Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Environment and Public Space submitted a report detailing the progress achieved in reducing carbon emissions following the first five years of implementing the East Herts Climate Change Action Plan.  The Environmental Strategy and Development Manager provided a summary of the report.

Councillor P Brush commented that the report and supporting papers referred back to 2009 and believed that it was time to refresh the document and start over again with new initiatives.  The Chairman explained that a Task and Finish Group had been established to provide guidance on setting objectives and that 2009 was taken as the baseline to benchmark actions against. 

The Head of Environmental Services explained that the climate change strategy was a long term document with many actions taking longer than a year such as fuel saving measures from new collection vehicles delivered as part of the waste and cleansing services contract, the closure of Bishop’s Stortford Offices, etc. and with carbon reduction being achieved over a significant time frame.  He stated that many of the actions contained within the document had been successfully completed and if Members wanted to refresh the strategy and action plan this could be done.

In response to a query from Councillor K Crofton regarding carbon emissions and the savings achieved over time, the Environmental Strategy and Development Manager explained that according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), fuel costs were increasing by 2% year on year. 

The Committee noted and supported the continued and ongoing progress achieved in implementing the East Herts Climate Change Action Plan since its initial adoption by the Council in December 2009.  Members also supported a suggestion to review, rationalise and refresh the climate change action plan and objectives via a Task and Finish Group.

RESOLVED – that (A) the continued and ongoing progress achieved in implementing the East Herts Climate Change Action Plan, together with the continuing success in the reduction of carbon emissions arising from the Council’s service provision, be supported; and

(B)       the Climate Change Action Plan be rationalised and its objectives refreshed via a Task and Finish Group.