Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Environment seeking adoption of a Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, to be issued for public and key stakeholder consultation.

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment seeking the adoption of a Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.

RECOMMENDED to Council that the Gloucester City Council Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan at Appendix 1 of the report be adopted and issued for public and key stakeholder consultation.

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment that sought Members to recommend the adoption of a Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.

The Cabinet Member for Environment summarised the report.  He detailed the key findings and actions (4.1-12), and drew Members’ attention to the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Addendum) and stated that he was happy to support them as recommendations to Council.  The Cabinet Member for Environment thanked the consultants WSP, officers and Members for their effort.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy advised that registered housing providers were already working hard to retrofit homes across the City for greater energy conservation.  The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods reminded Members of the good work done by the Gloucestershire Warm and Well advice line and the importance of making everyone aware of its availability.  He emphasised that it was crucial for residents to both understand climate change and be empowered to take action.  The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure advised that within his portfolio measures were continually being sought to make the, mostly old, buildings more energy efficient.  The Cabinet Member for Environment commented that the proposed Climate Change Action Plan would allow the Council to focus on areas where action can be taken quickly.

RECOMMENDED to Council that the Gloucester City Council Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan at Appendix 1 of the report be adopted and issued for public and key stakeholder consultation.

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment seeking the adoption of a Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.

95.1    The Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Cook, introduced the report and explained that Cabinet was being asked to recommend to Council to resolve that the Climate Change Strategy be adopted and issued for public consultation. He reminded Members of the background of the strategy, which was outlined in paragraph 3 in the report, and advised that Section 4 of the Climate Change Strategy, provided in Appendix 1, outlined in significant detail how the Council intended to approach decarbonisation. Councillor Cook thanked WSP consultants and senior Officers for their efforts in producing the strategy, as well as Members who had provided comments and contributions.

95.2    The Chair expressed the view that the report was very detailed and made for good reading. He asked how the Council could best influence areas, such as transport and highways, which were not under its control but were considered to be significant drivers of emissions. The Climate Change and Decarbonisation Lead agreed that the Council was not the responsible authority for highways, however it was his hope that Officers would work collaboratively with colleagues in Gloucestershire County Council.  He also noted that the Climate Leadership Gloucestershire group was key in driving collaboration between the District and County Councils. The Climate Change and Decarbonisation Lead further commented that the Council was leading by example, through its hybrid working model and green travel initiatives, and could use its assets to assist the highways authority, such as providing more electric vehicle charging points in car parks and promoting green infrastructure.

95.3    The Chair referred to the Council’s ambition to plant more trees, and asked whether there would be provision for tree lined avenues as a requirement in new planning applications. The Climate Change and Decarbonisation Lead confirmed that developers were now required to include tree lined streets in planning applications, which also had public health and social value benefits. Councillor Cook further confirmed that under current planning legislation, developers were required to show how they would contribute to biodiversity net gain.

95.4    Councillor Pullen thanked Officers and Councillor Cook for the detailed report. He asked for further details as to how the Council proposed to consult on the Climate Change Strategy. He wondered that as the strategy was such an important piece of work for the city, whether consideration could be given to consulting through roadshows as well as the usual online consultation methods. Councillor Cook responded that the detail around how consultation would be undertaken was yet to be developed. The Climate Change and Decarbonisation Lead noted that as a District Council, the Council was more limited in funding than larger authorities but would look to improve consultation, particularly in its discussions with young people.

95.5    Councillor Pullen referred to the narrative in the report at 3.8 concerning Member engagement, and asked whether consideration could be given to a Member Briefing following the 2024 local elections to brief new Councillors on the Climate Change Strategy. Councillor Cook noted his agreement, and confirmed that this could be included  ...  view the full minutes text for item 95