Agenda item

To receive a verbal report from the Chief Executive and Corporate Performance Manager in response to a Councillor request.

 

Minutes:

Click here to view a recording of this item on You Tube

 

The Chair read out the request from Councillor de Whalley for the Panel to consider as set out below:

 

“Failure of Norfolk Climate Change Partnership (NCCP) chaired by this Council, to meet any of its terms of reference over the first 28 months of its existence.”

 

The Panel received a verbal report from the Chief Executive and Corporate Performance Manager, a summary of which is set out below.

 

The Chief Executive of the Borough Council chaired the partnership.

 

Agendas, Minutes and information are published on the Norfolk Climate Change Partnership.

 

Click on the link below to the Norfolk Climate Change Partnership.

https://www.norfolkclimatechange.co.uk/

 

The partnership was established on 6 Jan 2020 and reports to Norfolk Public Sector Leaders Board.

 

Established shortly before Covid-19.

 

Made up of local authorities, Broads Authority, NALEP and Norfolk Strategic Planning Framework Member Forum.

 

Tyndall Centre and EELGA joined later.

 

Initially administration, coordination and chairing by BCKLWN.

 

Under our administration:

 

           Programme of meetings

           Initial TOR and Work plan

           Website created which has info about membership, work plan, projects and documents such as minutes, relevant publications

           Community Renewal Fund bid submitted and approved

 

Following departure of our Climate Change Officer, Breckland now provide admin/coordination and co-chaired with Steve Blatch, CEO of North Norfolk DC.

Portfolio Holder Group of councillors from each local authority formed on 16 June 2022.

 

Community Renewal Fund bid for £325k successful and had following elements:

 

           Study related to community energy in Norfolk – report published

           High level feasibility study for hydrogen in transport – report published

           Development of an action plan for NCCP – finalised in Jan 2023

 

Action plan informed by countywide partnerships such as at Suffolk. Has a dedicated coordination resource, operational since 2007, embedded into strategic processes.

 

CRF projects

 

Community energy

 

Collective action to reduce, purchase, manage and generate energy. Could include:

 

           Community owned generation installations

           Community switching to renewable sources e.g heat pump, biomass

           Community group supporting energy saving measures

           Collective switching

           Partnership working to pilot technologies

           Collective purchasing

           Behavioural changes

           Car clubs, sharing, active travel

 

For our borough, community energy kickstarter ideas:

 

           Public EV charging points at railway station – not our land but encouraged parish and town councils to consider applying for OZEV grants

           Targeted Solar Together – completed for 2022 auction, will review ongoing participation in light of sign ups/work completed

           Applications for Govt grant funded activities to improve housing via Norfolk Warm Homes Partnership

           Fuel poverty advice – Beat the bills roadshows

 

Hydrogen

 

Developing technology for HGVs with potential for use in refuse freighters but not at that point in our contract period/revisit in EST fleet review in 2023. Some interest in hydrogen from major carbon emitters in our borough to be explored in 2023. Potential for reducing transport related emissions but significant capital costs.

 

Development of action plan

 

           Gain broader agreement of the NCCP’s strategic priorities, get agreement on the way ahead in developing the action plan in 2023.

           Agree the next steps for the partnership.

           Reconfirm the aims and common goals of the NCCP, developing the collaborative working approach already in place between members and officers across the county.

           Agree the structure and approach for future decision-making for and management of the partnership.

           Introduce and embed understanding of the relevant, initial findings from the Pathfinder report from Net Zero East, including best practice, evidence-based approaches.

 

Future focus on energy?:

 

           Develop an energy plan to decarbonise energy supply for Norfolk and improve distribution of energy to citizens

           Reduce and conserve energy demand on the system through retrofitting of buildings through behaviour change, enabling fabric first and heating

           Enable “greener” transport solutions through statutory powers.

 

County Portfolio Group

 

A County Portfolio Group had been set up.  Councillor P Kunes was the Borough Council’s representative.  To date, a small number of meetings had been held and looked at a work programme to determine what could be done collectively at Portfolio Holder level.

 

At the invitation of the Chair, under standing Order 34, Councillor de Whalley explained that he had prepared a statement setting out concerns but some of those concerns had been addressed in the update report.

 

Councillor de Whalley expressed thanks for starting to populate the NCCP website but added that improvements were required in terms of clarity and was very mindful of transparency in terms of dissemination of environmental information and that climate emergency was the most important.

 

Councillor de Whalley expressed a number of concerns, a summary of which is set out below:

 

·         Meaningful public participation undertaken by the NCCP and Member Councils.

·         Website yet to show an annual report which was part of the Terms of Reference and it was now almost 3 years that the NCCP was initiated.

·         Need to look in terms of resilience.

·         Accept that the Council had to look at adaptation measures, drought, flooding, coastal erosion.

·         Levels of involvement of the wider community.

·         How district leads would be implemented.

·         Little involvement of Parish Councils as yet.

·         Look at behavioural change programmes to involve the community as a whole towards addressing the emergency.

·         Local authorities own contributions to climate change.

·         District emissions.

·         The Council’s scope for emissions.

·         Changing outside activities.

 

In conclusion, Councillor de Whalley commented that he welcome the Tyndall Centre being included in NCCP and would be able give a significant contribution on wider issues.

 

The Chair invited officers to respond to the following points made by Councillor de Whalley:

 

·         Annual Report.

·         Public participation.

·         Involvement of Parish Councils.

 

In response to the statement made by Councillor de Whalley the Chief Executive explained that the issue of the Annual Report would be followed up and explained the role of the NCCP but highlighted that each individual local authority had its own action plan.  The NCCP was a website which was publicly accessible but took on board there was always more information to publish but the website included links to each local authority.  The Action Plan would be the next stage and consideration be given on how the consultation would be undertaken.  It was noted there were a number of other groups and it was important to ensure that duplication of work did not take place.

 

At the invitation of the Chair, Councillor Kunes the Borough Council’s representative explained that the County Portfolio Group had begun to work together.

 

RESOLVED:  That the Panel receive an annual update on progress.