Agenda item

The Interim Director of Planning, Devolution and Corporate Policy introduced the report and informed the first meeting of the new Climate Resilience Group had met with new ambitions established.

The Climate Resilience Group was at an early stage of its development but would meet every 4 weeks and invest in new ideas and suggestions to enable a feasible new climate change action plan for the Council to enact.

The new action plan would be worked upon in the following 4 months before the Committee was asked for permission to submit it to public consultation in summer 2026.

After the public consultation, it was expected the action plan would take effect in autumn 2026 and feed into the Council’s corporate strategy.

The Committee was informed the Climate Resilience Group would be steered by the Interim Director of Planning, Devolution and Corporate Policy and managed by the Climate Change Officer.

Turning to the actions set out in the post scrutiny monitoring report and table, the Climate Change Officer informed the first 4 recommendations had been achieved and a baseline of the Council’s carbon emissions confirmed.

The next requirement was to coordinate with the Communications Team to produce a sustainability calendar and share with the Employee Engagement Manager.

The Council’s website had been reviewed.

The Committee was informed the Low Carbon Thematic Group, a sub-group of the Partnerships Team, had not met for 2 years due to difficulties identified (raising the need to have the Climate Resilience Group within the Council to successfully access all information and drive improvement / efforts).

The Portfolio Holder for the Environment noted the Low Carbon Thematic Group had focused only on reducing the Council’s carbon dioxide production (methane was a far more damaging greenhouse element, produced from methods such as food waste not being appropriately managed – hence the UK Government’s new requirement for local authorities to additionally collect this separately from no later than 31^st March 2026).

The Council had moved its entire vehicle fleet away from fossil fuels to more sustainable Hydrated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel from March 2025, achieving a 91% reduction in CO2 emissions.

A Member recalled the Low Carbon Thematic Group had essentially become stuck due to it being external (without Council employees to advise and carry out recommendations) – it was appropriate for it to be reestablished.

The Portfolio Holder for the Environment agreed – the Low Carbon Thematic Group was an external meeting that had attempted to solely manage the Council’s internal organisation.  With the establishment of the new Climate Resilience Group, the Council would have an internal working group to drive forward efforts with then the external Low Carbon Thematic Group to scrutinise and recommend any future considerations.

The Strategic Director of Services added the Climate Resilience Group would also remain realistic in its consideration and research what was achievable, but agreed the Low Carbon Thematic Group would be able to influence the Council and the Climate Resilience Group’s recommendations from an external viewpoint.

The Chair noted there had been considerable resistance / criticism to the requirement of the new Food Waste Bins.  The Assistant Director of Streetscene, Community Safety and Enforcement noted there had been both positive and negative reactions on this with lots of questions submitted.

It was important to answer all questions and reiterate to the public that this was a new requirement from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the UK Government – the Council was mandated to facilitate this new requirement.

A Member noted a recent article in the Derbyshire Times had incorrectly informed the public on the new Food Waste Bins and clarified the Garden Waste Bins provided by the Council were free due to them being offered for 9 months of the year (if it was over 12 months the Council would have to charge for their use).  For the Food Waste Bins, these would be collected all year around but remain free at use.

The Interim Director of Planning, Devolution and Corporate Policy noted communication was key – considerable work building climate resilience had and was continuing to take place but had not been effectively publicised in this sense.

The Strategic Director of Services added it was often useful to provide key information / successes that was easy to read and retain and then signpost to additional / detailed information for greater understanding.

The Chair concluded the item by reiterating it was important for the public to know the provision of Food Waste Bins had not been a decision made by the Council, but a legislated requirement of DEFRA and the UK Government.

Moved by Councillor Cathy Jeffery and seconded by Councillor Sandra Peake

RESOLVED that: 1) Scrutiny Members note the progress against the review recommendations;

2)    Scrutiny Members acknowledge any exceptions to delivery and clarify the additional action required by the service;

3)    Scrutiny Members make its report and findings public, in accordance with Part 4.5.17(4) of the Council’s Constitution; and,

4)    Officers continue to implement the recommendations and submit a further report in six months time highlighting progress and any exceptions to delivery.