The Chair raised a concern that the proposed devolution of local councils would distract from the Climate and Ecological Emergency and would inhibit in allowing local interaction on the subject.

The Climate Change Officer introduced the report which set out progress on the Council’s Climate and Ecological Emergency targets to achieve net zero carbon for the Council by 2025 and net zero carbon across the Borough by 2030.  She referred to the sixth annual progress report set out at Appendix I of the report which would go to Full Council at the end of January 2025.  She highlighted the actions completed and noted that whilst some targets may not be met, the Council had achieved a lot and remained committed to achieving net-zero across the borough.

The Chair invited comments from Members, and points raised included:

·         Welcomed the report;

·         how much weight was given in the document to emerging policy in terms of instructing developers particularly given that there was a real risk the Local Plan would not be adopted due to devolution?;

·         welcomed the use of the Household Support Fund to continue the work of the Fuel and Winter Poverty advisors;

·         when would the Council start engaging with local businesses about reducing their carbon footprint?;

·         excellent to see trees being planted, but were there any after care issues such as vandalism and had that been factored-in?;

·         would this be the council’s last action plan?;

·         referred to the roll-out of training in local secondary schools and asked how this was progressing?;

·         what were officers doing to pull-in internal and external funding?;

·         the labour group met to discuss the priorities and then fed-back their points to officers, hoped the other groups did the same;

·         the communication with local residents was important and it was good to see the progress made as a result of their input;

·         improvements to recycling were about changing behaviours and this needed to be a focus of the new Action Plan; and

·         promoting recycling away from kerbside collections needed to be addressed and communication with residents was key.

In response, the Climate Change Officer said that they would always refer developers to policies included within the emerging Local Plan and details from the emerging Local Plan would be factored into the Action Plan.  The Council’s Economic Development Team signposted businesses to the Climate and Ecological Emergency targets.  With regard to the planting of trees, she reported that the survival rate across the borough had improved over the course of the action plan, and it was now high.  The Climate Change Officer advised that officers were already working on the new Action Plan and the draft would be considered by the Committee at their next meeting on 18 March 2025. 

The Climate & Ecological Emergency Project Officer reported that a trial of Carbon Literature Training was being delivered to Year 9 pupils at the Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Faversham.  He said that six science teachers had received the training and were now able to deliver the training to the Year 9 Pupils.  The aim was that every child at the school would leave with a certificate for Carbon Literature Training.  The Climate & Ecological Emergency Project Officer advised that he would check progress at the school in March 2025.  He would then make any necessary changes to the training before rolling it out to other schools in the borough.

With regard to funding, the Climate Change Officer said that Heads of Services had worked internally with Members on budgets going forward.  Officers worked closely with other local authorities to secure any external funding and the Council had secured funding from the Capability Fund from Kent County Council (KCC) for more Active Travel; and from the Great Big Green Week.  Officers sought to secure any funding streams that were available.

The Head of Environment and Leisure reported that even if SBC achieved net zero carbon, they were not the major contributor to it across the borough, and the new draft action plan for consideration in March 2025, focused on influencing businesses and others to reduce their carbon emissions.  He referred to funding secured via the Local Authority Tree Fund scheme which had enabled the Council to plant approximately 50,000 trees across the borough.  The vast majority of this type of work was funded externally.

The Head of Environment and Leisure agreed that to encourage more  recycling better communication and that behaviour change was key.  He spoke about the importance of removing waste contaminants such as food and textiles.

The Chair spoke about new legislation that would add costs to certain wastes and that a map of places that could recycle items the Council did not collect such as electricals and textiles should be promoted.

The Environmental Services Manager reported that the Council were looking at opportunities and organisations that would collect and dispose of electricals and textiles.

The Head of Environment and Leisure advised that the report would be considered at the Full Council meeting on 29 January 2025.

Councillor Dolley Wooster proposed the recommendation, which was seconded by Councillor Ashley Wise.

The Chair thanked the Climate Change Officer and Climate & Ecological Emergency Project Officer for attending the meeting.

Resolved:

(1)   That the Annual Climate and Ecological Emergency Progress report be noted.