Agenda item

To submit a report by the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report of the Deputy Chief Executive outlining the steps to be taken to deliver a new corporate Climate Change Programme to support the Council’s transition into a carbon neutral organisation by 2030 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Planning and Public Protection in presenting the report referred to the climate change crisis as relevant both to the Council corporately and to services individually, with the Council having committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030. Although the immediate focus has been on managing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the climate change emergency is ongoing and will become more pressing going forwards and local expectations that the Council will take resolute action will increase. Although there have already been achievements across the Authority – in Housing, Highways and Property for example - with regard to reducing carbon usage, protecting and adding value to the natural environment and cutting down on travel, the Council’s climate change work requires a long term and far-reaching corporate approach. Whilst resources will be made available the Council’s response needs to be underpinned by definite measurable plans that will make a difference.

The Deputy Chief Executive agreed that the profile, significance and expectations on the Council to take positive actions to address the climate change issue will grow over the coming months and years especially once the Covid-19 crisis is over. The Council will need to provide clear leadership both internally and externally for the Island’s communities, businesses and its partners and the reports seeks to set a solid foundation that will enable climate change considerations to become embedded in all aspects of the Council’s work in future years. Section 3.2.1 of the report is key in setting out local authority commitments in terms of establishing a baseline, reporting, monitoring and providing evidence of meaningful progress towards the 2030 target of achieving  carbon neutral status and it is anticipated that Welsh Government will soon be publishing  a roadmap for public sector organisations that will correlate with those commitments.

It is important that climate change and environmental wellbeing should form an integral part of the Covid-19 recovery process and that recovery plans should capture and seek to build on the changes in attitude , behaviour and ways of working that have emerged during the pandemic but should also recognise that it is individuals and their decisions that make a real difference so that the approach is both a strategic one and is also a group based approach that includes the Council’s staff, residents of the Island and the local Senedd and Parliament Members who  represent them. Section 7 of the report provides the reasoning for the proposals which recommend that corporate co-ordination, capacity and expertise in this area be strengthened to enable the Council to take addressing the climate change responsibility forwards decisively and effectively with the support of dedicated resources.

Councillor Gwilym O. Jones, Chair of the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee reported from the Committee’s 11 March, 2021 meeting where the report was scrutinised. The Committee was informed and it noted that the climate change field is a very specialised and important area which involves a change of culture requiring the organisation to go on a learning journey. The way in which the Council needs to change the way it works was outlined to the Committee with emphasis on the fact that this is a long term journey with responsibility on the Council as well as all its staff. Reference was made to the key climate change legislation and policies and to the role of the Local Government Decarbonisation Strategy Panel and the commitments made by each local authority represented on the Panel. It was recognised that the Council is already doing much that is right in terms of becoming a carbon neutral organisation and that this needs to be more widely publicised; the attention now being focused on this matter for the benefit of the Island’s residents and wider biodiversity was welcomed by the Committee and the intentions of the report were commended. Points were made regarding the importance of the procurement process in terms of sustainable purchasing and use of local products and companies and also in relation to the different ways of working and reduced travel as a result of the pandemic and the need to incorporate these lessons in the Council’s plans going forwards. The Committee was also keen that the Climate Change Programme Manager once appointed, should visit schools to educate the next generation on the Council’s climate change work and plans.  The Scrutiny Committee was happy to support and recommend the proposals with regard to developing and implementing a new corporate Climate Change Programme; recruiting a Climate Change Programme Manager and establishing an internal Climate Change Working group.

The Executive likewise welcomed the report recognising that climate change is among the most important of the Council’s priorities in terms of legacy and the wellbeing of future generations and Members were appreciative of the work at a time when the Council is still dealing with the pandemic and its implications.

Councillor Ieuan Williams, Deputy Leader was grateful for the report as a valuable starting point and in stating that he looked forward to receiving a clear and detailed programme with costings and delivery timescales, enquired as to when such a programme could be expected. The Deputy Chief Executive confirmed that developing a detailed action plan will be an early priority once the Climate Change Programme Manager is appointed. In hoping that the appointment can be made before summer, the objective would then be to put in place an initial action plan to be taken through the democratic process by the end of the calendar year.

Councillor Robin Williams, Portfolio Member for Finance highlighted that the 2021/2022 Budget makes an initial provision for climate change works in recognition of Welsh Government’s and the Council’s commitment to achieving a carbon neutral public sector.

Councillor Carwyn Jones, Portfolio Member for Major Projects and Economic Development referred to the steps the Council has taken to date in becoming a more sustainable, energy efficient and climate aware organisation in relation to its housing stock, moving to electric fleet vehicles, waste management and disposal and the natural environment and emphasised the importance of having detailed plans at the ready to take advantage of external funding linked to climate change action.

Councillor R.G. Parry OBE, FRAgS, Portfolio Member for Highways, Waste and Property in acknowledging the role the Council has to play stressed the importance of Welsh Government also playing its part in helping local authorities make a difference for example in supporting the wider rollout of electric vehicle charging points in publicly accessible places such as in schools and Council buildings. The Deputy Chief Executive advised that the Authority has had discussions with Welsh Government with a view to attracting funding to create an electric vehicle charging plan for Anglesey that will form part of the national strategy that is being developed. It was pointed out that the solutions for Anglesey might need to be different to those for city areas on account of its more rural nature and that it is important to ensure that rural areas are treated fairly and equally.

It was resolved to support and endorse the following –

•           The development and implementation of a new corporate Climate Change Programme to enable the Authority to transition into a carbon neutral organisation by 2030.

•           The Deputy Chief Executive being the SRO (Senior Responsible Owner).

•           Prioritise resources on the local authority commitments agrees at the Local Government Decarbonisation Strategy Panel (section 3.2.1 of the report).

•           The utilisation of a restricted reserve of £400,000 to create dedicated capacity/expertise to lead on progressing and co-ordinating the initial stages of development and delivery.

•           The recruitment of a corporate Climate Change Programme Manager to lead on development and delivery.

•           The establishment of a Climate Change Working Group (with political representation) – an advisory, non-decision-making group to make recommendations and requests.

•           The appointment of a Climate Change Champion on the Executive and,

•           That Councillor Dafydd Rhys Thomas be appointed as the Executive’s Climate Change Champion.