Agenda item

Motion submitted by Councillor Vardy.

In accordancewith FullCouncil Procedure9.12,CouncillorVardy had  given  notice  of  a  motion on climate change  (item9.1 ontheagendafiledwith theseminutes).

The motion wasmovedbyCouncillorVardy andsecondedbyCouncillor Morgan.

Councillor Needham addressed the Council and said that she felt the motion did not go far enough to address the climate emergency.

She asked if the Council’s subcontractors would be committed to be carbon neutral by 2020 and stated that if they did not achieve this the Council would be in danger of not meeting its stated aims.

Furthermore she asked that the Council update its local planning guidance to ensure it is providing the highest energy efficient standards in all new build properties.

She concluded by saying that the Council needed to consider every decision it made and weigh it against its carbon impact.

Councillor Brennan proposed that the motion be amended to include the 9 phrases that had been circulated to Members for consideration (and which are filed with these minutes). The amendment was seconded by Councillor Ward.

For the amendment – Councillors Boldrin, Bolton, J. Bradshaw, Brennan, Draycott, Forrest, Goddard, Hamilton, C. Harris, K. Harris, Miah, Needham, Tillotson and Ward.

Against the amendment – Bailey, Baines, Barkley, Bentley, Bokor, S. Bradshaw, Brookes, Capleton, Charles, Fryer, Grimley, Hadji-Nikolaou, Harper-Davies, Howe, Hunt, Mercer, Morgan, Murphy, Pacey, Parsons, Parton, Poland, Popley, Radford, Ranson, Rattray, Rollings, Savage, Shepherd, Smidowicz, Snartt, Tassell, Taylor and Vardy.

Abstaining – Councillor Seaton.

The amendment was defeated.

The members then voted on the original motion.

RESOLVED

That this Council notes:

(i)     TheInternational Panelon ClimateChange publisheda reportin October

2018 whichconcluded thatwe haveless than12 yearsto actto avoidthe worst impactsof climatechange.   The report describesthe enormous harmthat a2°C risein globaltemperatures islikely tocause comparedto a 1.5°C rise.  It told us that limiting global warming to 1.5°C may still be possiblewith ambitiousaction acrossall nationalgovernments thatsigned the Paris Agreement.

(ii)    On12th June2019, theUK governmentamended itstarget underthe

2008 ClimateChange Act,to reachnet-zero greenhousegases by2050

– thefirst majornation toagree tothis target,and whichaccords withthe

Paris Agreement’s aim to limit warming to 1.5°C.

(iii)   CharnwoodBorough Counciladopted itsClimate ChangeStrategy in

2018, whichsets outhow theCouncil willaddress theissue. TheClimate Change Strategy contributes to the Council’s Corporate Plan aim to ‘take action to protect the environment for future generations.   A Carbon Management Plan was approved by the Cabinet in December 2015 to reduce the Council’s impact on climate change.  The Council’s progress so far represents a 32% decrease in its own emissions since 2012/13.

(iv)    CharnwoodBorough Councilworks throughits existingClimate Change Strategy to enhance its existing Carbon Management Plan and green impact policies and support new ones, such as to get 100,000 trees planted over the next 4 years.

That this Council also notes that:

(v)      it can only operate within its own scope of control and influence;

(vi)      thereis aneed tobalance thecompeting demandson itsdecreasing resources and finances;

(vii)     notall thetechnological solutionsnor therequired powersand resources are currently in place.

(viii)    thatthis Councilwill aimto achievecarbon neutralityfrom itsown operations by 2030 and accordingly requests officers to undertake a detailed plan of action and report back to the Carbon Management Board;

(ix)      that this Council , as a key place holder,  also commits  to work with residents, businesses and other public bodies across the borough and region to deliver this ambitious goal through all relevant technologies, strategies and plans.