Agenda item

To receive petitions and public questions in accordance with Procedure Rule 20.

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Public Question from Julia Irving

“Last year the world passed the lamentable milestone of becoming 1.5 0c warmer than the average temperature in preindustrial times.

Our government and this local government and many others declared a climate emergency, but failed to act with appropriate urgency and so we pass the temperature level, which the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Charge warned, would precipitate unpredictable climate changes .

The natural systems of our home are out of balance and the effects of this are being felt here and around the world, with droughts, flooding, forest fires and degradation of food supplies affecting millions in the global south.

Britain is not protected from these consequences. It is predicted that power failure and food insecurity will be some of the soon felt consequences in the global north as crops fail and power plants are hit by unpredictable and severe flooding. I am sure we all recognise that West Norfolk and The Fens are especially vulnerable to floods as transport, food production and energy supplies are at risk in low lying areas.

Given this is where we are; what steps are the council taking to try to mitigate the consequences of these dire challenges? Is there a committee which is tasked with facing and planning for food insecurity long term power failures and mass evacuations?”

Councillor de Whalley responded to the question as set out below

“Thank you for the question which covers a number of important local issues.

Climate change is a global challenge, and the threats and risks identified will not solely be resolved by local action. Collaborative action is required, the council is a contributor to the Future Fens Integrated Adaptation (FFIA) programme (https://awinnovationhub.co.uk/project/future-fens-integrated-adaptation-ffia/ and Fens 2100 project.

The FFIA brings together key partners such as the Environment Agency, Water Resources East, the Peterborough and Cambridge Combined Authority, Lincolnshire County Council, Norfolk County Council and many district and borough councils. This collaboration is essential for adapting to many challenges including climate change.

The Tyndall Centre, University of East Anglia were commissioned by the FFIA to prepare a recently published climate change risk assessment for the Fens area ( https://tyndall.ac.uk/news/new-climate-report-finds-time-running-out-to-save-the-fens/). This report will inform future programmes and action.

The Environment Agency is leading on the Fens 2100 project which is considering the impact of climate change on the Fens and how we manage this going forward. Details are here https://engageenvironmentagency.uk.engagementhq.com/fens2100

Fens 2100 is a pioneering collaborative programme and has developed a Fens-wide flood resilience investment strategy that achieves long-term value for money and generates regional and national benefits. It is being developed with, and for, Flood Risk Management Authorities so they can plan for the next 20-25 years of flood risk management. This work is attracting investment that safeguards land and property from flooding but there is much more to do.

DEFRA would lead on food security issues, and they recently published their Food Security Report 2024 on 14^th January 2025, see here https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-food-security-report-2024-published

Following the declaration of the climate emergency in 2021, the Council initially responded with the development of a climate change strategy and continues to implement a wide range of projects that aim to reduce the council's operational carbon emissions and encourage the broader community to act in their own ways.

Nationally and locally, the planning system is responding to climate change.

• The National Planning Policy Framework (NPFF) sets out how sets out the government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. The NPPF is clear that climate change mitigation and adaptation is considered in the planning of new development.

• In line with this the Borough Council’s recently adopted Local Plan contains a suite of policies to guide new development. This includes policies related to the natural environment, flood risk, transport, infrastructure, the protection and provision of open space, renewable energy, and climate change specifically.

• Local Plan Policy LP06 Climate Change seeks for new development to minimise and reduce carbon emissions, and to adapt and mitigate the impact of climate change. In addition, it requires developers to submit, alongside their planning application, a sustainability and climate change statement setting out how the proposed development will achieve this. The statement is then used in the determination of the planning proposal. 

Links below, if needed:

• The NPPF can be viewed online via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-planning-policy-framework--2
• The Local Plan can be viewed online via the following link: https://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/info/20079/planning_policy_and_local_plan/1207/local_plan_2021-2040

We have an outstanding housing standards officer who has worked on grants to help make 252 properties in West Norfolk more energy efficient. Reducing their carbon emissions. I thank Jacob for his continued work on this.

My report also highlights other work we are carrying out in the local community to encourage residents young and old to be more sustainable and environmentally aware. We have a schools’ competition and garden wildlife competition, encouraging biodiversity, running at the moment.

Protect our environment remains one of our four key aims in the corporate strategy and I personally will continue banging the drum for this in our borough.

I have received a helpful response from our emergency planning team about the partnership work already in place to handle planning for civil emergencies such as flooding and am happy to share this with you.

We work as part of the Norfolk Resilience Forum to ensure we are prepared to handle this.

Climate change and its impact is always considered and there is a link between the NRF and the Norfolk Climate Change Partnership.

We have already carried out some excellent work for the Climate Change Partnership in Marshland St James. I hope to see some of the learning from that experience taking into the rest of our district.

I’ve mentioned residents a lot, so should also mention businesses, we are in the process of planning a business expo that will take place before the end of the year to engage with business owners and managers about climate change.

But you are right that we can only do so much as a district council. I hope to see an international, national and community response to many of your questions.”

By way of Supplementary, Julia Irving asked what was being done locally and nationally to be proactive to deal with emergencies rather than being reactive.  Councillor de Whalley responded that Norfolk Climate Change Partnership responded proactively to climate concerns where possible and looking forward this could be something considered by the Strategic Authority.  He agreed to circulate information on proactive work which was being carried out.