Agenda item

To consider the head of policy and programmes’ report. 

Cabinet received the Review of the District net-zero carbon target report from the head of policy and programmes. The report sought re-affirmation of Cabinet’s commitment to accelerating progress towards achieving an ambitious 2045 target to be a net zero carbon district and agreement that the need for an interim target is reviewed as part of the development of the forthcoming Corporate Plan.

The Cabinet member for climate action, nature recovery and strategic partnerships introduced the report and reminded Cabinet that Vale of White Horse had declared a climate emergency in 2019. The Climate Emergency Advisory Committee recommended that Vale of White Horse should become a carbon neutral district by 2045, with a 75 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. This target was adopted by Cabinet in December 2019.

Although good progress was being made, the Vale of White Horse interim target to reduce carbon emissions by 75 per cent by 2030 was not going to be reached. The Cabinet member highlighted that the council is limited in its ability to meet the target as a large proportion of district-wide emissions are outside of the council’s influence. The council is committed to accelerating and supporting progress across the district and has invested significantly in building up the council’s in-house capacity through the expansion of the climate and biodiversity team as well as providing support to other organisations in the district to reduce their emissions, for example through the Climate Action Fund grant scheme. The council is also working in partnership with other Oxfordshire local authorities and stakeholders to deliver the Oxfordshire Net Zero Route Map and Action Plan.

The paper set out three options for the council’s district-wide net zero targets. Cabinet could choose to:

1.  retain the current target, which is for Vale of White to be a carbon neutral district by 2045 and to retain the interim target of a 75 per cent reduction by 2030.

2.  align with the national target to be carbon neutral by 2050.

3.  retain the current target, which is for Vale of White to be a carbon neutral district by 2045 and review the need for an interim target as part of the development of the forthcoming Corporate Plan.

The recommendation being made to Cabinet was option 3. A 2045 target gave a realistic net zero date to work towards, whilst still being challenging enough to drive rapid progress and demonstrating Cabinet’s ambitions for Vale of White Horse to be leading the way ahead of the national target.

Cabinet discussed the report commenting on schemes other authorities were implementing whilst acknowledging that there were areas where the district council had little or no influence. Members reflected they were proud to be on a Cabinet where this was a high priority.

Cabinet were again keen to ensure that the resolution reflected comments around the target being SMART part of which was to ensure that the targets set were realistic and achievable.

RESOLVED:

(a) That Cabinet re-affirms its commitment to accelerating progress towards achieving an ambitious 2045 target to be a net zero carbon district.

(b) That the need for a SMART interim target is reviewed as part of the development of the forthcoming Corporate Plan.