Agenda item

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The Panel was presented with the most recently published Executive Forward Plan.  In accordance with Procedure Rules, the Chairman had requested prior to this meeting that the Leader provide responses to a series of questions on the following Executive agenda item:

(a)    Climate Change Programme

Question 1. Prior to the Special Council meeting on 25 July 2019, can Members be informed which professional advisors will be consulted and which strategies are being considered by Plymouth, Exeter and Teignbridge Councils to help them achieve carbon neutrality by 2030?

In response, the Leader reminded the Panel that the Council had yet to formally consider the Executive recommendations and it was therefore very early days to be in a position to provide such information.  However, the Leader and Chief Executive both emphasised that a great deal of combined working was already being carried out.  Whilst both the University of Plymouth and University of Exeter had committed to supporting the work, there were potential procurement matters that would require addressing.

Assuming that Members approved the Executive recommendations on 25 July 2019, then the Council would also then commit to working with the Devon Climate Emergency Response Group.

Question 2. Prior to the July Special Council meeting, can Members be informed which professional advisors the Council is considering using and which strategies will it consider adopting, in order to assess the viability of a target for the South Hams of Carbon Neutrality by 2030?

In reply, the Leader informed that the Response Group would be setting up a website that would contain extensive information (including the notes and action points arising from meetings) and be hosted by Devon County Council.  Once it was established, officers gave a commitment to providing a link to the website to all Members.

In highlighting that resources were scarce and a co-ordinated response would be vital, the Leader stated that the work required to calculate the Council’s Carbon Footprint would be far more straightforward than the research required to establish the Devonwide picture.

Question 3. The Council aims to produce a Climate Action Plan within six months – prior to the Special Council meeting in July, can Members be provided with a draft timetable of stages to reach that goal, including how and when external experts, this Panel, other Members and the public would be consulted?

Whilst it was felt too early to be able to provide this information, the Leader recognised the importance of keeping the wider membership fully informed and she gave a commitment for Members to be kept informed of progress via regular updates in the Members Bulletin.

Question 4. In drawing up the Action Plan, will the Council seek to identify, assess and maximise the potential economic, social and environmental ‘co-benefits’ of the following:

-      reducing Council energy bills;

-      generating income from renewable energy opportunities;

-      reducing fuel poverty and hypothermia;

-      reducing air pollution;

-      creating new local business, employment and investment opportunities;

-      increasing local economic resilience and self-reliance; and

-      increasing tree cover and biodiversity?

With the possible exception of increasing tree cover and biodiversity, the Leader was of the view that each of these points were classified as ‘business as usual’ for the Council.

Question 5. Prior to the July Special Council meeting, can Members be informed what steps are being taken or proposed in respect of working with other councils to address the proposed Emergency?

The Leader advised that this question had been addressed in the previous responses that had been given.

In the subsequent debate, reference was made to:-

(a)   the decision-making process at Special Council.  The overriding view was that the commitment to provide regular updates in the Members Bulletin, coupled with the website link being circulated, would be sufficient and there would consequently be no need for an additional report to be produced for consideration at the Special Council meeting;

(b)   the development of the Action Plan.  Assurances were given to the Panel that all Members would be fully involved in the development of the Action Plan;

(c)    the proposed Member Workshop.  Whilst the final details were still to be confirmed, it was noted that the provisional date of Wednesday, 18 September 2019 had been set aside for the Workshop to be held at the Woolwell Community Centre.