Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the attached North Wales Energy Strategy and Action Plan be endorsed; and

(b)       The commencement of Local Area Energy Planning in the County be noted.                                                                                               

The Chief Officer (Planning, Environment & Economy) introduced the report to consider and endorse adoption of the Regional Energy Strategy and Action Plan and seek support for development of the Local Area Energy Plans. 

The Climate Change Programme Manager presented the report.  She provided background information and referred to the North Wales Energy Strategy and Action Plan, and Local Area Energy Planning (LAEP), as detailed in the report.  She advised that work on the LAEP commenced in January 2023, and whilst the timeline was to be confirmed it was likely that the Flintshire LAEP should be completed in December 2023.  It was proposed that annual updates on progress be provided to the Climate Change Committee and Cabinet to secure effective democratic oversight of progress and to influence and decide on actions going forward.  The North Wales Energy Strategy Action Plan and collation of actions where Local Authorities had been identified as the Lead within the North Wales Energy Strategy Action Plan were appended to the report.

Councillor Mike Peers commented on the lack of detail concerning the Flintshire LAEP in the report and referred to the proposed completion by December 2023.  The Programme Manager explained that development of the Flintshire LAEP had started only recently and work was progressing on the data to develop the Plan in Flintshire and identify the internal and external stakeholders which needed to be involved. She clarified that the updates on progress referred to in section 1.11 of the report were for the Regional Plan and the LAEP.

Councillor Peers thanked the Programme Manager for the verbal update and asked that a written action plan be submitted which provided details of contacts, timelines, and progress for the Flintshire LEAP.  The Programme Manager agreed to provide the information in written format as soon as available.  The Chief Officer suggested that the Flintshire LAEP be included as an item on the Committee’s Forward Work Programme so that a draft of the local Plan could be considered at a future meeting.

The recommendations in the report were moved and seconded by Councillors Dan Rose and Councillor Mared Eastwood.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the attached North Wales Energy Strategy and Action Plan be endorsed; and

(b)       The commencement of Local Area Energy Planning in the County be noted.