Agenda item

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Healey introduced the report and explained that in 2019, Welsh Government (WG) called for the Public Sector to become net zero carbon by 2030. Following that declaration, Cabinet resolved in December 2019 to a Climate Change Strategy which would set key aims and actions for creating a net zero carbon Council by 2030.

The report summarised the progress made in 2021/22 across the key themes within the strategy: Buildings, Mobility & Transport, Procurement, Land Use and

Behaviour.

The total carbon emissions for 2021/22 saw a 1% increase on the 2018/19 baseline.  All carbon emission sources had seen decreases beyond the percentage targets, aside from Procurement which saw a 24% increase. Emissions from this source were directly linked to spend value and therefore the current methodology was adversely affecting the Council’s total carbon footprint.

Fleet transition to low carbon alternatives and provision of available EV charging infrastructure for Council fleet was progressing slowly. There was also a need to embed climate change and carbon reduction throughout the Council, and increased visibility and provision of training could achieve that.

Further developing efficient energy management within Council buildings would enable continued reductions from that theme.  Those areas needed particular focus and revenue support over the coming year to accelerate decarbonisation and stay on track towards 2030 net zero carbon goal.

The Chief Officer (Planning, Environment and Economy) said the report had been submitted to the recently formed Climate Change Committee where the findings of the report, and the recommendations, were supported.  It had also been reported to Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee where it was also supported.  A portfolio would be identified to run a pilot on procurement.

In response to a question from Councillor Bithell on procurement, the Chief Officer (Planning, Environment and Economy) explained that for any public sector body the procurement impact would always be 60/70%.  Natural Resources Wales have reported an extensive reduction so contact had been made with them to find out details of how that had been achieved.  It was a challenge that needed to be addressed by all public bodies in Wales.

The Chief Officer (Governance) added that it had recently been agreed with Denbighshire County Council that they would appoint a Carbon Reduction Officer who would work in a similar way to the Social Value Officer, to work with the portfolio pilot to establish how service specifications could be drawn out on things such as building homes and transport. 

Councillor Johnson said he was a member of the Joint Management Board for Procurement and it was raised at the last meeting.  Both Denbighshire and Flintshire were fully committed to it.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the report be received and the contents noted;

(b)       That the improvement of internal communications to raise awareness of the Council’s positive progress in moving to achieve its climate change ambitions be supported;

(c)        That the introduction of embedding carbon measures into procurement processes within a pilot portfolio of the Council be supported;

(d)       That the case for an Invest to Save post and resources to introduce Building Management Systems within more of the Councils building assets to improve the management of energy use be supported; and

(e)       That the embedding of climate change principles throughout the Council, through delivery of Carbon Literacy training to elected Members, Senior Managers and other key decision makers be supported.