Agenda item

The Director of Estates and Building Services submits a report informing Members of draft proposals for the city’s response to the climate emergency, as well as the associated programme of community consultation and engagement entitled “Leicester’s Climate Emergency Conversation”.  (Attached at Appendices C and C1)

This report has been considered by the following Scrutiny Commissions and minute extracts are attached:

·           Economic Development, Transport and Tourism Scrutiny Commission – 4 December 2019 (Appendix C2)

·           Housing Scrutiny Commission – 13 January 2020 (Appendix C3)

This Committee is recommended to consider the report and the comments made by the Scrutiny Commissions, and to:

a)     note the progress made since the climate emergency declaration, including the consultation and engagement programme recently completed;

b)     note the involvement of the Economic Development, Transport and Tourism Scrutiny Commission and the Housing Scrutiny Commission;

c)     comment on the proposals in Appendix 1, including their implications for the city and for the council; and

d)     note the next steps for the development and adoption of a Council action plan to address the climate emergency.

The Director of Estates and Building Services submitted a report informing Members of draft proposals for the city’s response to the climate emergency, as well as the associated programme of community consultation and engagement entitled “Leicester’s Climate Emergency Conversation”.

Councillor Clarke (Deputy City Mayor with responsibility for Environment and Transportation) introduced the report, noting that the consultation period had ended on 9 February 2020.  Over 1,000 responses had been received, which were currently being considered.

The Corporate Environmental Consultant further explained that consultation on the proposals had started in November 2019, in order to get a public reaction to changes likely to be needed in Leicester in response to the declared climate emergency.

By the end of the consultation period, 374 on-line questionnaires had been completed and many letters received from individuals and groups, which was felt to be a very good response.  Efforts also had been made to reach out in other ways, such as face-to-face consultation, holding a Climate Assembly attended by 53 people representing a cross-section of Leicester’s community, holding a Young People’s Climate Assembly attended by 104 students representing 12 secondary schools, and speaking to key organisations across the city. 

During the consultation, the Council’s Economic Development, Transport and Tourism Scrutiny Commission asked that consideration be given to how primary school age children could be included as consultees in the Conversation.  In response to this, a pack of information had been circulated through the Council’s extra-net.  This had resulted in over 200 primary school students from eight primary schools participating in the Conversation.

In addition, to this work, a Climate Emergency pack had been prepared for schools that they could use to declare their own climate emergency.

The Committee welcomed the range of consultation methods used and expressed the hope that the diversity of tools used would generate responses from a diverse range of people.  In reply, the Corporate Environmental Consultant explained that not all of the consultation methods used produced demographic information, although it would be gathered from responses to the on-line questionnaire and attendees at the Climate Assembly events.

The following comments also were made in discussion on this:

·           It had been asserted that reducing consumption of meat and dairy products could reduce gases harmful to the climate.  What could be done to encourage this?

Response from the Corporate Environmental Consultant:

An action plan was being prepared, so no proposals had been made yet.  However, there would be an emphasis on awareness raising, as it was not intended to impose actions on people.  Care also would be taken to co-ordinate with any recommendations about diet with messages from public health services.

·           Planting trees could help tackle global warming and reduce carbon dioxide.  The report suggested that there could be a lot of trees planted in the city, so would there be a scheme to encourage people to plant trees, for example with the Council buying trees in bulk that people could plant in their own gardens?

Response from Councillor Clarke:

This purpose of this report was to receive suggestions that could be fed in to the consultation, so no decisions of this sort had been taken yet.

·           The use of low emission diesel fuel by some bus companies was welcomed, but was it possible to have electric-powered buses?

Response from Councillor Clarke:

The only Council-operated bus route on which it was possible to use electric buses was the Birstall Park and Ride.  Electric buses were being bought for this purpose.

The Council also was working with the government to produce targets in relation to reducing fuel emissions.

·           How would the introduction of a Workplace Parking Levey address climate change?  Encouraging the use of electric vehicles via incentives, such as free parking in the city or permitted use of bus lanes, could help increase the use of such vehicles.

Response from the Corporate Environmental Consultant:

The proposed strategy would be to continue to focus on walking, cycling and the use of public transport as first steps in the process of change, as many people in Leicester did not have access to a privately-owned vehicle.  Although there was a wish to encourage and enable the use of electric vehicles, providing a proper charging infrastructure for these vehicles was likely to be considered later.

·           Was data available on how many Councillors and Council officers drove while on Council business, used public transport, or used other methods of travel?

Response from the Councillor Clarke:

The Council had procured several Nissan Leaf electric cars to use as pool cars and some electric bikes.  A lot of people also used the Park and Ride Services.

·           The encouragement given to schools to declare their own climate emergency was very welcome.

·           Was there a pack of information that schools could use to help discussions with parents and carers about the climate emergency?

Response from the Energy and Environment Manager:

A wide range of different activities had been identified that could be used for this purpose.  Some included a wider range of stakeholders, such as school governors, staff, parents and carers.

·           What was the ideal position to be achieved in the long-term?  Also, although education had a very important role in addressing the climate emergency, how could engagement be encouraged now? 

Response from the Corporate Environmental Consultant:

A declared long-term aim was to make the city carbon-neutral by 2030, or sooner if possible.  This would be part of the action plan currently being developed and lobbying of government also was underway.  Other opportunities would continue to be taken as they arose, (for example, a response recently had been made to a government consultation on building regulations), but it needed to be recognised that financial or other restrictions could prevent a faster rate of change.  In all of this, an important aim was to engage with community groups.

AGREED:

1)    That the progress made since the climate emergency declaration, including the consultation and engagement programme recently undertaken, be welcomed and supported;

2)    That the involvement of the Economic Development, Transport and Tourism Scrutiny Commission and the Housing Scrutiny Commission be noted;

3)    That the proposals in Appendix 1 to the report, including their implications for the city and the Council, be welcomed;

4)    That all Councillors be encouraged to help publicise the Climate Emergency Conversation through their role as Ward Councillors;

5)    That the next steps for the development and adoption of a Council action plan to address the climate emergency be noted; and

6)    That the Director of Estates and Building Services be asked to report at an appropriate time on progress with, and the results of, schools declaring their own climate emergency.