Agenda item

Joint report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environmental Services and Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No.64 of the meeting of Cabinet Member - Environmental held on 18 November, 2009 the Cabinet Member considered the joint report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environmental Services and the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director advising of the likely impact of current and planned climate change legislation and regulations, the implications of developing a low carbon economy (LCE) in Sefton, and seeking approval of recommendations for the strategic management of change; and indicating that a decision on this matter was required as current and planned climate change legislation would impose requirements on local authorities, which required a proactive and co-ordinated approach to tackle climate change and which could only be achieved by changing current modes of operation across almost all economic sectors and moving to the development of an LCE.

The report indicated that there was mounting concern in government that targets for reducing CO₂ emissions were not being met; that the UK government was committed to reducing carbon emissions, establishing the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in October 2008 to co-ordinate such commitments, and passing the Climate Change Act in November 2008, which set out a framework for moving the UK to a low carbon economy and which established legally binding targets to reduce carbon emissions by 80% on 1990 levels by 2050, and 34% by 2020; and detailed the impact of the legislation on Merseyside and for Sefton.

The report also detailed the actions required to move towards an LCE, which included in the short term, more research and intelligence; awareness raising and engagement; preparing for the CRC policy; energy efficiency programme; skills development and employment; supply chain development; business support; and community engagement; and for the medium/long term sustainable transport infrastructure; critical mass of demonstration projects; and integration and co-ordination.

Attached as an appendix to the report was background information on the UK policy on LCE.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)      the report on the development of low carbon economy in response to climate change be noted; and

(2)      Cabinet be recommended to:

          (A)      recommend to the Sefton Borough Partnership that the co-ordinated response to the Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy agenda is made a highest level community strategy objective in the drafting of the required Sustainable Community Strategy and is practically delivered through the Economic Development and Sustainability Thematic Group of the Sefton Borough Partnership;

          (B)      insert the low carbon economy development objective in the next revision of the Council's Corporate Plan;

          (C)     nominate the Cabinet Member - Regeneration as the Low Carbon Economy Champion;

          (D)     reconfirm the Cabinet Member - Environmental as the Climate Change (Adaptation) Champion;

          (E)      nominate the Cabinet Member - Technical Services as the Corporate Community Energy Champion;

          (F)      recommend that the Economic Development and Sustainability Thematic Group of the Sefton Borough Partnership be a focus of co-ordinating wider community activity;

          (G)     recommend that progress on developing and delivering a comprehensive Climate Change Response Strategy and Action Plan be overseen by the Cabinet Member - Performance and Governance through the Council's performance management procedures; and

          (H)     request further progress reports.