Issue - meetings

Agreed;

1.         That the Council’s Green Community Grants scheme be doubled to £20,000 for 2021/22 (funded from the Climate Emergency Budget)

2.         That the Council no longer maintain the ISO140001 Energy Management accreditation given the shift to the more comprehensive action being taken on carbon reduction across all services and actions in the Council.

3.         To note the progress and actions set out in the report.

4.         That the draft Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy be presented to Cabinet in July.

5.         That the Council makes an application to the On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme and initially uses the Climate Emergency Budget to match-fund.

Decision:

Agreed that the Council’s Green Community Grants scheme be doubled to £20,000 for 2021/22 (funded from the Climate Emergency Budget)

Agreed that the Council no longer maintain the ISO140001

Energy Management accreditation given the shift to the more comprehensive action being taken on carbon reduction across all services and actions in the Council.

Agreed that the Council notes the progress and actions set out in the report.

Agreed that the Council agrees that the draft Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy be presented to Cabinet in July.

Agreed that the Council agrees that the Council makes an application to the On-street Residential Charge point Scheme and initially uses the Climate Emergency Budget to match-fund.

Advice:

Mark Gaynor and Melanie Parr noted that the report was comprehensive and that there was a focus on the rights things and delivery of the carbon reduction we are looking for. Important to have national and international context and specifically a national one with the 10 point plan and may need to be update with Prime Minister’s update today. Very ambitious in respect to carbon reduction and requires a significant shift in terms of action from the government in order deliver and investment and direction required, where reluctant companies may not want to participate and where encouragement may not be appropriate.

The Report itself does cover issues such as ongoing housing and the way to deal with the retrofit of our Council homes and is a longer term process.

Excellent work on community and communications process which Melanie Parr has been focussing on, appended “learning from lockdown strategy” which has helped advice. Ecological emergency and updating of Ecology and Bio-diversity strategy. Happy to take questions rather than run through entire report.

Cllr Julie Banks – Appreciative of reports put forward and huge sense of pride that we are ahead of the game. Criticism in the lack of branding and communication with residents, particularly Cupid Green, Electric Vehicle Charging points and no celebration of what impact we have made or even signposting the good things we have been doing. We are not promoting or speaking out about what we’ve done. Need signage, website update, notices in and around the Forum.

Mark Gaynor – We have not had the public platform we would like and the report demonstrates the direction we would like to go, including online presence and community group involvements. Accept part of moving forward will involve communication and publicity, communication, consultation, feedback and dialogue with residents.  Fair criticism and one we are working on.  Expect to see a lot more coming forward.

Cllr Banks – what are the timescales for seeing signs on grass verges, wildflower meadows being celebrated, electric vehicle points and signage being promoted? Perhaps a fanfare at entrance. We should have window stickers available to residents to say they have carbon neutral homes/business. We should consider ideas such as “push a button to donate a tree” and get a Facebook page and/or website to promote, to let residents see what we  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26