The Lead Member for Leisure and Arts introduced a report setting out a revised Biodiversity and Climate Change Action Plan following the annual review.  The Lead Member explained that:

·  An annual review process was stipulated as part of the Action Plan to ensure that actions were still relevant, to update on any new Government approaches or science-based targets and to scrutinise whether actions were progressing. 

·  At the last update of the Action Plan at the meeting of the Communities, Housing and Environment Policy Advisory Committee on 15 November 2022, the Leader of the Council outlined the proposed annual review process.  The actions within the Action Plan would be separated into those within the Council’s direct control and those it could influence.  The wording would be updated to make it clearer and more concise, and the actions would be aligned to the relevant Lead Members and presented to the respective Policy Advisory Committees.

·  The Committee was asked to review the actions relevant to its terms of reference (Actions 7.1 and 7.5) and recommend any additions, deletions or amendments.  Once approved the revised Action Plan would be published on the Council’s website and the Officers would continue to implement the actions reporting every six months on progress to the relevant Policy Advisory Committees.

In response to comments and questions:

·  The Biodiversity and Climate Change Manager advised the Committee that in terms of delivering the Council’s 2030 Net Zero Commitment in relation to its buildings and fleet:

Decarbonisation studies had been completed for each of the main buildings (Museum, Archbishop’s Palace and Leisure Centre) within the remit of this Committee and these had provided a good indication of what might be achieved.  It was now a matter of developing detailed schemes and applying for funding.  A public sector decarbonisation scheme would open in September and a bid for funding to do retrofits would be submitted although the timeline and priorities had still to be decided.

There was now a Green Fleet Strategy in place and every time a vehicle came to the end of its life, it would be upgraded to an electric vehicle alternative.

·  The Leader of the Council explained that it was an action going forward to ensure that carbon cost budgeting is part of the procurement and decision-making process to reduce the Council’s carbon footprint from contracts and services.

The Committee welcomed the revised Biodiversity and Climate Change Action Plan as a comprehensive, operational document, but recognised that there was work to be done to ensure the actions are delivered.

Having considered the actions falling within its remit, the Committee

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE EXECUTIVE:  That the updated Biodiversity and Climate Change Action Plan be approved.