Agenda and minutes

Apologies of absence were received from Councillor J Forrest and S Pankhurst.

Councillor S Martin, Executive Member for Planning and Development also tendered apologies.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Climate Change Scrutiny Panel meeting held on the 24 January 2022.

It was AGREED that the Minutes of the Climate Change Scrutiny Panel held on the 24 January 2022 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Chairman made no announcements at the meeting.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members in accordance with the Standing Orders and Council’s Code of Conduct and disclosures of advice or directions received from Group Leaders or Political Groups, in accordance with Council’s Constitution.

There were no declarations of interest made at this meeting.

To receive any deputations of which notice has been lodged.

A written deputation was received from Anne Stephenson for items 6, 7, 8 and 10.

To consider an update from the Policy, Resources and Engagement Manger on prevailing climate change matters. 

The Panel received a deputation as referred to at Minute 5 above.

The Panel received a presentation by the Policy, Engagement and Research Manager providing an overview of the main areas of progress within the Climate Change Action Plan that have been made since the update to the 24 January 2022 Climate Change Scrutiny Panel.  A copy of the presentation is appended to these Minutes.

Members of the Panel asked several questions pertaining to the planning and building control processes to ask if the Council can encourage developers to take opportunities to enhance the environmental sustainability of the homes they are delivering across the Borough. There is a range of funding available for homeowners for ‘retrofit’ measures, but more work needs to be done to build homes with solar panels and electric charging points etc. Members also suggested that national policies need to do more to enable and facilitate housing developers to make this transition, as this is not just a local issue.

The Director for Planning and Regeneration addressed the Panel to explain that the emerging Local Plan includes policies which will broaden the ‘sustainability requirements’ for new housing developments within the Borough. He went on to highlight to Members that many of the measures to improve energy efficiency of new homes have been and will continue to be included in amendments to the Building Regulations. It was suggested that officers investigate an item to be brought to a future meeting of the Panel that would cover the changes to the Building Regulations, and national and local planning policies. The aim of this item will allow the Panel to have a greater understanding of the mechanisms in place within the planning and building control processes to help capitalise on the opportunities to minimise the carbon impacts arising from the delivery of new housebuilding within the Borough.

RESOLVED that the Climate Change Scrutiny Panel note the contents of the presentation.

To receive a presentation from the Policy, Research and Engagement Manager on the which will outline the Council’s approach to reducing the Scope 2 footprint for 2022/23 whilst balancing the need to minimise the financial impact on the Council.

The Panel received a deputation as referred to at Minute 5 above.

The Panel received a presentation from the Policy, Engagement and Research Officer outlining the Council’s approach to reducing its Scope 2 carbon footprint for 2022/23, whilst balancing the need to minimise the financial impact on the Council in switching the Council’s energy tariff. A copy of the presentation is appended to these Minutes.

The presentation informed Members of the process in reviewing the full range of and associated costs of securing a new electricity tariff to deliver significantly reduced carbon impacts, but within the context of an emerging energy crisis. The outcome of the review and the reasoning behind the decision to choose a tariff for 2022/23 based on nuclear powerbased electricity generation.

Councillor Mrs K K Trott asked that her strong objection to the Council switching to a nuclear power tariff, as opposed to a fully renewable electricity tariff be recorded.

The Chairman explained that although the Panel is sympathetic to concerns raised by Councillor Mrs K K Trott the Council needs to look at this as part of the energy transition to take place nationally over the coming years. Officers will continue to be proactive in reviewing electricity tariff available for future years which increase the proportion of the Council’s electricity use based on renewables generation, whilst remaining financially affordable. 

RESOLVED that the Climate Change Scrutiny Panel note the contents of the presentation.

To receive a presentation from the Policy, Research and Engagement Manager providing an overview of the Local Energy Advice Service (LEAP).

The Panel received a deputation as referred to at Minute 5 above.

The Panel received a presentation providing Members with an overview of how the Local Energy Advice Partnership (LEAP) scheme works, the benefits that eligible residents can receive and the role that the Council will have in promoting the project. A copy of the presentation is appended to these Minutes.

RESOLVED that the Climate Change Scrutiny Panel note the contents of the presentation.

To consider any items of business dealt with by the Executive since the last meeting of the Panel, that falls under the remit of Planning and Development Portfolio. This will include any decisions taken by individual Members during the same time period.

There were no items of Executive Business for the Panel to consider.

To provide an opportunity for Members to consider the scrutiny priorities for the Climate Change Panel.

The Panel received a deputation as referred to at Minute 5 above.

The Chairman invited Members of the Panel to consider the Scrutiny Priorities for the Climate Change Scrutiny Panel.

The Chairman addressed the Panel to confirm that this is the last scheduled meeting of the Climate Change Scrutiny Panel in this municipal year and that the priorities will be considered in detail at the first meeting of the next municipal year. It was also agreed that, as discussed at item 6, an item will be brought in 2022/23 with the aim of providing the Panel with a greater understanding of the mechanisms in place within the planning and building processes both locally and nationally to help reduce Climate Change.

RESOLVED that the Panel considered the Scrutiny Priorities for the Climate Change Scrutiny Panel.