Purpose

Cabinet are invited to endorse the strategic recommendations for climate action, which are intended for use by Authorities post Local Government Reorganisation and seek delegated authority for further iteration to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning.

Decision

RESOLVED:

1. That Cabinet endorse the Strategic Recommendations for Climate Action, which are intended for use by Authorities post Local Government Reorganisation. 

1. That Cabinet delegate authority for further iteration of the Strategic Recommendations and supplementary technical documents to the Executive Director of Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment. 

Reasons for Decisions:

In 2019, Surrey County Council and most Boroughs and Districts declared a climate emergency and set up programmes to become carbon neutral organisations by 2030 and support the decarbonisation of the County by 2050 [1]. Since then, carbon emissions across Surrey have reduced by 21% and across the Council by 47% [2].  It has resulted in improvements to 4,500 households, the planting of 0.8M trees and over 15MW of additional renewable energy.

The Strategic Recommendationsare high level and evidence based [3], offering options and support for future delivery for the new unitaries to consider and adapt as appropriate as the priorities for the new local authorities (strategic and unitary) emerge. The aim is to ensure continuity, delivery of agreed government funded programmes and support progress of climate action where possible.

(The decisions on this item can be called-in by the Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee)