Report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit attached

To review the Terms of Reference and Work Programme of the Subgroup.

For the benefit of the public in attendance at the meeting the Chair announced the Terms of Reference of the Subgroup.

Following consideration of the items of business listed on the agenda the Chair stated that she would review the work programme with the intention of arranging themed meetings and that she would also review the frequency of the meetings.

Decision

The Subgroup;

1. Agree the Terms of Reference; and

2. Recommend that the Chair review the Work Programme to structure themed meetings and to also review the frequency of meetings.

Report of the Strategic Lead Policy and Partnerships

The Council’s existing Climate Change Action Plan 2016-20 sets out the actions that are required to deliver a 41% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020 from a 2009/10 baseline.

The Council is now working on the production of a new 5 year plan which will replace the existing 2016-2020 plan and will reflect the more ambitious target and recent Climate Emergency Motion. This report provides an update on the process that will be followed to produce a new plan.

The Subgroup considered the report of the Strategic Lead Policy and Partnerships that informed Members that the Council’s existing Climate Change Action Plan 2016-20 set out the actions that were required to deliver a 41% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020 from a 2009/10 baseline, noting that the latest data from 2018/19 showed that the Council’s direct emissions had reduced by 48.1% from a 2009/10 baseline.

The report noted that in November 2018, the Council’s Executive had agreed to the establishment of science-based carbon reduction targets for Manchester which required the city to become net zero carbon by 2038. As such, the Manchester Climate Change Board (MCCB), along with the City Council and several other organisations in the city committed to develop a zero carbon action plan to be approved by the Council in March 2020.

The Council was now working on the production of a new 5 year plan which would replace the existing 2016-2020 plan and would reflect the more ambitious target and recent Climate Emergency Motion. The report provided an update on the process that would be followed to produce a new plan.

The main points and themes within the report included: -

?              Providing a background and context;

?              The Carbon Reduction Target for the next five years;

?              The scope of the plan which encompassed reducing the Council’s own direct CO² emissions but also influencing the city’s emissions through all available policy levers; and

?              The process for developing the plan and key milestones.

The Executive Member for Environment, Planning and Transport informed the Subgroup that the Council accounted for approximately 2% of the carbon emissions in the city and that these emissions came predominately from buildings, street lighting, the waste fleet and staff journeys, and this is why these activities were being targeted. 

The Executive Member for Environment, Planning and Transport stated that whilst the Council had achieved a 40% reduction in emissions since 2005 the new target would be ambitious and was likely to require a halving of the Council’s direct CO² emissions within the next 5 years. She further commented that the Council was working with the Manchester Climate Change Agency and the Tyndall Centre to understand how the airport factored into the carbon budget for the city.

In response to a question from the Chair the Deputy Chief Executive informed Members that the Zero Carbon Coordination Group (ZCCG) comprised of officers, predominantly Director level and was chaired by herself. She described that this group would oversee the development of the next Council Climate Change Action Plan which would be approved by Executive in March 2020. The Group would ensure that zero carbon was fully embedded across the Council’s day-to-day operations and decision making process, and that there was sufficient leadership, resource and budget to deliver this agenda across directorates and services. She advised that political oversight was provided by the Executive Member for Environment, Planning and Transport and information on the agreed actions and work streams of the ZCCG would be circulated to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

Report of the Strategic Lead Policy and Partnerships

In November 2018, the Council’s Executive agreed to the establishment of science-based carbon reduction targets for Manchester which required the city to become net zero carbon by 2038. In July 2019 the Council declared a climate emergency. This report provides a brief update on the Council’s response to the climate emergency declaration.

The Subgroup considered the report of the Strategic Lead Policy and Partnerships that provided Members with an update on the Council’s response to the climate emergency declaration of 10 July 2019.

The main points and themes within the report included: -

?              Providing a background, noting that in July 2019 the Council had declared a climate emergency which recognised the need for the city to do more to reduce its carbon emissions and mitigate the negative impacts of climate change;

?              Information on the Zero Carbon Coordination Group (ZCCG);

?              Information on the draft terms of reference and key priorities of the ZCCG;

?              Information on the various workstreams of the ZCCG; and

?              Information on progress to date against the specific actions agreed in the climate emergency declaration of 10 July 2019.

The Chair stated that the previous discussion in relation to agenda item NESC/CCSG/19/03 had addressed the questions arising from this report and that progress against these actions would continue to be monitored.

In response to a question from the Chair the Officers report that they were on track to hold events in each ward in line with the timescale stated in the motion

The Chair further requested that a copy of the letter sent by Cllr Paul Andrews to the Greater Manchester Pension Fund regarding the divestment in fossil fuels to be circulated to Members of the Subgroup.

Decision

To note the report.

Report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods) and the Strategic Lead - Neighbourhoods

In November 2018, the Council’s Executive agreed to the establishment of science-based carbon reduction targets for Manchester, which required the city to become net zero carbon by 2038. In July 2019, the Council declared a Climate Emergency. The declaration was explicit about the Council working with residents / other partners at a neighbourhood level, to ensure they are proactively involved in achieving this target.

This report provides a summary on progress to date, and building on this momentum, outlines further actions that communities, Officers, Members and other partners, want to work on together to help reduce carbon. Building capacity to accelerate action at a neighbourhood level is key, as well as embedding priority actions in neighbourhood based Ward Plans.

Decision

To defer consideration of this report to the next meeting of the Subgroup.