A report outlining the Council’s progress to date in tackling climate change and work in progress and setting out the proposed approach to responding to the climate emergency declaration made by the Council on 26 February 2019. 

The Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report which outlined the Council’s progress to date in tackling climate change, work in progress and set out the proposed approach to responding to the climate emergency declaration made by the Council on 26 February 2019 (Minute 48 refers).  The matters raised in the report and recommendations would form the basis of a report to Policy Committee on 15 July 2019.

The following documents were appended to the report:

Appendix 1:   Modelling a Zero Carbon Pathway;

Appendix 2:   Existing Projects;

Appendix 3:   Item 11 Full Council, 26 February 2019, Council Climate Emergency Declaration;

Appendix 4:   Reading Climate Change Strategy 2013-20 Action Plans;

Appendix 5:   Draft Clean Air Safer Transport Forum Terms of Reference.

The report stated that the Terms of Reference of the Committee had been amended to include: ‘Climate Change Strategy - To contribute to and adopt the relevant parts of the Climate Change action plan.’  A new Cleaner Air and Safer Transport Forum had also been set up. The draft terms of reference were shown in Appendix 5.

The report stated that the Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport (SEPT) Committee’s key work areas would include overseeing actions which would flow from the various ‘theme action plans’ of the Reading Climate Change Strategy, which fell within its area of responsibility.  The report added that the Committee would need to consider a wide range of factors relating to these, including, but not limited to:

·       The carbon footprint of operational facilities;

·       The opportunity for renewable energy infrastructure;

·       Travel and transport plans including cycling electric vehicle charging facilities etc;

·       The sustainable design and construction of new facilities/buildings;

·       The supply chains and procurement arrangements for services commissioned;

·       Communication of environmentally positive behaviours to staff and users;

·       The maintaining and enhancing of natural environments;

·       The consideration of risks to vulnerable groups (for example fuel poverty);

·       The use of natural resources;

·       Encouragement and support for educational campaigns;

·       Involvement of service users in the Reading Climate Action Network;

·       Educational programmes relating to the national curriculum;

·       The development of key skills relating to a low carbon, clean growth future.

Councillor Page, Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport proposed an additional recommendation, which was agreed, to ask officers to investigate the feasibility of generating more renewable energy, through solar panels and wind turbines etc and report back to the Committee on any suitable sites that had been identified.

(Mr Kinton was present at the meeting and addressed the Committee in accordance with Standing Order 36).

Resolved:

(1)     That the progress made to date by the  Council’s proactive approach to addressing climate change issues and impacts in Reading be welcomed, while the scale of the on-going challenge be noted;

(2)     That the climate emergency declaration be embedded across all Council services, activities, plans and other relevant work to ensure a fully integrated and systematic approach to the Council’s own response to this challenge and the change to the Terms of Reference to include “Climate Change Strategy - To contribute to and adopt the relevant parts of the Climate Change action plan.” be noted;

(3)     That the Council work with and through the long-established Reading Climate Change Partnership and Reading UK to align respective strategies to ensure the active participation of residents, business and other organisations across Reading;

(4)     That the Chief Executive be asked to write to the Government and local MPs setting out the urgent need to equip Local Authorities with the policy framework, powers and funding necessary to deliver this critical agenda;

(5)     That all future Committee reports include a section on environmental implications and necessary mitigations, plus the impact of the decisions they would be taking on the Council’s ability to respond to the Climate Emergency and achieving a carbon neutral Reading by 2030;

(6)     That officers be asked to consider options to provide additional capacity to generate renewable energy and report back to a future meeting on any suitable sites that had been identified for this purpose.