To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2024.

Decision

To approve the minutes of the Environment, Climate Change and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 7 March 2024 as a correct record.

Report of the Strategic Director (Growth and Development)

This report provides both an update on the work programme for the fifth and final year of the current MCC Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP Work Programme 2024-25) and plans for the development of the next MCC CCAP for the period 2025-30. 

The Committee considered the report of the Strategic Director (Growth and Development) that provided an update on the work programme for the fifth and final year of the current Manchester City Council Climate Change Action Plan (MCC CCAP) and described plans for the development of the next MCC CCAP for the period 2025-30. 

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Providing an introduction and background, noting that the five-year MCC CCAP 2020-25 went live following approval at the City Council’s Executive Committee in March 2020;

·         The City Council had a science-based ‘carbon budget’ calculated by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Research, noting also that Manchester City Council had in place a science-based target, set by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, to be zero carbon by 2038 at the latest, 12 years ahead of UK government requirements, and providing an update on this progress;

·         The actions outlined in the CCAP were structured across the following five workstreams: 

1.   Buildings and Energy  

2.   Transport and Travel  

3.   Sustainable Consumption  

4.   Adaptation and Carbon Sequestration 

5.   Influencing Behaviour and Catalysing Change

·         Consideration of the CCAP Annual Work Programme 2024/25; 

·         Consideration of the approach to Developing a CCAP for the Period 2025-30;

·         Discussion of the CCAP 2025-30 in terms of national, regional and local policy and funding context; 

·         Engagement activity proposed for the CCAP 2025-30; and

·         Describing that during 2024/25, Manchester Climate Change Agency would be developing a new 2025-30 Climate Change Framework for the City. The Framework sets out how the City as a whole can deliver our shared Zero Carbon 2038 objectives.

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

·         The need to articulate and understand this plan in the context of other Council strategies, for example the anti-poverty strategy as climate change needed to be considered as a social justice issue;

·         Why was traffic signalling excluded from the reported actual emissions graph;

·         The need to align this strategy with city wide strategies and the Greater Manchester climate change strategy;

·         Recognising the significant challenge to meet emissions targets in future years, especially in the context of the current arrangements of a one year financial settlements for local authorities;

·         Was there a difference between the term carbon neutral and zero carbon, noting the terminology used by the GMCA and the Council; and

·         The need to communicate progress against the city’s carbon budget and all communications regarding climate change needed to be clear and accessible by all residents. 

The Strategic Lead, Resources & Programmes informed the Committee that the terminology referred to was interchangeable and added that the GMCA had also adopted a science based carbon budget. He said that traffic signalling emissions were captured and reported in TfGM emissions reporting. He advised that there was no disconnect between the climate change action plans adopted by GMCA, the Council and the Manchester Climate Change Partnership and Agency. He said that the Our Manchester Strategy was the overarching strategy for the City. He added that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

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.

Please note, there will be a Work Programming session at the rise of this meeting for committee members only.

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.

The Committee noted that it would be discussing the work programme for the forthcoming municipal year in further detail in a private session following the meeting, and that an updated work programme reflecting this discussion would be circulated as normal in the papers for the next meeting.

Decision

The Committee notes the report and agrees the work programme, noting the above comments.