To consider any recommendations to Cabinet from other committees.
Climate Emergency Advisory Committee – 1 June 2020
Following the receipt of a public statement, the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee discussed the government announcement that it was making funds available to create and improve infrastructure for cycling. It was noted that Oxfordshire County Council was working on the promotion of active travel and considering traffic restriction measures. The committee welcomed this move and resolved to ask its chairman to write to the county council to show support of the active travel and traffic restriction measures being developed and support these to become a permanent measure. The committee also asked Cabinet to recommend to Council that it writes to the county council in support of these measures also.
Climate Emergency Advisory Committee – 1 July 2020
The Climate Emergency Advisory Committee discussed the corporate plan on 1 July and made suggestions to the Cabinet member to clarifying the wording in the draft plan as follows:
· In the Vision statement, amend the second sentence to read: “We will do all we can to contribute to making that a reality in the Vale, within the scientific (or ecological) constraints of our physical environment on planet earth.”
· In all themes, consider emphasising sustainability
· In theme 1, providing the homes people need, amend paragraph 1.2 to read: “We will aim to provide a mix of tenures in each development to build sustainable homes in balanced and sustainable communities.”
· In theme 2, tackling the climate emergency, the committee supports this theme but suggests that paragraph 2.1 is amended to read: “A climate emergency programme, focussed on what the council has control over, such as our own buildings, vehicles, leisure and arts centres, working towards our targets.”
· In theme 4, building stable finances, paragraph 4.2, clarify the term ‘financially sensible’ to reflect the need to protect finances for the long-term benefit of residents
· In theme 6, working in an open and inclusive way, the committee supports the example project on a youth council and would like to see equalities mentioned also
The committee also discussed the draft report from consultants, Aether, into the council’s carbon emissions baseline. The committee supports the conclusions and the scope of Aether’s draft report but considers that the council should aim to reduce all emissions, whether they are measurable or not. However, the committee has questions over which year the baseline figures were being taken from. The committee accepted the baseline figure provided by Aether in its report.
Recommendation: to accept the consultant’s report from Aether on the council’s carbon emissions baseline but the council should aim to reduce all emissions, whether they are measurable or not.
Minutes:
Cabinet considered recommendations from other committees.
(1) Climate Emergency Advisory Committee 1 June 2020
Active travel and traffic restriction measures
Following the receipt of a public statement, the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee discussed the government announcement that it was making funds available to create and improve infrastructure for cycling. It was noted that Oxfordshire County Council was working on the promotion of active travel and considering traffic restriction measures. The committee had welcomed this move and asked its chair to write to the county council to show support of the active travel and traffic restriction measures being developed and support these to become a permanent measure. The committee had also asked Cabinet to recommend to Council that it writes to the county council in support of these measures also.
RESOLVED: to agree that Cabinet writes to Oxfordshire County Council to support the active travel principles.
(2) Climate Emergency Advisory Committee 1 July 2020 and Scrutiny Committee 6 July 2020
Corporate plan 2020 to 2024
The Climate Emergency Advisory Committee discussed the corporate plan on 1 July and made suggestions to the Cabinet member to clarifying the wording in the draft plan as follows:
· In the Vision statement, amend the second sentence to read: “We will do all we can to contribute to making that a reality in the Vale, within the scientific (or ecological) constraints of our physical environment on planet earth.”
· In all themes, consider emphasising sustainability
· In theme 1, providing the homes people need, amend paragraph 1.2 to read: “We will aim to provide a mix of tenures in each development to build sustainable homes in balanced and sustainable communities.”
· In theme 2, tackling the climate emergency, the committee supports this theme but suggests that paragraph 2.1 is amended to read: “A climate emergency programme, focussed on what the council has control over, such as our own buildings, vehicles, leisure and arts centres, working towards our targets.”
· In theme 4, building stable finances, paragraph 4.2, clarify the term ‘financially sensible’ to reflect the need to protect finances for the long-term benefit of residents
· In theme 6, working in an open and inclusive way, the committee supports the example project on a youth council and would like to see equalities mentioned also
The Scrutiny Committee had also welcomed the draft corporate plan at its meeting on 6 July, agreeing with its themes and programmes. The committee also supported the suggestions made by the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee. In addition, the Scrutiny Committee made the following suggestions:
· There should be meaningful and targeted key performance indicators
· In theme one, providing the homes people need, support the addition of 'sustainability' in this theme
· There should be a workable definition of 'genuinely affordable housing'
· Support for theme two, tackling the climate emergency, but questioned whether the 75 per cent reduction in council emissions was by 2025 was achievable and how did the council measure its emissions?
· Support for theme three, building healthy communities—no changes recommended
· In theme four, building stable finances, endorse the change made to the phrase 'financially sensible' and encourage the example project of adopting the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s (CIPFA) code of practice
· Support for theme five, working in partnership—no changes recommended
· Support for theme six, working in an open and inclusive way—no changes recommended
The Cabinet member for corporate services thanked the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee and the Scrutiny Committee for their comments, which would be taken into account in building the final draft plan.
(3) Climate Emergency Advisory Committee 1 July 2020
Carbon emissions baseline
The Climate Emergency Advisory Committee had also discussed the draft report from consultants, Aether, into the council’s carbon emissions baseline. The committee supported the conclusions and the scope of Aether’s draft report but considered that the council should aim to reduce all emissions, whether they were measurable or not. However, the committee raised questions over which year the baseline figures were being taken from. The committee accepted the baseline figure provided by Aether in its report and recommended their adoption to Cabinet.
Cabinet supported this recommendation.
RESOLVED: to accept the consultant’s report from Aether on the council’s carbon emissions baseline but the council should aim to reduce all emissions, whether they are measurable or not.