Agenda item

To consider the report of the Leader of the Council seeking membership of the UK100 network – bringing forward the City Council’s net zero carbon commitment by five years, to 2045 – and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.

31.1       Councillor Cook moved, and Councillor Norman seconded the motion. Councillor Cook introduced the report and noted that queries about how the project would be funded had been addressed at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

31.2       Councillor Pullen noted that the Council’s declaration of a Climate Emergency was a Labour Party motion in 2019. He stated that it had been two years since a Climate Emergency had been declared by the Council and that very little action had been taken since. He stated that in early 2021, the Leader had presented a climate change strategy. He said that former Councillor Stephens had pointed out that they needed a more detailed action plan, which included milestones and actions. He said that it was agreed a more detailed report would be brought before Cabinet at the earliest possibility, which had not happened. He said that the Labour Group supported joining the UK100 network but believed that the Council needed to act quicker and needed to make getting to Net Zero their top priority.

31.3       Councillor Wilson stated that it was an important discussion to have. He stated that the proposal to bring forward the City Council’s net zero carbon commitment by five years to 2045 showed that the Council had more ambition. He stated that he would want to see regular updates at meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. He stated that there was no reason not to join the UK100 and would support the motion.

31.4       Councillor Cook stated that the Council had recently hired a Climate Change Manager who was committed to making sure the Council hit their Climate Change targets, and that he would be providing regular updates.  He stated that one of the three Key themes for the City Councils Plan would be protection of the environment. He stated that he would ensure that the Council was at the forefront of mitigating the worst excesses of Climate Change. He stated that he wanted to assure everyone that the administration was keen to be at the forefront of combating climate change.

31.5       RESOLVED that: - 

(1) Gloucester City Council joins the UK100 Local Authority leaders’ group and international Race to Zero commitment in advance of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), to be held in the City of Glasgow.

(2) as a condition of UK100 membership, Gloucester City Council bring forward its 2050 net zero target to 2045.

(3) Gloucester City Council becomes a signatory to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.