Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – ENVIRONMENT

This report proposes a replacement of the Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027, which was approved in 2022. This replacement is The Sustainability Strategy 2025-2030 and aligns with the Council Plan 2024-2028 priority of Sustainability.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:

(1)   Noted the contents of Appendix C Sustainability Strategy Consultation Response.

(2)   Adopted the following documents, taking into consideration the new actions proposed under each theme.

·       Appendix A Sustainability Strategy 2025-2030

·       Appendix B Sustainability Strategy Actions Table

REASON FOR DECISIONS: In 2019 the Council passed a motion to declare a Climate Emergency, pledging to do everything within its power to become carbon neutral by 2030. In July 2023, the Council also declared an Ecological Emergency recognising that the crisis facing nature requires urgent action and is interlinked with the climate crisis. The replacement of the Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027 and transition to the Sustainability Strategy will reflect the Sustainability priority in the Council Plan 2024-28. As such it includes new actions under this broader scope. It also reflects the latest legislation and best practice.

Audio recording – 24 minutes 27 seconds

Councillor Amy Allen, as Executive Member for Environment, presented the report entitled ‘Sustainability Strategy 2025-2030’ and advised that:

·       This report proposed replacement of the current Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027 with the Sustainability Strategy 2025-2030.

·       Changing to a broader sustainability strategy would be in align with the priority of sustainability in the Council Plan.

·       This strategy sets out the aims and actions of the themes of Council emissions.

·       Colour coding of actions referred to the themes as well as a section for cross cutting actions.

·       The aims and actions were consulted on by a survey where 141 responses were received from the public, 33 from staff and 3 from Councillors.

·       A summary of the consultation responses was set out in Appendix C.

·       Progress on actions would be monitored by the Climate and Sustainability Officer Group (CSOG) and regular reporting to the Political Liaison Board (PLB).

·       A small amendment was proposed to page 70 of Appendix A to make reference to the Hertfordshire Growth Board and a sustainable county emission.

·       A small amendment was proposed to action 10 on page 73 of Appendix B to make reference to embedding the sustainability goal in the Procurement Strategy.

The following Members asked questions:

·       Councillor Daniel Allen

·       Donna Wright

·       Councillor Val Bryant

In response to questions, the Policy and Strategy Team Leader advised: 

·       Turnout had been good at the Officer consultation workshop with several members of the Leadership Team in attendance and from a range of teams across the Council and all directorates were covered.  

·       A Council Emissions report would be uploaded to the Climate Change webpage shortly.

·       By the time the Sustainability Strategy went to the PLB any comments received following the workshop had been satisfactorily covered.

·       The Sustainability Strategy would be made available on the Climate Change webpage and it was being considered to rename some of the webpages as this was now a Sustainability Strategy to make things clearer.

Councillor Amy Allen proposed and Councillor Mick Debenham seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:

(1)   Noted the contents of Appendix C Sustainability Strategy Consultation Response.

(2)   Adopted the following documents, taking into consideration the new actions proposed under each theme.

·       Appendix A Sustainability Strategy 2025-2030

·       Appendix B Sustainability Strategy Actions Table

REASON FOR DECISIONS: In 2019 the Council passed a motion to declare a Climate Emergency, pledging to do everything within its power to become carbon neutral by 2030. In July 2023, the Council also declared an Ecological Emergency recognising that the crisis facing nature requires urgent action and is interlinked with the climate crisis. The replacement of the Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027 and transition to the Sustainability Strategy will reflect the Sustainability priority in the Council Plan 2024-28. As such it includes new actions under this broader scope. It also reflects the latest legislation and best practice.