The Council would not be able to get Central Government to be able to reverse national policy through the devolution deal.

       iii.             The Council could do what it could to educate people to eat less meat but there were likely to be limits to the effectiveness of this.

       iv.             The Executive Councillor for Housing would be the appropriate person to comment on housing.

        v.             The Council had to take into account other factors when it conducted its procurement exercise to procure an energy supplier.

       vi.             Investment in renewable energy without a feed in tariff had to be considered in relation to the Council’s overall financial situation and ensure that there was a balanced budget. 

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

       i.                The point of the Climate Change Strategy was to inspire the City and to pull in partners to achieve the strategy’s aims.

     ii.                Meat and dairy were big factors in climate change but the Council did not have control over these things but could influence individual’s behaviours.

    iii.                Queried whether the Council’s commercial properties had energy rating certificates.

 

In response to Members questions the Strategy and Partnerships Manager and the Head of Corporate Strategy confirmed the following:

    i.                   The Council had not focused on meat and dairy as it was not within the gift of the City Council to control however the contribution of these to carbon emissions was noted.

  ii.                   Referred to the Council’s ‘Greener your home’ document which provided advice to residents on how they could change their behaviours to reduce their own emissions.

 iii.                   Would take advice from the Procurement Officer regarding the Council’s catering contract. 

iv.                   Had spoken with the Head of Property Services who confirmed that a survey of the Council’s commercial property energy ratings would be completed by September 2016, with any improvement plan in place by March 2017.

 

Councillor Bick proposed the following amendments to recommendation (b) (additional text underlined):

 

Amendment One

 

To approve the Climate Change Strategy presented at Appendix C amending the action plan in relation to the council’s commercial property portfolio at 1.3 (p104) to add a performance measure for energy ratings on all commercial properties to be established by September 2016 and an upgrading strategy to be in place by March 2017.

 

Amendment Two 

 

To approve the Climate Change Strategy presented at Appendix C amending the action plan attached to Objective Two to add an additional activity 2.15 (p116) to consider convening and leading a City Leaders Climate Change Group (comprising businesses, other major employers, voluntary and community sector) to establish a collective and mutually supportive approach to reduce the city’s carbon footprint and agree an inspiring goal which the whole city can identify with and participate in.

 

Amendment Three    

 

To approve the Climate Change Strategy presented at Appendix C amending the action plan in relation to the Council’s tree strategy at 5.6 (p135) to add a performance measure the provision of a new planting budget to fund and incentivise tree planting across the city in 2016/17 and to amend the performance measure for tree canopy cover so that it applies to the whole city and not just the city centre.

 

On a show of hands Amendment One was lost by 5 votes to 3.

 

On a show of hands Amendment Two was agreed by 8 votes to 1.

 

On a show of hands Amendment Three was lost by 6 votes to 3.

 

The Committee endorsed the amended recommendations by 6 votes to 0.

 

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.