The Environment, Climate Change and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the city's progress towards becoming zero carbon by 2038. Councillors reviewed the final annual report for the Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) 2020-25, and considered the new CCAP for 2025-30, recommending that the Executive ensures any communication strategy includes addressing climate change misinformation and highlights funding opportunities for residents and partners. The committee also discussed Manchester's Climate Change Framework 2025-30 and Adaptation Plan, recommending the inclusion of information on work undertaken by health partners and explicit details of the £22bn investment needed to reach zero carbon by 2038.

Manchester Climate Change Action Plan 2025-30

The committee considered the new Manchester Climate Change Action Plan 2025-30, which outlines how the council will meet its carbon reduction targets and influence city-wide emissions reductions. The plan, developed over the previous 18 months, is structured around three workstreams: Place and Infrastructure, Green and Circular Economy, and People and Communities, along with three cross-cutting themes: Finance and Investment, Policy and Influence, and Communications.

Several key points were raised during the discussion:

• The committee recognised the report as a key milestone in tackling the climate crisis and welcomed the inclusion of adaptation and social justice considerations.
• A member asked about the biggest risks to achieving the zero carbon goal by 2038, given the benefits expected from the Power Purchase Agreement¹.
• The tension between the city's ambition to become a technological growth hub and the increased energy demands from data centres and artificial intelligence (AI) was noted.
• The need for better use of Social Value Funding² to support local green initiatives was highlighted.
• The importance of trusted community voices in leading and influencing behaviour change on climate change was recognised, along with the pressures on Neighbourhood Officers.
• The need to incorporate individual Ward Climate Change Action Plans into the wider work was suggested.
• The inclusion of air quality within the plan was welcomed, but it was suggested that actions should also address other emissions with detrimental health implications.

The Strategic Lead (Resources and Programmes) stated that factors outside the council's control, such as financial settlements and government funding levels, posed risks to delivery. He added that the establishment of Great British Energy³ would present opportunities through investment in renewable energy projects. The committee made the following recommendations to the Executive:

1. Ensure that any accompanying communication strategy to the Manchester Council Climate Change Action Plan 2025-30 includes consideration of addressing climate change misinformation and disinformation.
2. Ensure that any accompanying communication strategy to the Manchester Council Climate Change Action Plan 2025-30 includes highlighting those funding opportunities available to both residents and partners to deliver projects to address the major challenges currently faced, particularly in relation to transport and buildings.
3. Ensure that the Air Quality section within the Council Climate Change Action Plan 2025-30 is reviewed to ensure it fully adheres to the World Health Organisations guidelines in relation to No2, Co2 and PM2.5.

Manchester's Climate Change Framework 2025-30 and Manchester's Adaptation Plan

The committee reviewed the Manchester's Climate Change Framework 2025-30 and Manchester's Adaptation Plan, which provide a city-wide strategy for tackling the climate emergency. The framework, developed collaboratively by the Manchester Climate Change Agency (MCCA) and Partnership (MCCP), covers both climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Key discussion points included:

• A question on whether the previous plan had influenced the government.
• A question on what more the council could do in terms of leverage and influence on other major key stakeholders in the city, given that Manchester City Council was a key member of the Partnership.
• A question on what work was being undertaken with the Private Rented Sector to ensure landlords were taking their responsibilities seriously and not imposing any additional costs onto their tenants, in relation to domestic retrofitting.
• The need to celebrate achievements and success to date so as to influence behaviour change.

The Director of the Manchester Climate Change Agency said that the specific asks from government to support and accelerate the range of activities would be explicit within the next Framework and Adaptation Plan.

Councillor Shilton Godwin, Chair of Environment, Climate Change and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee, commented that she was surprised that there was little or no reference to the work of the NHS and local hospitals to address their carbon emissions, noting that they were large institutions across the city. The Director, Manchester Climate Change Agency advised that there was a significant amount of work being delivered by health partners, both at a national and local level and noting the comments she said this would be included in the final report.

The committee recommended:

1. That the final Framework 2025-30 and Adaptation Plan include information in regard to the work undertaken by health partners across the city to reduce their carbon emissions as these are key partners, comparable to TfGM and education in scale.
2. That the final Framework 2025-30 and Adaptation Plan included explicit information relating to the £22bn investment needed between 2025-2038 to reach zero carbon by 2038.

Climate Change Action Plan Annual Report, April 2024 to March 2025, including 2020 to 2025 review

The committee reviewed the Climate Change Action Plan Annual Report, April 2024 to March 2025, including 2020 to 2025 review, which presented the fifth and final annual report of the CCAP 2020-25. The report provided an overview of progress made during 2024-25 and key achievements over the plan's five-year period.

