Agenda, decisions and draft minutes
PDF 205 KBVenue: via Zoom
Contact: Email: Committee.Services@north-herts.gov.uk 01462 474655
Media
| No. | Item |
|---|---|
|
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Members are required to notify any substitutions by midday on the day of the meeting.
Late substitutions will not be accepted and Members attending as a substitute without having given the due notice will not be able to take part in the meeting. Decision: Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Caroline McDonnell. Minutes: Audio recording – 04 minutes 45 seconds
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Caroline McDonnell.
Councillors Joe Graziano and Claire Strong were absent. |
|
|
MINUTES - 1 JULY 2026 To take as read and approve as a true record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 1 July 2026. Decision: RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 1 July 2026 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chair. Minutes: Audio Recording – 04 minutes 59 seconds
Councillor Emma Fernandes proposed and Councillor Paul Ward seconded and, it was:
RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 1 July 2026 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chair. |
|
|
CHAIR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS Climate Emergency
The Council has declared a climate emergency and is committed to achieving a target of zero carbon emissions by 2030 and helping local people and businesses to reduce their own carbon emissions.
A Cabinet Panel on the Environment has been established to engage with local people on matters relating to the climate emergency and advise the council on how to achieve these climate change objectives.
A Climate Change Implementation group of councillors and council officers meets regularly to produce plans and monitor progress. Actions taken or currently underway include switching to green energy, incentives for low emission taxis, expanding tree planting and working to cut food waste.
In addition the council is a member of the Hertfordshire Climate Change and Sustainability Partnership, working with other councils across Hertfordshire to reduce the county’s carbon emissions and climate impact. The Council’s dedicated webpage on Climate Change includes details of the council’s climate change strategy, the work of the Cabinet Panel on the Environment and a monthly briefing on progress.
Ecological Emergency
The Council has declared an ecological emergency and is committed to addressing the ecological emergency and nature recovery by identifying appropriate areas for habitat restoration and biodiversity net gain whilst ensuring that development limits impact on existing habitats in its process.
The Council has set out to do that by a) setting measurable targets and standards for biodiversity increase, in both species and quantities, seeking to increase community engagement, b) to work with our partners to establish a Local Nature Partnership for Hertfordshire and to develop Nature Recovery Networks and Nature Recovery Strategy for Hertfordshire and c) to investigate new approaches to nature recovery such as habitat banking that deliver biodiversity objectives and provide new investment opportunities.
Declaration of Interest
Members are reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chair of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda. Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest, wishing to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then must leave the room before the debate and vote. Decision: (1) The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be recorded.
(2) The Chair drew attention to the item on the Agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question.
(3) The Chair reminded Members that the Council had declared both a Climate Emergency and an Ecological Emergency, and that Officers and Members should have this in mind when carrying out their various roles and tasks for the District. More details on this could be found on the Agenda front sheet.
(4) The Chair informed those present that the theme for this Panel meeting was ‘A discussion on the National Emergency Briefing’ and that speakers were in attendance to present on topics related to this at Agenda Item 6. Minutes: Audio recording – 06 minutes 28 seconds
(1) The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be recorded.
(2) The Chair drew attention to the item on the agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question.
(3) The Chair reminded Members that the Council had declared both a Climate Emergency and an Ecological Emergency. These are serious decisions, and mean that, as this was an emergency, all of us, Officers and Members had that in mind as we carried out our various roles and tasks for the benefit of our District.
(4) The Chair informed those present that the theme for this Panel meeting was ‘A discussion on the National Emergency Briefing’ and that speakers were in attendance to present on topics related to this at Agenda Item 6. |
|
|
NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS Members should notify the Chair of other business which they wish to be discussed at the end of either Part I or Part II business set out in the agenda. They must state the circumstances which they consider justify the business being considered as a matter of urgency.
