Issue - meetings

Approval of Net Zero Strategy and Action Plan for public consultation

Meeting: 22/09/2022 - Cabinet (Item 841)

841 Net Zero Strategy and Action Plan pdf icon PDF 174 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet considered an updated net zero pledge from Thanet District Council which  included actions to address District wide emissions. The pledge included: making Thanet  District Council (TDC) net zero by 2030 in the core carbon footprint; addressing  emissions that TDC had partial control over by 2050 at the latest; supporting Kent County  Council, the Government, businesses, industries and the community to make Thanet net  zero as a whole by 2050. 

 

The strategy noted 12 priorities to address these emissions. Each of these 12 priorities  are described in the strategy, and is followed by immediate actions to 2024. This would  be externally audited, with the report being submitted to OSP and Cabinet annually. 

The following Members spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1: 

 

Councillor Austin; 

Councillor Whitehead; 

Councillor Yates. 

 

Councillor Bob Bayford proposed, Councillor Pugh seconded and Cabinet agreed the  following: 

 

1. That the Cabinet approves the proposed amended wording of the TDC pledge;

 

2. That the Cabinet approves the Net Zero Strategy 2022 for public engagement; 

 

3. That Cabinet notes the additional sentence included in the strategy following the receipt of feedback from OSP and CC CAG (see 2.17);

 

4. That the Cabinet recognises that the strategy cannot be fully implemented without  external funding being available and agreed, in accordance with the pledge, to  lobby external agencies and government. 


Meeting: 30/08/2022 - Overview & Scrutiny Panel (Item 401)

401 Net Zero Strategy and Action Plan pdf icon PDF 175 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Bob Bayford, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Special Projects introduced the item and made the following key points:

 

  •  The proposed strategy had been reviewed by the Climate Emergency Cabinet Advisory Group;
  • This was a detailed report which had taken some time to put together;
  • The strategy had gone through a number of internal council reviews before being brought to the first formal meeting;
  •  The Panel was being asked to recommend the proposed strategy to Cabinet.

 

Members made comments and asked questions as follows:

 

  • Members congratulated officers for drafting the detailed strategy;
  • How could the council put in place tougher conditions on activities and transactions where the council had partial control, like with contractors for the Levelling Up Projects or the Parkway?
  • Some new housing development work and new estates were being developed away from the existing transport network. There was a need to think about how the council could influence how these developments could factor in the reduction of the carbon footprint;
  • Was the strategy document a dynamic document that could be updated in response to emerging issues in order to enable the council to respond to those issues (for example issues relating to Manston Airport, Parkway Station and Ramsgate Harbour);
  • How would the council influence individual residents to do their part in reducing carbon emission?
  • Did the council share knowledge and experiences with other councils?

 

Councillor Bob Bayford, Dr Scott, Bob Porter and Chris Blundell responded to Member comments and questions as follows:

 

  • Dr Scott will work with the Procurement team to ensure that conditions regarding the requirements of the net zero strategy were included in council contracts;
  • The strategy would be continuously reviewed and updated to address any emerging issues along the way;
  • Climate consideration would be added to the council’s corporate report template to ensure that this issue is factored in the council’s decision making process;
  • A lot of work had been carried out with consultants regarding decarbonisation in housing development. The council was going to submit a bid for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund for Phase 2;
  • The council was working on a housing strategy that would factor in decarbonisation in housing development;
  • Council was also using the “No regret approach” to adopting new technology which means that TDC would not rush to use untested technology in housing development;
  • Within the Local Plan, the council declared a state of climate emergency. When it comes to reviewing the Plan, further discussions will be had regarding decarbonisation;
  • TDC was part of the Climate Change Network Group, where information is shared with KCC and other local councils.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 19.25hrs

 

The meeting resumed at 19.28hrs.

 

On resumption of the meeting Members recommended the Net Zero Strategy and Action Plan to Cabinet.