Agenda and minutes

An apology was received on behalf of Councillors Ashley Taylor and Jeanne Raspin (Junior Portfolio Holder for the Enviroment).

To note any urgent items of business which the Chairman has consented to being considered under the provisions of Section 100(B) 4(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were no urgent items of business to be considered.

Members should declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and Non Statutory Interest as defined by the Members’ Code of Conduct in respect of:

a)  any business on the agenda;

b)  any urgent additional items to be considered;

c)  any matters arising out of those items;

and if appropriate, withdraw from the meeting at the relevant time.

No declarations of interest were made.

To consider the minutes of the Climate Change and Communities Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 8^th October 2024.

Moved by Councillor Catherine Tite and seconded by Councillor Cathy Jeffery

RESOLVED that the minutes of a Climate Change and Communities Scrutiny Committee held on 8^th October 2024 be approved as a true and correct record.

Members should contact the officer whose name appears on the List of Key Decisions for any further information). NB: If Members wish to discuss an exempt report under this item, the meeting will need to move into exempt business and exclude the public in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 and Local Government Act 1972, Part 1, Schedule 12a for that part of the meeting only.

The Chair presented the updated List of Key Decisions and Items to be considered.

RESOLVED that the List of Key Decisions and Items to be considered in the private document be noted.

The Scrutiny Officer presented the Post-Scrutiny Monitoring Report to the Committee.

The Committee had previously received updates on progress against the Carbon Reduction Plan 2019-30 (CRP).  Following structural changes in 2021/22 and a change in lead officers, the existing action plans were reviewed.

In March 2022, the Executive had agreed to accept the proposed changes and move away from the more traditional monitoring to a live document that would track and evidence progress across all schemes and / or initiatives.

The Committee received an update in May 2022 and put together nine recommendations.  These were attached at Appendix 1.  Progress of the recommendations were attached at Appendix 2.

To date, five recommendations had been achieved with four extended and on track for completion in 2025.  The Scrutiny Officer introduced the Climate Change Officer, recruited July 2024, who would be overseeing the completion of the outstanding recommendations.

One key achievement was the Council ensuring that a lead Portfolio Holder for Carbon Reduction from within the Executive was agreed postelection May 2023.

A reason for the delay with outstanding recommendations was the recruitment of the Climate Change Officer.  The Scrutiny Officer reiterated it was expected all outstanding recommendations would be completed in 2025.

Since the previous Committee meeting, Figure 2.2 of Appendix 1 – “That a dedicated operational post be recruited to, in addition to the designation of a lead senior officer, to ensure that the delivery in relation to carbon reduction maintains momentum to reach the 2050 target” – with the recruitment of the Climate Change Officer.

Figures 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 and 2.8 were intended to be completed in the next few months.  The Climate Change Officer added these recommendations were all on track.

The Scrutiny Officer informed the next final interim report would be in six months’ time.

To a question on the Low Carbon Thematic Group, the Assistant Director for Development and Planning informed that this was an opportunity to review and explore the purpose of the Low Carbon Thematic Group in the future and how it would work closely with Bolsover Partnership.

With the recruited Climate Change Officer, new ideas could be brought forward to shape the Low Carbon Thematic Group.  The Committee were also informed that the Council could not achieve all desired aims; it was important to review the Low Carbon Thematic Group’s remit to achieve maximum results.

The Portfolio Holder for the Environment agreed with the Assistant Director for Development and Planning; it was important to review and find the appropriate purpose for the Low Carbon Thematic Group moving forwards.

To a question on why the Minutes of a Committee meeting held on 4^th July 2023 had stated recommendations were on track, the Scrutiny Officer explained the Committee had agreed at its 21^st May 2024 meeting to extend the original target dates to take into account the recruitment of the Climate Change Officer in the summer of 2024.

Moved by Councillor Emma Stevenson and seconded by Councillor Carol Wood

RESOLVED that:  ...  view the full minutes text for item CLI20-24/25

The Climate Change Officer provided a presentation on the Council’s approach to Carbon Reduction.

The Committee were shown figures of the Council’s own carbon emissions.  It was noted these were not comprehensive, and that Members should not focus on carbon emissions alone – this could lead to missing other important factors which would be explained.

In the weeks prior to the meeting, the Met Office had released its Local Authority Climate Service.  The service provided essential climate information to support local authorities (the Council) which was tailored to local areas (the District).  The Met Office’s aim was to provide an easy to use platform for climate risk assessments to be researched and allow local authorities to produce adaptation plans and develop climate resilience.

The current overall conclusion of this work was that summers would be hot and dry, and winters warm and wet.  The service predicted likely future rainfall, growing days for agriculture, frost days, and of note, while winters would be milder and so less energy intensive to heat homes, this would be offset by the need for more energy in summer months for processes like air conditioning.

A diagram representing direct emissions of the Council’s buildings and activities was presented to the Committee.  Missing from this diagram was fleet consumption and the milage that staff undertook to attend work.

The Arc used 70% of gas for heating – this was largely due to the leisure centre.

While Pleasley Vale Business Park used as much electricity as The Arc, electricity was increasingly becoming greener from the development and use of renewables.

The Climate Change Officer stated a full breakdown of the Council’s emissions would be provided March 2025.

Council properties produced around 1,100 tonnes of emissions per annum.  The Council’s fleet produced 600-700 tonnes, though this would need to be confirmed with the Strategic Director of Services.

In comparison to the above, 900,000 tonnes were produced by the whole District in 2022.  This was due to heavy industry and transport links (99.7% of all transport emissions was from the M1 and A38).

It was noted 300,000 tonnes was produced from one heavy industry alone – this was out of the Council’s control, but not influence (e.g., the Council could work with / lobby regional and national governments).

It was reiterated carbon intensity was being reduced from electricity generation due to the increase in solar power and windfarms.  Reducing consumption would also help reduce emissions.

The District could also help reduce emissions by increasing Biodiversity Net Gains (BNG), work to reduce poverty, and improve residents’ health and wellbeing – this was why it was important to look beyond carbon emissions alone.

The District had high levels of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and poverty.  Residents would be less resilient to climate change and more negatively impacted than healthier, wealthier areas.

Air pollutants from industry, transport, and BNG loss were all linked to quality of health.

Ecotoxicity and eutrophication were also factors that would negatively affect health.

Several Council projects  ...  view the full minutes text for item CLI21-24/25

The Scrutiny Officer informed the meeting in January 2025 would include the six-month interim report for the Review of the Council’s Energy Policy for Local Housing, with the final report expected in July 2025; the Climate Change Officer would be involved in this.

The Annual Review of Community Safety Partnership was due in April 2025, with the final report expected in May 2025.

An extraordinary meeting could be arranged to provide the Climate Change Officer to carry out work in either March 2025 or early May 2025 (before a meeting of the Annual Council).

The Chair noted an informal meeting could be arranged on the Council’s Approach to Carbon Reduction to provide a governance framework for the Climate Change Officer.

Moved by Councillor Rob Hiney-Saunders and seconded by Councillor Emma Stevenson

RESOLVED that the Work Programme 2024/25 be noted.