Agenda item

To submit a report by the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report of the Deputy Chief Executive incorporating the Isle of Anglesey toward Net Zero Plan 2022-25 Council toward Net Zero Plan was presented for the Committee’s consideration and scrutiny.

Councillor Dafydd Rhys Thomas, Portfolio Member for Corporate Business said that it gave him pleasure as the Council’s Climate Change Champion to present the Towards Net Zero Plan which represents the first step on the Council’s journey to transition into a net zero carbon organisation by 2030. Although achieving this target will be challenging and will require significant financial investment, the Council has already been making progress to reduce its carbon emissions and the Plan will build on the success of existing strategies and projects, for example the Energy Efficiency Strategy and the Refit scheme which at £2.4m is the largest investment made by the Council to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. A clear and flexible plan that addresses all aspects of the Council’s work is needed to enable the Council to achieve its net zero ambitions by 2030; an important step is establishing a baseline and system for monitoring and reporting progress. The project which should be seen as the driver of positive change, will likely create opportunities in the form of skills, training and specialist roles as well as new industries and it possibly represents the biggest culture change that the Council will face. The Council, its partners, residents and businesses all have a part to play and will need to work together to achieve net zero status.

The Deputy Chief Executive agreed that the change proposed is significant and far-reaching and that the timeline in terms of the work to be done is challenging. The Toward Net Zero Plan signifies the Council’s commitment to the task and sets a direction for the work. It is an ambitious but at the same time, achievable plan and sets out clearly how the Council will become net zero by 2030. Delivering the Plan will mean having to prioritise and difficult decisions, choices and compromises will have to be made along the way. If the Plan is approved, the next steps will be to produce an action plan and monitoring scheme as well as strengthening the baseline. In setting a direction for the work it is hoped the Council can develop the plan into a wider programme - one area currently under discussion is the involvement of schools and young people in this agenda.

The Climate Change Manager agreed that the Plan is a first step on the transition journey towards becoming a net zero Council by 2030.

The Chair confirmed that the Corporate Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 28 February, 2022 was supportive of the Plan and had recommended it to the Executive.

The Executive in welcoming the Towards Net Zero Plan as one that will influence the Council’s operations over the next few years recognised also that successfully delivering the Plan will have financial and resource implications which will have to be considered.

It was resolved to endorse the Isle of Anglesey County Council toward Net Zero Plan 2022-2025.