Agenda item

To receive a verbal update on and discuss the work of the Low Carbon Working Group. The working group last met in January 2021, and will next meet in April 2021.

The Committee received a verbal update from the Senior Policy and Performance Officer, and noted the following points:

·         The newly recruited Low Carbon Project Officer had started in their role on 12 April 2021 and would be attending the meeting of the Low Carbon Working Group on Thursday 15 April 2021.

·         Also attending the meeting of the Low Carbon Working Group would be Professor Andy Gouldson from the University of Leeds to give an overview of the work of the Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission.

·          Work on Scope 3 emissions by APSE for the Council would be commencing soon.

·         The draft Low Carbon Action Plan had originally been due for discussion at the Executive on 1 April 2021, but this had been rearranged for a later date, which was to be advised by the Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Place Shaping, Councillor R Musgrave.

·         With regards to tree planting in the district, the Executive had proposed a target figure of 25% of low-risk areas by 2050 but had indicated that a higher target would be considered if there was suitable landowner and partner interest and external funding available to deliver at that level.

Some Members expressed frustration that the Executive had not yet considered the Low Carbon action plan and emphasised the importance of starting to implement the suggested actions. Officers explained that the aspirations of the Low Carbon Working Group had been reflected in the plan, and that the Executive were reflecting and considering these things. The Executive had expressed strong support for tree planting in the district and for the Scope 3 emissions work by APSE. There were a number of measures in the action plan that the Council was already doing, such as the low carbon work in the Local Plan.

Members queried why the Executive had suggested a tree planting target of 25% as opposed to the 50% identified by the Low Carbon Working Group. Officers explained that the Executive had been cautious about the rates of tree planting until they had a clearer picture of space available for such work in the district and availability of external funding. An early priority of the Low Carbon Project Officer as they start in their role would be to move the work on tree planting forward.

Officers explained that the figure of 25% was still ambitious and comparable to other local authorities, and that there were a significant number of opportunities in the district to deliver it. Some Committee Members still felt that the target should be higher, were disappointed at the Executive’s decision and emphasised the importance of moving on with the low carbon work imminently. The Lead Executive Member for Housing, Health and Culture was present at the meeting and explained the reasoning of the Executive for the target of 25%.

The Committee noted that there needed to be a significant cultural shift in order to convince landowners that such space should be used for tree planting as opposed to housing or agriculture.

RESOLVED: The Policy Review Committee

i)      requested that the Executive give them a definitive answer within two weeks as to how the Low Carbon Action Plan would be taken forward; and

ii)     expressed their disappointment at the Executive’s decision to reduce the tree planting target from the 50% of low risk areas recommended by the Committee down to 25% by 2050.