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RESOLVED: Cabinet confirmed the
Council’s commitment to environmental sustainability,
especially as it affects local people and businesses
and:
 
a)   
Approved the proposal to no longer retain the
current targets for achieving net zero carbon emissions: to be net
zero in its own operations by 2030 and for residents and businesses
by 2045.
b)   
Continued to progress the “Sustainability
Project” which has been shown to have real benefits for
residents and businesses, and makes an ongoing contribution to the
UK’s 2050 net zero target
c)    
Continued to progress the Investors in the
Environment accreditation and publish the annual Sustainability
Report to evidence the Council’s continued commitment to
action on the environment through sustainability.
d)   
Provided that all the Council’s existing
strategies on these subjects (notably the Climate Change Strategy,
Estate Climate Strategy and Construction & Maintenance Climate
Strategy) be read as amended in line with this decision.
e)   
Changed the Cabinet report heading within the
Implications section from Climate Impact to Environmental Impact,
giving a more rounded approach to this section.
 
REASONS RESOLVED:
1.    
In line with the policy position of the new
administration, the decision has been made to no longer retain the
2030 and 2045 net zero targets.
2.    
To enable the Council to focus its limited resources
on matters which directly benefit local people and businesses, for
example the delivery of the Warm Homes: Local Grant scheme for
which the Council has been allocated £2.6m of national grant
funding.
3.    
To adopt a position in recognition of the limited
ability of the Council to materially affect global warming given
the many factors outside of its control and the limited funds it
has access to.
4.    
It is considered the Council can achieve better
results for local people and for nature by focusing on matters
within its control and for which it has significant
influence.
 
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:
 
The options available
are:
1.    
Maintain the 2030 net zero target and develop a
fully costed plan for delivery and allocate sufficient budget to
ensure delivery.
2.    
Maintain the 2045 net zero target and allocate
sufficient budget to develop strong stakeholder engagement with the
target.
3.    
Maintain both targets and carry out the related
actions, as above.
4.    
Withdraw the current 2030 and 2045 net zero targets
and focus on sustainability projects to provide tangible benefits
for residents; for example, home energy improvements, increased
biodiversity, and solar power generation where the business case
supports cost savings.

Given the challenges of (1) and (2) (and therefore
of (3)) and the new Administration’s policy goals, it is
proposed that option (4) is taken.
 
7.3 An Equality &
Anti-Poverty Screening Assessment has been undertaken, this has
shown no negative, and some positive, anti-poverty impacts from the
proposed decision. No adverse impacts on equality issues were
identified.