Issue - meetings

Matter for Decision

The Officer’s report provided an update on progress on the 2021/22 actions of the Council’s Climate Change Strategy 2021-26.

The report also provided an update on the council’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions for 2021/22.

Decision of Executive Councillor for Climate Change, Environment and City Centre

      i.         Noted the progress achieved in 2021/22 in implementing the actions in the Climate Change Strategy and Carbon Management Plan.

    ii.         Approved the updated Climate Change Strategy action plan presented in Appendix A of the Officer’s report.

   iii.         Approved the updated Environmental Policy Statement presented in Appendix C of the Officer’s report.

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.

In response to the report Councillors asked if projects were under threat from tighter budgets in future?

The Executive Councillor said:

      i.         These were difficult times. The City Council needed to manage its finances carefully. Some of the measures to reduce carbon emissions could lead to long term cost savings after the initial financial outlay. Reducing carbon emissions was a council policy commitment.

    ii.         The City Council hoped to reach its target of net zero emissions by 2030. It was unclear if the City of Cambridge could become net zero by 2030 too.

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

      i.         A budget of up to £20,000 was available for resident training on sustainability etc. The provider offered sessions for up to one hundred  residents, plus wider engagement through other method such as a communications campaign.

    ii.         The City Council had taken action over several years to reduce carbon emissions. There had also been investment at a national level to decarbonise the energy grid and move from fossil fuels to green energy. The City Council’s emissions should therefore continue to decline based on these actions.

   iii.         The City Council was still using gas as a fuel source to heat some buildings, so was looking at alternative heat sources to decarbonise the authority in future.

  iv.         An Asset Management Plan had been created. Site surveys had been undertaken and the Plan would be updated by March 2023. The intention was to look at ways to reduce City Council buildings’ carbon footprint through measures such as air source heat pumps. The Strategy and Partnerships Manager undertook to send Councillors details after committee.

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.