To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2024.

Decision

To approve the minutes of the Environment, Climate Change and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 10 October 2024 as a correct record.

Report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods)

This report provides an update on waste, recycling, and street cleansing services. Describing how the activity contributes to the climate change agenda and key priorities for future.

The Committee considered the report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods) that provided an update on waste, recycling, and street cleansing services. The report further described how the activity contributed to the climate change agenda and key priorities for future.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Providing an introduction and background;

·         Information relating to the implementation of the Resources and Waste Strategy (2018), noting that the original aim of the strategy was to drive up the country's recycling rate which had stagnated;

·         Performance data across a range of activities;

·         Information on the Office for Local Government (Oflog) waste metrics, a new performance body for local government to support accessible data and analysis about the performance of local government and support its improvement;

·         Analysis of trends;

·         Passageway collections and monitoring data;

·         Passageway cleansing and standards;

·         Information on the street cleansing contract and performance against a range of different settings;

·         Information on the investment in waste collection and street cleansing services;

·         Improvements to the street cleansing model;

·         Information on communications and campaigns, including Christmas specific campaigns; and

·         An update on the delivery of Social Value.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:

·         Welcoming the detailed and comprehensive report;

·         Had the diesel refuse collection vehicles been recycled when they were replaced with electric vehicles;

·         A national approach was required in relation to soft plastic recycling;

·         Welcoming the introduction of plastic pots, tubs, trays and film recycling at the kerbside;

·         Discussing difficulties experienced by residents who occupied flats above shops, including knowing which bin to use that could result in contaminated bins, and where the collection points were so as to present their bins for collection;

·         Missed bin collections resulting from access issues;

·         Requesting data in relation to missed collections, both at a ward and city level to allow comparisons to be made;

·         What monitoring had been done in relation to missed bin collections;

·         Container bins not being returned to the correct location in alleyways and was this monitored;

·         Was the size of the Biffa routes appropriate to meet the collection targets, noting that Biffa crews had been witnessed running to keep up with the vehicles;

·         What were the financial implications of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) tax for Manchester;

·         How were district centres defined and were these flexible to reflect the changing nature of neighbourhoods;

·         Noting the issue of access to street cleaning vehicles as a result of parked vehicles on residential streets;

·         Welcoming the use of steam cleaning in district centres and could this be extended to other areas;

·         Behaviour change was very important and the need for consistent and coordinated messaging on the issue of waste and recycling, noting this should be in a range of languages and visual mediums should also be used;

·         Noting the specific campaign in relation to the Christmas period and was similar consideration given to other faith festivals and celebrations;

·         How could residents obtain additional caddy bags;

·         A Member stated that compost created via the In-Vessel  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

Report of the Manchester Climate Change Agency

This report provides a summary of the most recent Manchester's Emissions Report, which has been published by Manchester Climate Change Agency (MCCA). It covers the city’s direct, energy-related emissions data for 2022, along with a provisional forecast for 2023, and is based on the latest data released by the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

The Committee considered the report of the Manchester Climate Change Agency that provided a summary of the most recent Manchester's Emissions Report which had been published by Manchester Climate Change Agency (MCCA). It covered the city’s direct, energy-related emissions data for 2022, along with a provisional forecast for 2023, and was based on the latest data released by the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Providing an introduction and background;

·         Noting that the city’s science-based targets were to reach zero carbon by 2038 whilst staying within a fixed carbon budget;

·         The carbon budget was to emit no more than 15million tonnes between 2018 and 2100;

·         There was a time lag on the data meaning that the most up-to-date information was for direct emissions for 2022, and for indirect emissions (which was new analysis) was for 2021;  

·         Information and consideration of Manchester’s Direct Emissions for 2022;

·         Information and consideration of Manchester’s Indirect Emissions for 2022; and

·         Noting that this year’s reports were designed in a digital, interactive format, intended to make data and insights more accessible and engaging.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:

·         How were aviation emissions reported and accounted for;

·         Noting that the report was very detailed, with a high-level data and that the Committee may wish to explore particular aspects of this at a future meeting; and

·         Noting that collectively the city was failing to meet its emissions target and how did this compare to other cities.

