Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency

The Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency said it was her privilege to hold that portfolio and to bring an update on CBC’s carbon footprint to Members, particularly as the important figure of 15.1% net carbon reduction is higher than the 14% annual reduction required for us to get to net zero by 2030.  She said we should be proud of the progress made this year, as she is proud to be leading a climate team that invests tirelessly in communities through mutual aid programmes, as well as supporting teams such as Planet Cheltenham and the Cheltenham Zero project which has come a long way, thanks particularly to the dedicated work of Becky Sillence.

She was also proud of the financial support and mentorship CBC will be providing to small and medium-sized businesses in the new year, and the retrofit funding to be released to community organisations from churches to scout huts – this is vital social infrastructure and particularly important in the cost of living crisis. 

Another source of pride are the newly-fitted solar panels at Cheltenham Town Football Club, the first major Cheltenham Green Deal part-funded project, a visionary and exciting idea which she took on from Councillor Wilkinson.  Few projects so completely represent tackling the climate crisis in a sustainable and financially responsible way, while investing in something people love to ensure that it lasts.

Frequently asked whether we can reach the Net Zero target by 2030, she said this year shows how that is possible.  We have made substantial progress over last year against the Carbon Disclosure Practice Scorecard – a global gold standard policy paper designed for benchmarking cities across the world on their progress against key targets.  We have gone from Grade D to Grade B on important matters such as mitigation and adaptation, and will soon be over and above the regional and global average – a exciting and important achievement for Cheltenham.

In conclusion, she thanked Maizy and the climate team for their incredible work, teams across CBC for being part of the collaborative effort, Paul Jones for his support and belief in the Green Deal, Claire Hughes for her support with more challenging public engagement matters, and finally Ubico and their staff for the work to reduce carbon.  

In response to Members’ questions, the Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency confirmed that:

-       she already reports annually to Overview and Scrutiny, and feels her report benchmarks progress on previous issues.  She would be happy to hear any suggestions of performance indicators or other ways of benchmarking;

-       Cheltenham Trust is important and has a huge role to play in helping Cheltenham reach its targets, and this year’s report includes more accurate figures on the different sites, providing an exciting starting point on how to work with them on carbon reduction.  With a clear picture of what progress needs to look like, there will be many opportunities there, together with CBH properties.  She will be working closely on both.

There was no debate, but the Leader put on record her personal thanks to the Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, for taking on this role and driving it forward in sometimes difficult circumstances. CBC now has an amazing team in place to continue the journey. 

The Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency thanked the Leader for giving her the role and the support to make it possible. 

RESOLVED THAT: 

1.    a 2030 Net Zero Delivery programme will be put together, outlining costing against key priority items, that highlights the steps for addressing emission reduction across scope 1 and 2 emissions, alongside a robust plan to address mitigation of any residual emissions;

2.    capability gaps across the organisation are identified and a revised structure proposed within the climate & flooding team to sustain delivery against the plan.

3.    a risk management programme for climate and flooding risks is identified, alongside review of the Climate Impact Assessment to support its efficacy as a decision-making tool.