The report of the Director of Neighbourhood Services presented the Council’s Environment and Climate Emergency Policy (attached as Appendix 1 of the report), following the work undertaken by Committee’s delegated task & finish group.

The proposed Policy was ambitious and proposed that the Council aimed to achieve ‘net carbon neutrality by 2030.’ The development of the Council’s Environment and Climate Emergency Policy had been supported by third party climate change experts, ‘Local Partnerships,’ who had confirmed that the Council achieving net carbon neutrality in 10 years was an ambitious but achievable target.

The Environment and Climate Emergency Policy provided the basis for the Council’s journey to becoming carbon emissions neutral within the decade. It recognised that all aspects of the Council’s function, ways of working, decision making, and service delivery would change to address the environment and climate emergency. 

Mike Cockburn, Head of the Environment and Climate Emergency Service, introduced the report and informed Members that there was a dedicated climate emergency budget and there would be a future report with a financial plan, as well as reports at key milestones and key achievements.

Members asked questions which brought out additional details such as:

·  That the annual tree planting target (20,000 a year for ten years) had slipped for 2020 but would catch up with schemes such as offering trees to garden waste subscribers, working with schools and recruiting a Tree Landscape Manager.

·  Engagement with residents about planting would be undertaken by the new Manager.

·  Pollarding would be avoided where possible.

·  Larger trees which had to be felled were to be replaced by several new trees but not necessarily in the same location if this was inappropriate.

·  There was a plan to have a simplified ‘dashboard’ of headline statistics for ease of viewing.

Resolved - That

(1)   the work of the Members’ Task & Finish Group in developing recommendations for the Council’s Environment & Climate Emergency Policy be noted.

(2)   the Council’s Environment & Climate Emergency Policy be approved.