Annex 2:  Current activity and resources

The table below captures a range of current activity within each of the priority action areas identified by City Science. As set out in the report to FOP, officers are recommending a phased delivery approach, with the additional actions being considered for inclusion in a later phase.

Programme

No

Action

Current activity

Resourcing

 

 

Existing resources

Resource gaps

Buildings decarbonisation 

1

Expand and scale-up retrofit delivery

·  Delivery of grant funded retrofit programme underway (LAD3 and HUG1)

·  Funding bid of £6.4 million submitted to retrofit 310 homes over next 2 years

·  Delivery of grant funded Pioneer Places programme (led by Oxford City Council) to develop a ‘Future Fit One Stop Shop’ to accelerate uptake and delivery of retrofit

·  Existing post within the Oxfordshire County Council climate action team can provide convening lead

·  Grant funding streams expected to cover households not-able-to-pay

 

 

2

Scale up programmes to address the retrofit skills gap.

·  Initial discussions, roundtable event due in late March 2023

·  OxLEP officer input, supported by Oxfordshire County Council climate action team

·  To be identified

 

3

Develop a collective purchasing approach that supports the widespread deployment of rooftop solar on existing buildings

·  Previous Zero Carbon Oxford Partnership (ZCOP) sprint group

·  Existing post within the Oxfordshire County Council climate action team provides project management resource

·  No additional cost to develop approach; working group will consider funding options at appropriate stage.

 

Energy system decarbonisation

4

 

Develop an on-going local area energy planning (LAEP) function

·  Work undertaken in Project LEO (data and mapping to support energy planning and the identification of optimal locations, via the LAEP approach)[1]

·  Local authority workshop planned in March 2023

·  New post in County Council (due Q2 2023) provides technical support

·  Potential support from distribution network operators later in 2023

·  Officer time (climate action teams and local planning authorities).

·  Delivery of technical LAEP via consultancy estimated cost is £150k

 

 

Tranpsort decarbonisation (EV infrastructure) 

5

Collaborate with town and parish councils to accelerate the roll out of publicly accessible EV charge points

·  Recent completion of park and charge project; national funding allocation to support roll out of EV charge points in Oxfordshire announced Feb 2023

 

·  Convened by County EV team

 

 

Enabling actions

6

Share knowledge in the preparation of Local Plans and development of net zero policies

·  ZCOP sprint group activity supporting Oxford Local Plan policies

·  Salt Cross Area Action Plan - zero carbon approach to new build 

·  Sustainable development checklist

 

·  Existing staff resources

·  No additional resources required for initial scoping phase: collaboration supports efficiency through shared work (e.g. carbon offsetting).

·  Working group will consider whether further resource may be required to support development of evidence base / toolkits and will consider options at appropriate stage.

 

7

Explore new funding mechanisms to support delivery of net zero actions

·  Early discussions

·  Financial gap analysis work (e.g. on retrofit programme)

 

·  Delivery within existing staff resources

·  To be identified through working group

 

Transport decarbonisation

8

Develop a strategic active travel network

·  Area-based travel plans to support the objectives of the Local Transport and Connectivity Plan (e.g. Central Oxfordshire)

·  Existing resources available to support development of programme

 

 

9

Develop tailored and place-based transport demand management campaign

·  Current activity limited to developing travel plans for a number of schools

·  Limited resource

·  No current programme

·  Additional funding will be required to support development of programme (staff resource, communications and engagement)

 

10

Identify and deliver low emissions freight charging and last mile delivery hubs at suitable sites across the county

·  ZCOP sprint group

·  County council work on the Oxfordshire Freight and Logistics Strategy

·  Existing resource in County Council supports work

·  Funding secured for a feasibility study.

·  Planning officer time to consider locations

·  Development of the Oxfordshire Freight & Logistics Strategy would enable strategic approach to be developed and agreed, but no capacity or funding for delivery

 

Circular economy

11

Identify existing activities across Oxfordshire which contributes to the development of a circular economy including green skills, waste management, design and manufacture.

·  Early discussions

·  tbc

·  To be identified through working group

 

Carbon sequestration

 

Explore opportunities to enhance carbon sequestration through land use change, including targeted habitat restoration and creation.

Early discussions via LNP

 

LNP manager

·     Estimated £100k project management role (18 months) to coordinate development of the land based carbon sequestration investment approach

 

 

Net zero councils

14

Embed climate change into decision making across Oxfordshire’s local authorities.

Climate Impact Assessment tool available in county council to assess relative climate impact of capital projects and other at-scale initiatives (e.g. service delivery plans, policies)

Staff carbon literacy and specialist training programmes in progress

 

Existing staff resources support delivery

 

 

 

 

 

15

Embed net zero carbon and circular economy principles into procurement processes across Oxfordshire’s local authorities.

 

Existing staff resources support delivery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


[1] Project Local Energy Oxfordshire (LEO) is an ambitious, wide-ranging and innovative trial, seeking to accelerate the UK's transition to a zero-carbon energy carbon system - including the use of enhanced mapping data to identify deployment opportunities across a range of low carbon technologies (including EV charge points and heat pumps) and inform long-term energy strategies and plans.