Issue - meetings

Joint report of the Head of Corporate Resources and Executive Director.

Further to Minute No. 33 of the Council meeting of 18 July 2019, the Committee considered the joint report of the Head of Corporate Resources and the Executive Director indicating that at its meeting on 18 July 2019, the Council had agreed a motion to declare a Climate Emergency. Work had progressed since that date on developing a programme structure, strategy and initial implementation plan for delivery of the motion and its objectives. In order to further inform this work, a baseline position was required across the Council of work that was currently underway or planned that could contribute to the Council achieving the aims of the motion. The report provided a summary of work undertaken to date and the exercise that was required to be led through each Overview and Scrutiny Committee in order to establish that baseline position.

The Section Manager Energy and Environmental Management, Corporate Resources, attended the meeting to provide a presentation to Members on the Climate Emergency.

The presentation outlined the following:

·         Purpose;

·         Sefton Target;

·         How we quantify our emissions; and

·         Next Steps.

Members of the Committee asked questions/raised issues on the following:

·         Doubts were raised as to the adequate recording of air quality, particularly in the most congested areas of the Borough.

Pollutants were monitored and actions taken to influence partners and reduce pollutants, including improvements to nearby green spaces. Improvements could also be made to combat domestic pollutants, such as by improving insulation, etc.

·         What role was the Committee being requested to undertake on climate emergency work?

Following the collation of baseline information, options would be presented to the Committee in due course.

RESOLVED:      That

(1)       the Council’s agreed approach to delivering the objectives, as set out in the Council motion that declared a climate emergency, be noted;

(2)       the activity that will take place within the first 12 months of the programme; be noted; and

(3)       the important role of each Overview and Scrutiny Committee in delivering the Council’s objectives, as set out in the agreed motion, and the initial work that is required to be carried out in each area of the Council’s activity by all Heads of Service, in order to form an initial baseline position; and that this initial work will be reported back to the next meeting of the Committee, be noted.

Joint report of the Head of Corporate Resources and Executive Director

The Committee considered the joint report of the Head of Corporate Resources and Executive Director that advised that at the Council, at its meeting held on 18 July 2019, agreed a motion to declare a Climate Emergency and this was attached as Appendix A to this report; that in accordance with the terms of the Council motion, work had progressed on developing a programme structure, strategy and initial implementation plan for delivery of the motion and its objectives; that in order to further inform this work, a baseline position was required across the Council of work that was currently underway or planned that could contribute to the Council achieving the aims of the motion; and that the report provided a summary of work undertaken to date and the exercise that was required to be led through each Overview and Scrutiny Committee in order to establish that baseline position.

The report also advised that each Overview and Scrutiny Committee was being asked to lead an immediate piece of work for completion by the next cycle of meetings that:

The report concluded that the output from the work referred to above should be reported back to Overview and Scrutiny Committees in March/April 2020 and be led by the respective Heads of Service in conjunction with the Committee members and Cabinet Member; and that necessary support would be available from the Cabinet Member - Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Service, the Head of Corporate Resources and the Executive Director in addition to the Council wide officer working group.

The Committee also received a presentation from Stephanie Jukes, Section Manager Energy and Environmental Management, Corporate Resources and Andrew Walker, Head of Locality Services, on the background to climate change and the Council’s Climate Emergency Declaration which included information on:

·       Sefton’s target of net zero carbon by 2030; and the establishment of a working group and its commencement of work on a strategy, action plan and partnership working

·       How Sefton quantified its emissions using the scope of the “Greenhouse Gas Protocol”

·       Next steps which included most departments having now received information on the issues associated with the Climate Emergency Declaration, had been tasked with completing an initial scoping exercise and to consider further options

Mr. Walker advised the Committee that in order for the Council to meet the objectives within the Council motion each Overview and Scrutiny Committee was being asked to lead an immediate piece of work for completion by the next cycle of meetings (end of April 2020) that:

Joint report of the Head of Corporate Resources and Executive Director

The Committee considered the joint report of the Head of Corporate Resources and Executive Director that advised that the Council, at its meeting held on 18 July 2019, agreed a motion to declare a Climate Emergency and this was attached as Appendix A to this report; that in accordance with the terms of the Council motion, work had progressed on developing a programme structure, strategy and initial implementation plan for delivery of the motion and its objectives; that in order to further inform this work, a baseline position was required across the Council of work that was currently underway or planned that could contribute to the Council achieving the aims of the motion; and that the report provided a summary of work undertaken to date and the exercise that was required to be led through each Overview and Scrutiny Committee in order to establish that baseline position.

The report also advised that each Overview and Scrutiny Committee was being asked to lead an immediate piece of work for completion by the next cycle of meetings that:

The report concluded that the output from the work referred to above should be reported back to Overview and Scrutiny Committees in March/April 2020 and be led by the respective Heads of Service in conjunction with the Committee members and Cabinet Member; and that necessary support would be available from the Cabinet Member - Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Service, the Head of Corporate Resources and the Executive Director in addition to the Council wide officer working group.

The Committee also received a presentation from Stephanie Jukes, Section Manager Energy and Environmental Management, Corporate Resources on the background to climate change and the Council’s Climate Emergency Declaration which included information on:

·       Sefton’s target of net zero carbon by 2030; and the establishment of a working group and its commencement of work on a strategy, action plan and partnership working

·       How Sefton quantified its emissions using the scope of the “Greenhouse Gas Protocol”

·       Next steps which included most departments having now received information on the issues associated with the Climate Emergency Declaration, had been tasked with completing an initial scoping exercise and to consider further options

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       The Council’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and to act in line with scientific consensus that emissions must be reduced to net zero by 2030

·       Initiatives to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 which included the involvement of Green Sefton, the use of solar farms and changes to tariffs to electricity and gas contracts

·       Acknowledgement was made of the financial constraints the Council had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31

Report of the Head of Corporate Resources/Executive Director.

Further to Minute No. 33 of the Council meeting of 18 July 2019, the Committee considered the joint report of the Head of Corporate Resources and the Executive Director indicating that at its meeting on 18 July 2019, the Council had agreed a motion to declare a Climate Emergency. Work had progressed since that date on developing a programme structure, strategy and initial implementation plan for delivery of the motion and its objectives. In order to further inform this work, a baseline position was required across the Council of work that was currently underway or planned that could contribute to the Council achieving the aims of the motion. The report provided a summary of work undertaken to date and the exercise that was required to be led through each Overview and Scrutiny Committee in order to establish that baseline position.

The Section Manager Energy and Environmental Management, Corporate Resources, attended the meeting to provide a presentation to Members on the Climate Emergency.

The presentation outlined the following:

·       Purpose;

·       Sefton Target;

·       How we quantify our emissions; and

·       Next Steps.

Members of the Committee asked questions/raised matters on the following issues:

·       Had the government set aside any resources for this matter, as the initial investment required to achieve the goals would be large.

The general direction of travel to carbon neutral goals was taking place and local authorities needed to be moving towards cleaner investments. Funding might become available and discussions with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority could take place.

·       Did the Council’s core purpose of Cleaner Greener include public transport?

It did include public transport.

The Committee agreed that:

(1)      the Council’s agreed approach to delivering the objectives, as set out in the Council motion that declared a climate emergency, be noted;

(2)      the activity that will take place within the first 12 months of the programme; be noted; and

(3)      the important role of each Overview and Scrutiny Committee in delivering the Council’s objectives, as set out in the agreed motion, and the initial work that is required to be carried out in each area of the Council’s activity by all Heads of Service, in order to form an initial baseline position, be noted. This initial work will be reported back to the next meeting of the Committee.