Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Environmental Services introduced the report which detailed the progress by the Council to reduce its carbon footprint as part of the Council’s Biodiversity and Climate Change Action plan. The relevant actions that related to the Committee’s terms of reference were outlined, including those on housing, solar panels, and recycling in the town centre.

The report was welcomed by the Committee and it was recognised improvements had been made to reduce the carbon footprint of the Committee’s services.

In response to questions, the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services stated that sustainable transport would be addressed in the Council’s Local Plan and emphasised that only appropriate locations would be chosen for solar farms in the Local Plan.

In response to further questions, the Biodiversity and Climate Change Manager that the boundaries for the Rural Prosperity Fund were set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and that a Biodiversity and Climate Change Officer had been in contact with Parish Councils to assist with applications to the fund. It was further stated that zoning for solar farms was ongoing to find the best locations to connect solar farms to the national grid.

RESOLVED to RECOMMEND to CABINET:

1.  That the strategic considerations for tackling net zero borough wide and action plan updates show at Appendix 1 of the report, be noted.

Note: Councillor Hastie arrived during consideration of this item.