Key points from the report and presentation included:

• The council had implemented a five-year CCAP covering 2020-25, following approval by the Executive in March 2020.
• The council's CCAP had a science-based target to reduce its carbon emissions, calculated by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Research.
• The council had made significant progress in reducing its direct carbon emissions and remained within the allocated carbon budget.
• In 2024-25, CO2 emissions were 4.4% higher than in 2023-24, marking the second year of increased emissions.
• Emissions related to council buildings, streetlights, waste collection, operational fleet, and staff business travel.
• The council had met its objective to remain within carbon emissions limits set for the period 2020-25, which was considered a significant achievement.
• Key achievements in the previous reporting period were highlighted.
• Each action was evaluated for progress over the five years, as this was the final year of CCAP 2020-25.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee's discussions were:

• The Chair, Councillor Mandie Shilton Godwin, on behalf of the whole Committee stated that she was very proud of the team involved in delivering this report and further recognising the significant progress made to date.
• Manchester City Council had taken a lead on the issue of climate change and had taken important decisions to reduce our own emissions.
• The council had achieved Gold Carbon Literacy status, with over 50% of staff and over 90% of senior leaders trained and certified, making Manchester City Council the first local authority to achieve this.
• The tension between encouraging a growing city and remaining within our carbon budget was recognised.
• The reduction in emissions associated with estates was a result of the use of buildings or technological innovations.
• The importance of a just transition and how this linked to other Council strategies such as Making Manchester Fairer was recognised.
• The challenge of mapping and reporting of a just transition was recognised.
• The reported carbon reduction in relation to staff travel was welcomed, and the reasons for this were explored.
• All opportunities for the council to use this evidence to influence change at a local, regional, and national level should be utilised.
• The scale of achievements delivered to date should be reflected and highlighted in future reports as an example of best practice.
• The significant consequences of not taking the actions described also needed to be reflected upon in future reporting, especially to address misinformation in relation to climate change.

The committee noted the report.

Overview Report

The committee reviewed the Overview Report from the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit, which contained key decisions within the committee's remit and responses to previous recommendations. Members also agreed to the committee's future work programme.

A member requested that the report titled 'Education Climate Change Action Plan', scheduled for the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, be circulated to members of this committee for information when available. Councillor Shilton Godwin, Chair of Environment, Climate Change and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee, said that she would also attend that meeting of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee when that item was scheduled or send a nominated representative from the Committee if she was unavailable.

The committee noted the report and agreed to the work programme, noting the above comment.

Review of Waste, Recycling and Fly-Tipping (Minutes from 22 July 2025 meeting)

The committee reviewed the minutes from the 22 July 2025 meeting, specifically focusing on the review of Waste, Recycling and Fly-Tipping. The minutes highlighted key discussion points and decisions made regarding:

• The importance of addressing fly-tipping as a priority for residents.
• The value of Neighbourhood Teams' work and the breadth of their responsibilities.
• The need for appropriate communication with residents on fly-tipping and waste management.
• Communicating actions taken, such as prosecutions, to foster behaviour change.
• Issues with businesses' waste management arrangements and the potential for improved data sharing.
• The use of Community Protection Notices and Section 46 Notices⁴.
• Higher levels of fly-tipping and under-reporting in areas with greater resident transience.
• The need for more enforcement activity and education on the impact of fly-tipping.
• Cascading learning from Intensive Neighbourhood Management areas to inform future service planning.
• Engaging with private landlords to ensure tenants understand proper waste management.
• Utilising the McrVIP (Manchester Volunteer Inspire Programme) App to promote local events.
• The allocation of £100k to improve response times to fly-tipping on Council land.
• The potential need to increase the bulky waste collection service.
• Parked vehicles obstructing street cleaning and contributing to the perception of inadequate cleaning.

The committee had recommended:

1. All related communications are delivered in different community languages and short videos utilised.
2. The Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods to write to the relevant secretary of state to request that the Neighbourhood Compliance Teams have access to Business Rates information to ensure business owners can be easily identified, particularly when businesses change hands.
3. All levers available to the Council, including Selective Licensing should be utilised to engage with private landlords on the issue of waste management associated with the premised they let.
4. The research undertaken by Keep Britain Tidy on fly-tipping be circulated to all members of the Committee.
5. That consideration be given to developing an approach to addressing the issue of parked vehicles preventing cleaning vehicles accessing streets.

Role of the Neighbourhood Teams in Driving the Management of Places (Minutes from 22 July 2025 meeting)

The committee reviewed the minutes from the 22 July 2025 meeting, specifically focusing on the role of Neighbourhood Teams in driving the management of places. The minutes highlighted key discussion points and decisions made regarding:

• The work undertaken by Neighbourhood Teams on behalf of residents.
• How Neighbourhood Teams identify and agree priorities.
• The breadth of work undertaken by the Neighbourhood Teams.
• Cascading learning from Intensive Neighbourhood Management areas to inform future service delivery.
• Collaboration between Neighbourhood Teams and colleagues in the Growth and Development Directorate.
• The need to engage with Buy To Let private landlords at an early stage.
• The importance of local centres and the need to ensure they were supported.
• Whether Manchester Airport could do more to alleviate parking issues experienced by local residents.
• Extending the Community Payback Offer to support activities to improve neighbourhoods.
• The challenge of issues associated with private land and the complexity of different landownership to resolve issues.

The committee had recommended:

1. Endorse engagement with private landlords, particularly those in the Buy To Let market to ensure they inform their tenants of their responsibilities in relation to waste management associated with the premises.
2. Support the use of Community Payback Teams to support local initiatives in neighbourhoods.
3. Support the approach described to improve and strengthen relationships with private landowners to support the Clean & Green agenda.
4. The learning and impact from the Intensive Neighbourhood Management areas be communicated to all Councillors.