Agenda item

a period of up to 15 minutes is available to deal with questions submitted to the Council in accordance with the Executive Procedure Rules;

It was noted that the following public questions had been received in accordance with the Executive Procedure Rules, for consideration at this meeting.  The responses are set out in bold, and were circulated at the meeting.

From Ella Dangerfield:

I have a question relating to the recent publication of the Climate and Biodiversity Action Plan:

Residential housing is the main source of carbon emissions over which this Council has direct control.  Local Fuel Poverty levels are high and increasing. So why has this Council chosen not to improve the construction standards in its Joint Local Plan to address this?

The Joint Local Plan has recently been adopted and contains a range of policies that will support the climate change agenda. The Council already supports improving existing housing stock through a range of initiatives including the Energy Company Obligation and through the use of its Better Care Fund. The energy efficiency of new dwellings is controlled primarily through the Building regulations that are set nationally. It is hoped that there will be changes to the Regulations and the Council will, with its partners, look to lobby Government for changes that will support energy efficiency within new developments.

Supplementary question:

Councils are encouraged to set sustainable construction standards higher than NPPF ones and are entitled to improve sections of Local Plans annually if appropriate.  Until 2015 the national target was zero-carbon housing by 2016. Why has a zero-carbon target not been discussed with the other partners to the JLP?

The Council is keen to secure improved construction standards to support its declaration of a Climate Change and Biodiversity Emergency. In view of this the Council will be discussing available options with its JLP partners as part of its adopted action plan.

From Guy Chapman:

The Council has now published its draft Climate Action Plan but it was written in secret and councillors were only allowed to see it a week ago.  Which parts of the report were so sensitive that this level of secrecy was felt to be necessary?

The Climate Action Plan was not written in secret and has now been published in full as part of the report to Council on 19 December 2019. The Action Plan is a live document and will develop over time and, subject to the recommendations in the above report being adopted, be subject to wider consultation.

From David Cutting:

This Committee is today reviewing its Executive Forward Plan.  As the Council has declared a Climate Emergency why does this Forward Plan not include relevant reviews of the Joint Local Plan and the 5 Year Corporate Strategy?

There is a report going to full Council setting out recommendations with regard to the Climate Change and Biodiversity Emergency.  There is no recommendation to review the Corporate Strategy or the Joint Local Plan.  The Corporate Strategy is a guiding document that sets the direction of the Council and Climate Change and Biodiversity considerations will naturally be applied as evidenced by the updated reporting template. 

The Joint Local Plan can only be reviewed with the agreement of all three Councils.  Currently they have all committed to reviewing and updating the Joint Local Plan within 5 years of adoption.  The report to Council today does include a recommendation that a Strategy be presented back to full Council for approval on 21 May 2020.

Supplementary question:

As this Council describes the Climate Change and Biodiversity agenda as 'a golden thread throughout all of its work' why is there no proposal to mention it in the Corporate Strategy and why has there been no discussion with Plymouth and West Devon Councils about reviewing housing construction standards?

It is recognised that Climate Change and Biodiversity is a cross cutting issue and will form part of future decision making; this can be achieved without being explicitly mentioned in the Corporate Strategy. This does not in any way exclude its inclusion within any subsequent review of the Strategy.

The Council is keen to secure improved construction standards to support its declaration of a Climate Change and Biodiversity Emergency. In view of this the Council will be discussing available options with its JLP partners as part of its adopted action plan.

From Robert Vint:

I understand that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee of this Council was unable to scrutinise the drafting of the Climate Action Plan because it was drawn up in secret. How have local stakeholders and this Council’s members, Committees and Working Groups contributed to the drafting of the Plan?

The Council set up a politically balanced Member working group to work with officers to draft the Action Plan. The Working Group report direct to Council and after a meeting on 5^th December, to which all Members were invited, the Group unanimously agreed the Recommendations that are contained within the report that goes to Council on 19  December 2019. The Action Plan will, subject to approval, be open to wider consultation going forward.

Supplementary question:

What happened to the emerging draft Climate Action Plan and who was involved in reviewing it and determining its contents between the 26th July and the 5th December?

The content of the Action plan was developed by officers in advance of being taken to the Climate Change and Biodiversity Working Group on 5th December when it was unanimously approved. The Plan, which is a living document that will evolve over time, will be subject to public consultation and comment in the early part of 2020.

From Christopher Snow:

In July this Council agreed to carry out an “assessment of the viability of a 2030 target” for the South Hams to become carbon-neutral - a target adopted by many neighbouring councils. There is no viability assessment in the draft Climate Action Plan so why was this target rejected?

The Report to Council on 19 December 2019 contains two aims - 2030 for the Councils own operational carbon footprint and 2050 for the wider District – these are based on an initial assessment of their relative viability. Further work is needed with regard to both as detailed within the report and will be subject to an annual review.

From Barbara Phillips

I would like to ask the Executive committee what plans it has for working with businesses in the Retail, agricultural, manufacturing and tourism sectors within South Hams in order to educate, encourage and thereby facilitate reduction in Carbon emissions? Will they make use of local environmental experts?

Encouraging behaviour change within business and the wider community will be key to securing a reduction in carbon emissions and is included within various actions in the Action Plan. This also forms a major part of the emerging Devon Carbon Plan which will be able exert greater influence in these areas by virtue of its wide ranging membership. The Council will work with local partners and experts where it is deemed beneficial.

From Peter Scott

In July this Council agreed to consider the setting up of a Citizen’s Assembly to help draft its Climate Action Plan. Why was no Citizen’s Assembly set up and why is there no explanation in the Climate Action Plan as to why this option was rejected?

The setting up of a Citizens’ Assembly was discussed by the Climate Change and Biodiversity Member Working Group and it was determined that it was not the most appropriate course of action at the time. The Devon Climate Emergency Response Group, through the Net-zero Task Force, are developing proposals for a Citizens’ Assembly to inform the content of the Devon Carbon Plan.