Agenda item

To receive an update from Rachel Barker, Assistant Chief Executive and Sophie Rogers, Climate Change Officer, on the Climate Change Action Plan (see attached), including a report on the latest carbon footprint data.

 

Cllr Martin Tennant, Major Projects and Property Portfolio Holder, responsible for Climate Change will also be in attendance at the meeting.

The Committee welcomed Rachel Barker, Assistant Chief Executive and Sophie Rogers, Climate Change Officer, who were in attendance to provide an update on the Climate Change Action Plan and to report on the latest carbon footprint data. Cllr Martin Tennant, Major Projects and Property Portfolio Holder responsible for Climate Change, was also in attendance.

 

The Committee reviewed the progress made on the twelve actions within the Action Plan. The Actions were as follows:

 

·         Action 1 – Transition electricity across the Council’s sites to 100% renewable tariffs – It was noted that the contracts needed to be reprocured by October 2024, and work to identify options for the Council had commenced in January 2024.

 

·         Action 2 – Switch the Council’s car fleet to electric vehicle alternatives and investigate options for other Council vehicles – It was noted that the Place Protection Officer (PPO) vehicles, of which there were two, were both hybrid, however the Committee were advised that the majority of the patrols were now carried out on foot. Further work was required on scoping the best alternatives for the larger Council vehicles used by the Maintenance Team

 

·         Action 3 – Achieve 5% annual reduction in overall travel from employee-owned vehicles for business purposes and refresh the Council’s Workplace Travel Plan – It was noted that work was underway to refresh the Workplace Travel Plan in 2024, the Plan would include signposting to relevant resources. It was advised that the reduction did not include the commuting of staff from home to the workplace but the staff travel plan would include a reference to staff commuting.

 

·         Action 4 – Consider opportunities arising from a relocation of the Council’s offices to reduce gas consumption and/or increase renewable energy generation onsite – It was advised that the proposed new council offices within the Leisure and Cultural Hub, would be the first Net Zero Carbon building in the Borough and was being designed to achieve PassivHaus certification, which would significantly reduce operational carbon by at least 70%.

 

·         Action 5 – To continue to engage young people on climate change through the schools’ programme – It was noted that the Winchester Science Museums’ Wonderseekers outreach programme was now running in four local schools, for years 4 and 5 children. The Climate Trackers scheme was aimed at raising climate awareness, whilst developing an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). For 2024 the scheme would continue to be funded through the climate change allocation fund with the aim of seeking other funding sources going forward to ensure sustainability and possible expansion. It was suggested that the programme could be extended to all levels of school aged young people and funding could be sought from businesses with a STEM link.

 

·         Action 6 – To use the Council’s communications channels to promote opportunities for residents and local businesses to reduce their own carbon footprint and improve energy efficiency – It was noted that a number of schemes for both residents and businesses had been shared during 2023/24.

 

·         Action 7 – To hold an Eco Fair to allow residents to find out more about climate change and opportunities to reduce their carbon footprint – It was noted that an Eco Fair had been held in the Southwood Country Park Visitors Centre in September 2023, and the aim was to make this an annual event.

 

·         Action 8 – To work with Hampshire County Council (HCC) to improve access to EV charging facilities across Rushmoor – It was advised that the Council continued to work with HCC on EV infrastructure, and it was noted that HCC were currently applying for Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding. The Council would continue to support this work. In response to a query, it was noted that the Jet garage on the Farnborough Road were looking to install EV charging points to include a substation to boost charging times, this could benefit the EV points at the Meads car park. In addition, the Committee noted that an upgrade to the National Grid was due in 2025.

 

·         Action 9 – To refresh the Council’s procurement strategy to ensure that the goods and services that the Council buys support the aims of the Council being carbon neutral by 2030 – It was reported that work was underway to refresh the strategy and consideration would be given to the reforms arising from the Procurement Act during this process.

 

·         Action 10 – To review the processes for the Council’s capital programme so that environmental impacts are incorporated into business case development and whole life cycle carbon assessments are undertaken – The Committee noted that this was now being implemented with environmental  impacts embedded into the development of the Leisure and Cultural Hub. A specialist piece of work on the carbon footprint of the Crematorium refurbishments had also been commissioned. The approach would be reviewed during 2024.

 

·         Action 11 – to develop the Council’s offsetting approach with the view of ensuring that any offsetting has a local impact – It was advised that this project would be actioned nearer to 2030 when offsetting may be required and to take account of the latest opportunities and best practice.

 

·         Action 12 – To review, update and publish the Council’s carbon footprint on an annual basis and to publish an annual report detailing what has been achieved in relation to the Action Plan – It was noted that the report would be published in Spring 2024 and include the updated carbon footprint calculations.

 

The Committee reviewed the latest carbon footprint data and noted that the Council’s footprint had reduced since the previous year. A number of key actions had been taken, within the council offices, to reduce the footprint, these included the replacement of the ceiling lights to energy efficient LED lighting, the reduction in the number of and replacement of printers and the introduction of food waste bins.

 

The Committee discussed the report and were advised that the Policy and Project Advisory Board (PPAB) would be looking at the Climate Change Action Plan at its March meeting, the main purpose of which would be to refresh the documents.

 

In response to a query, regarding the climate change reserve allocation and the option to allow community groups/organisations to draw on the fund for projects, it was noted that as a reserve fund, it had a limited life span and the Council were looking to external funding to ensure current and future projects were sustainable.  Alternative funding streams were available to groups to apply for funding.

 

In regard to the A331, it was noted that the 50mph speed limited introduced before the junction with the M3 had been successful in improving air quality. It was advised that consideration was currently being given to retaining the speed limit and extending it to other parts of the A331, in particular the junction with the A31.

 

ACTION:

What	By Whom	When
To request that PPAB consider the following, as part of the refresh process:  ·         the option of pool cars for business use ·         provision of pool bicycles for staff use to travel to local meetings ·         consider a commitment to have no single use plastic at events and for use in Council owned buildings, in particular the Princes Hall	Rachel Barker, Assistant Chief Executive	21st March, 2024
To provide more data on take up of schemes and activities in future reports.	Sophie Rogers, Climate Change Officer	Ongoing
To consider a refresh of the climate change page on the Council’s website to make more user friendly (examples to consider included HCC and Bracknell Forest websites)	Sophie Rogers, Climate Change Officer	??

 

The Chairman thanked Cllr Tennant, Ms Barker and Ms Rogers for their presentation.