Agenda item

*HC 14/23    

The Hub Committee considered a report that provided an update on the work undertaken since the Council had declared a Climate Emergency in July 2019 (Minute CM 29 refers).

During the ensuing debate, particular reference was made to:

(a)     recommendation 2.  To reflect the point that the ‘Mayor’s Young Person Environment Award’ would only be in place for the term of office of the Mayor, an alternative form of wording for recommendation 2 was PROPOSED and SECONDED and, when put to the vote, was declared CARRIED:

‘2.      That the establishment of the ‘Mayor’s Young Person Environment Award’ for the 2023/24 Municipal Year be noted.’

(b)     the evolving nature of the Devon Carbon Plan.  In discussion, some Members questioned the extent of the changes that had been made to the Plan since it had been last considered by Full Council at its meeting held on 22 November 2022 (Minute CM 53/22 refers).  Without the detailed knowledge of the changes, coupled with the absence of a Member Briefing to discuss the updates to the Plan and the contents of the Climate & Ecological (CE) Bill prior to them being formally presented, led to an amendment being PROPOSED and SECONDED (to recommendation parts 3 and 4 respectively) that read as follows:

‘3.      That Council be RECOMMENDED to continue to fully support the aims and intentions of the Devon Carbon Plan and to review the Council’s Carbon Reduction Strategy through ‘A Plan for West Devon’ (as appropriate); and

4.       That Council be RECOMMENDED to support regional and national policy to reduce emissions and tackle climate change by lobbying our MPs on specific issues and embedding appropriate costed actions into ‘A Plan for West Devon’.

In support of the amendment, some Members felt that this would ensure that the Council was not committing to endorsing the Devon Carbon Plan at this time without being fully aware of both whether it contained any resource implications to the Borough Council and what the changes had been to its contents since last being considered by the Council in November 2022. 

These Members also wished for it to be noted that they were fully supportive of the Council’s declared Climate Change & Biodiversity Emergency and they could also be minded to endorse the Devon Carbon Plan but they did not feel they had sufficient information on its contents at this time and its implications to the residents and communities of West Devon.

In contrast, other Members stated that they did not support the amendment and, by simply endorsing the Plan and supporting the contents of the CE Bill, would help to underline the Council’s commitment to its declared Climate Change and Biodiversity Emergency.  Furthermore, the wording of the recommendations were not considered by these Members to result in any additional resource implications to the Council.

Given the nature of the debate on the amendment, the Leader suggested that an alternative amendment may be an appropriate way forward.  This alternative read as follows:

‘3.      That the Committee reconsider the matters of the Devon Carbon Plan and the CE Bill at the next Hub Committee Meeting (to be held on 21 November 2023), with an informal Member Briefing on these subject areas being held before this date.’

Having been presented with this alternative, the proposer and seconder of the original amendment withdrew their proposal.  The alternative amendment wording (as set out above) was then PROPOSED and SECONDED and, when put to the vote, was declared CARRIED and therefore become part of the substantive motion.

It was then:

RESOLVED

1.      That the update regarding the Council’s progress on climate change and biodiversity and the emerging priorities set out by the new administration be noted; and

2.      That the establishment of the ‘Mayor’s Young Person Environment Award’ for the 2023/24 Municipal Year be noted; and

3.      That the Committee reconsider the matters of the Devon Carbon Plan and the CE Bill at the next Hub Committee Meeting (to be held on 21 November 2023), with an informal Member Briefing on these subject areas being held before this date.