The Director, Manchester Climate Change Agency informed the Committee that the online report had been designed to allow the reader to filter data and be more interactive compared to a standard report. She commented that a report on indirect emissions would be produced in a similar digital and interactive format. She said that additional work was planned to use the data to help identify opportunities and levers to influence change and the Committee would be kept informed of this work. She advised that aviation emissions were not included in the city’s direct emissions carbon budget as they were included within the UK carbon budget. She stated that the airport and aviation emissions was fully acknowledged as important and noted that the Committee would be receiving a report on the airport and aviation emissions at the meeting scheduled for 13 February 2025.

The Chair welcomed the attention given to understanding indirect emissions, noting that this was an issue raised previously by the Committee in discussions. She commented that a report on indirect emissions would be scheduled for the next municipal year.

The Director, Manchester Climate Change Agency expressed caution when comparing progress against other cities as not all had adopted a science-based carbon budget. She reminded the Committee that the city’s science-based carbon budget to stay within 15million tonnes of CO2 between 2018 and 2100 and to reach zero carbon by 2038 at the latest had been established and agreed in consultation with the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

Report of the Manchester Climate Change Agency & Manchester City Council Zero Carbon Team

This purpose of this report is to set out the national and local context for climate adaptation and resilience, to explore the challenges that Manchester faces from a changing climate and to set out the work that is underway currently and planned for the future to support climate adaptation for the City.

The Committee considered the report of the Manchester Climate Change Agency & Manchester City Council Zero Carbon Team that considered the national and local context for climate adaptation and resilience, to explore the challenges that Manchester faced from a changing climate and to set out the work that was underway currently and planned for the future to support climate adaptation for the City.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Providing an introduction and background;

·         Consideration of current policies, strategies and actions in Manchester;

·         Understanding the climate projections for Manchester; and

·         Information on the development of 2025-30 plans to address climate adaptation and resilience.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:

·         Recognising and welcoming the breadth of work described throughout the report;

·         More information was requested in relation to the approach to tree planting, noting the importance of these for providing shade;

·         Had the Council considered adopting carbon offsetting as means of generating income to support tree planting activities; and

·         Noting the recent tragic experience of flooding in Spain, appropriate consideration needed to be given to emergency planning, particularly in relation to food supplies, social cohesion, transport and communications.

The Strategic Director, Growth and Development stated that the Committee would be considering a report at their 16 January 2025 meeting that would provide a progress update of Manchester City Council Climate Change Action Plan for the period 2025-30 and this would contain further consideration of adaption. The Committee noted that they would also be considering detailed reports on the Local Plan, Clean Air and the Green and Blue Infrastructure at future meetings that would consider a number of points raised by Members. She further commented that net zero and the delivery of quality public green space was a fundamental consideration to all decision-making, referring to the partner who had recently been appointed to deliver the Wythenshawe redevelopment as one example of many developments delivered across the city. She said that the ratio of 2:1 tree planting that was required in regard to the replacement of trees if a tree were to be removed during development, however they would always push for more.

The Planning Strategy Manager addressed the subject of trees and the approach to tree planting. He stated that appropriate consideration needed to be given as to the location of these as challenges could arise due to the existing infrastructure beneath the surface level. The Director of Highways said this could be prohibitive due to the cost of redirecting utilities and other existing infrastructure. He further commented that consideration also needed to be given to the cost of ongoing maintenance. The Planning Strategy Manager said that they did work with partners, such as City of Trees to explore all funding opportunities to deliver more trees. He commented that the emerging Local Plan would allow for a more nuanced approach to the issue of trees and development. He also referred to the CAVAT (Capital Asset Value for Amenity Trees) methodology that was being considered within  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

Report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit

This is a monthly report, which includes the recommendations monitor, relevant key decisions, the Committee’s work programme and any items for information.

The report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit which contained key decisions within the Committee’s remit and responses to previous recommendations was submitted for comment. Members were also invited to agree the Committee’s future work programme.

Decision

The Committee notes the report and agrees the work programme.