The Chair will decide whether any item(s) raised will be considered. Decision: There was no other business notified. Minutes: Audio recording – 07 minutes 08 seconds
There was no other business notified. |
|
|
INFORMATION NOTE: COUNCIL ACTIVITY UPDATE AND ACTION TRACKER INFORMATION NOTE OF THE EXECUTIVE MEMBER – ENVIRONMENT
This note highlights the topic for this Panel meeting as well as a Council Activity Update, and Action Tracker Review (at Appendix A) for the Cabinet Panel on the Environment. Additional documents: Decision: Officers from the Policy and Strategy Team provided a verbal update on the Information Note entitled ‘Council Activity Update and Action Tracker’. Minutes: Audio recording – 07 minutes 13 seconds
Officers from the Policy and Strategy Team provided a verbal update on the Information Note entitled ‘Council Activity Update and Action Tracker’ and advised that:
· Documents relating to 24 different areas of sustainability had been produced with other authorities in Hertfordshire as part of work on Local Government Reorganisation. · There had been a 36% reduction in non-recyclable waste since the waste service change a year ago. · Screenings of the People’s Emergency Briefing (PEB) had been shown across the district over the summer, and locations for future screenings could be found on the National Emergency Briefing website. · There were plans to offer a PEB screening to Officers and Members to improve their understanding of the climate crisis. · A consultation on the Content and Evidence Base for the Local Plan, including a map of sites submitted for development, would take place from 13 October until 24 November 2026. · A survey had been launched by the Green Space Team on the Council website on the use of parks and green spaces to help preserve and improve facilities. · Green Space were also exploring water harvesting and recycling on allotment sites to reduce the use of water. · A page on community energy had been put on the Council website with contact details for local groups and how to get involved. · An EV staff salary sacrifice scheme had been introduced for Officers to help the Council to reduce its staff commuting emissions, and a staff survey had also been launched to understand staff community behaviours and identify actions to be taken from these. · A mandatory green procurement checklist had been put in place to enable sustainability to be proportionally embedded into project procurements. · The Government funded Warm Homes Local Grant Scheme continued to be delivered by the Council with installations delivered to 12 homes in fuel poverty in year 1, and installations planned for a further 30 homes in year 2. · The North Herts Design Code Supplementary Planning Document, which incorporated sustainability in several forms had been published on the Council website. · Internal communications related to sustainability continued to be promoted to staff to further their understanding of climate change both in their roles and personal lives. · Carbon Literacy training, in addition to the internally developed sustainability e-module had also been promoted to staff and 93% had completed this. · Ideas for presentations or topics at future Cabinet Panel meetings should be submitted to the Environment Panel inbox.
The Chair thanked the Policy & Strategy Officers for their presentation. |
|
|
PRESENTATIONS To receive presentations from members of the public on the following topics:
1) People’s Emergency Briefing & Take the Jump 2) North & East Herts Community Resilience Group 3) Food Security and Local Preparedness Decision: A presentation was received from members of North and East Herts Community Resilience Group on the People’s Emergency Briefing, ‘Take the Jump’, Community Resilience and Food Security. Minutes: Audio recording – 13 minutes 34 seconds
Members of North and East Herts Community Resilience Group (NEHCRG) provided a presentation on the People’s Emergency Briefing (PEB), ‘Take the Jump’ (TTJ), Community Resilience and Food Security, and advised that:
· TTJ was a global science-based initiative that spread a positive message on how people could take 6 shifts to bring the impact of their lives within planetary boundaries. · It was recognised that individuals could only influence 27% of the action required to keep temperatures within habitable limits, but this could be used to empower people. · The 6 shifts were to eat green, travel fresh, make stuff last, change the system, stay grounded and grow community. · There were also five key foundations which were that trying was enough, everyone was in it together, joy was gained from surroundings, everyone had the same access to TTJ but different responsibilities, and actions would impact carbon both nationally and globally. · Community, creativity, celebration, and other values were far better than consumption. · TTJ aligned well with the Sustainability Strategy of the Council and supporting it would mean any future climate related policies would be better received. · The Council were asked to provide a screening of PEB, which they had already agreed to do, and adopt TTJ as a public engagement tool and make it prominent in their communications. · Empty supermarket shelves, reservoirs running dry and forest fires were unimaginable a few months ago, but it was now possible that the UK would have food supply shortages. · NEHCRG was set up last autumn, and five aims were established for the group which were to build community, communicate the crises, influence local decisions, influence national decisions and build resilience at home. · Building community was about talking to others to help them understand that they were living in a climate emergency and to act responsibly together. · Communicating the crises took place through monthly meetings, social media, community events, and working with organisations like the Council and its Cabinet Panel. · Influencing local decisions meant encouraging councillors and officers to view the PEB and be committed to environmental issues. · Influencing national decisions meant lobbying MPs with their concerns and ideas. · Building resilience at home would be done through sharing ideas and providing information to help establish food and water emergency provisions. · Professor Tim Lang had produced a report that warned how unprepared the UK food system was for geopolitical, climate and supply chain shocks. · The report contained a seven-step framework to learn from other countries, assess public perceptions and trust, map community assets, empower local authorities, create a local food resilience committee, develop a coherent national food policy and shift from a just-in-time model to a just-in-case one. · Mapping community assets, empowering local authorities and creating a local food resilience committee would require local authority involvement as there was no statutory or financial framework in place to do these. · The National Security Assessment had been published by the Joint Intelligence Committee and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in January ... view the full minutes text for item 13. |
|
|
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public. Decision: The Chair led a discussion with members of the public under Agenda Item 6 at the meeting. Minutes: Audio recording – 01 hours 33 minutes 10 seconds
The Chair advised that a discussion with members of the public had taken place under Agenda Item 6 at the meeting. |