Agenda item

To receive an update on and discuss the work of the Low Carbon Working Group.

Members received an update from the meeting of the Low Carbon Working Group, which had met on 23 August 2021.

Carbon Footprint

Officers began by confirming that the Council’s Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions had been calculated by APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) with the preliminary figure for the Council’s carbon footprint being 2,592 tonnes for the year 2018-2019.Scope 3 included data on the leisure and waste contracts, business mileage, water use, and predicted energy use of built assets.

The updated value for Scope 1 and 2 emissions was 1,348 tonnes (previously 418 tonnes) as this now included owned and leased vehicles used by the Council, including purchase of the waste collection trucks used by Urbaser (was Amey).

Members were notified that the next steps would be to develop a methodology using the LGA carbon emissions accounting toolkit for monitoring, recording and reporting Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions data annually so Officers could track progress. Using the toolkit would also allow a comparison with other local authorities; it was important to understand how to implement this, and how to adopt into each service area.

The option to transfer the Council’s electricity tariff to a renewables tariff were being investigated, but the tariff could be switched in April 2022, in line with our current contract with the energy supplier.

Tree Planting

The Committee noted that the Tree Planting Officer Working Group was to meet with the White Rose Forest Partnership (WRFP) to develop further understanding of the partnership and provide guidance on stakeholder engagement, taking into consideration available resources.

The Council’s own tree planting plans were being developed, with an initial focus on investigating the feasibility of tree planting on Council land, producing wider communications about tree planting and creating landowner engagement in collaboration with the WRFP.

Officers reported that the WRFP Action Plan 2021-2025 was being launched in November 2021 to coincide with National Tree week and would involve significant communications with landowners and local groups to highlight the opportunities for support and funding towards tree planting schemes.

A climate change page for the Council website was also proposed which would include a section on tree planting, providing advice, guidance and external links to available tree planting opportunities, grants and funding. There was also a potential opportunity for community groups in the area to take on roles in the Council Tree Warden Scheme.

Draft Low Carbon Action Plan and Low Carbon Strategy

The Lead Executive Member had suggested that the Council prepare a strategy to go to Executive, followed by the Action Plan at a later date, to allow time to review the resource allocation for the Action Plan and focus on what was achievable. The Executive Member had also attended the last Low Carbon Working Group meeting to outline his thoughts on the draft Low Carbon Action Plan.

Officers had developed a Draft Low Carbon Strategy which had been reviewed by the Leadership Team and the Executive Member, who gave feedback. It was proposed that the draft Low Carbon Strategy be considered at the Low Carbon Working Group on the 20 September, then presented to the Executive at its meeting on 7 October for approval.

Members noted that the Low Carbon Strategy had been designed to agree a commitment to the low carbon agenda, with two key timescales in mind; a commitment to identifying shorter term projects which could be delivered more quickly, offsetting the Council’s known emissions by 2023, when Selby District Council would be replaced by the new North Yorkshire Council and setting out a longer-term commitment to 2030 to align with the timescales of the Council Plan.

Officers explained that the strategy covered the following six topics:

·                     Carbon Monitoring – To monitor, calculate, and report the Council’s annual scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions.

·                     Travel - Encouraging sustainable modes of transport for employees, Members and residents.

·                     Council Buildings and Energy Use – Seeking to reduce the Council’s Scope 1 and 2 CO₂ emissions to zero through improved energy efficiency of the built environment, divestment from fossil fuel energy sources and offsetting of unavoidable emissions.

·                     Working Practices – The Council could seek to reduce its Scope 3 CO₂ emissions through sustainable procurement and off-setting.

·                     Natural Environment and Biodiversity – To protect and improve the quality of the natural environment and biodiversity across the district, including addressing flood risk and planning for sustainable development through the new Local Plan.

·                     Influencing Others in the District – Working collaboratively across the public, private and third sectors at a local, regional, national and global level.

The next Low Carbon Working Group would be on 20 September. Further work with them would include refining and developing the draft Low Carbon Action Plan following approval of the Low Carbon Strategy by the Executive. Focus would also be given to projects which could be considered achievable before Local Government Reorganisation was implemented, with further development of projects that could be delivered in the long term.

Members asked Officers to check if the Council had communicated with any Parish Councils yet about land for tree planting; Officers explained that the Low Carbon Officer had circulated a survey to all parishes, but that the query around tree planting land would need to be checked and the answer supplied to Members after the meeting. Members requested that if such contact had been made, a list of those parishes that had been communicated with could be supplied to the Committee.

The Committee noted that there would be a motion presented at the next Council meeting on the Council’s low carbon work and Members’ concerns around the lack of progress.

It was also emphasised that any tree planting in the current season needed to be done immediately; Officers assured Members that they were working with the WRFP to identify the best type of tree for planting this season.

Also present at the meeting was the Lead Executive Member for Health and Culture, who, in response to a question regarding the success of previous tree planting on Hambleton Hough, explained that there was an upcoming meeting about the Hough, after which an update would be provided to Members.

RESOLVED:

                        The Policy Review Committee noted the update.