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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.