Agenda item

Resolved that Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee:

(i)            Commends the positive progress made toward the development of a Climate Change Strategy for the council;

(ii)           Notes the comments made by the committee to progress the implementation of the Climate Change Strategy and actions contained therein as quickly as possible.

The circulated report of the Assistant Director of Assets and Environment was received to provide a summary of the key areas of focus in the appended draft Climate Change Strategy, along with the objectives to provide a green sustainable environment.

The report detailed that the need for action to be taken to enhance, protect and prevent further environmental decline had been declared by the council in July 2021 and the Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan had been developed.

Public consultation had been undertaken between 16 September and 20 October 2024 with the key findings from the consultation being analysed and appended to the report.

The report was presented to the committee by the Assistant Director, Mr Waterworth and Councillor Helen Harrison, Executive Member for Climate and the Green Environment. 

Councillor Harrison thanked her predecessor Councillor Harriet Pentland for all the work that she had put into the development of the strategy over the last four years and also thanked Electric Places for their input and guidance.

It was explained that there were six key areas of focus within the strategy as follows:

• Homes and the built environment
• Energy
• Transport
• Nature, food and farming
• Green economy
• Waste

All of these were further detailed in the strategy which focused on achieving net zero by 2050

The next steps were for the Executive to receive the strategy and for a roadmap and action plan to be formed to bring the sectors together.

The Executive Director of Place and Economy informed the committee that the strategy would sit alongside the Carbon Management Plan which was already in place.

The chair and committee thanked officers for the report.

Some of the points raised are summarised below:

·         It was noted that many properties in urban areas could not have charging points installed due to the nature of the location of the home not being suitable for charging points an option could be to have cabling laid under pavements and whether this could be considered. Officers clarified that this may be an option but cautioned that it would be challenging and costly to do.  Officers were aware that more and faster charging points were required to encourage the use of more electric vehicles.

(Councillor Pengelly left the meeting at 8.55pm).

• It was commented that planning policy, should automatically have EV charging points installed by developers and that more pressure needed to be placed on the inclusion of solar panels too and that developers needed to ensure this was progressed.
• Food waste –the committee commented that not all areas in North Northamptonshire had a food waste collection service and that this needed to be considered. Officers clarified that food waste would be collected from every household from 2027.
• Committee also considered that an education programme needed to be implemented about where waste should go to ensure there was more recycling across the area as when talking to residents many did not know how to recycle properly.
• Concern was expressed that whilst the strategy was good it did not go far enough and take effect quickly enough and that work needed to start immediately to implement a lot of what was being suggested. Work with partners needed to commence quickly, there was little being communicated  so better communication was required, and planning policy and the local plan needed to be updated for improvements to be put in place by developers. There needed to be more work on cycleways, to improve connectivity, the promotion of food production via allotments was also important, along with the seeding of grass verges and encouraging less transportation of waste.  Businesses were reporting that they did not know who to go to for support with green initiatives and it was considered that more engagement was required to bring the vision to fruition more quickly.

In response to the comments Councillor Harrison thanked the committee and appreciated its enthusiasm to move this forward quickly.   She clarified, however,  that the plan needed to be developed with others and that engagement about working together and implementation would be worked through over the coming months.

The Executive Director thanked the committee for the points raised and confirmed that the local plan was under development and further options for the future were being considered.

Resolved that Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee:

(i)            Commends the positive progress made toward the development of a Climate Change Strategy for the council;

(ii)           Notes the comments made by the committee to progress the implementation of the Climate Change Strategy and actions contained therein as quickly as possible.