Issue - meetings

To receive a report by the Head of Environmental Management on the Carbon Management Plan.

noted the progress made towards the implementation of the Council’s Carbon Management Plan and the positive impact this had had on energy use and bills at the Council’s main sites and supported the undertaking of cross-departmental working as a way of maximising cost savings and the continued use of the salix ring-fenced funding and Environment Strategy Capital Funding to implement further energy saving projects.

A report by the Head of Environmental Management was submitted (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) reviewing progress towards the implementation of the targets set out in the Council’s Carbon Management Plan.  The report which included data and narrative on the savings achieved from energy efficiency measures during 2011/2012 had been considered also by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environmental Well-Being) whose comments were relayed to the Cabinet.

Executive Councillors were advised that the Council was on course to achieve its targets for reducing Co² emissions by 30% over a five year period.  Members were assured that energy efficiency measures now formed part of any refurbishment opportunities and had been included in the re-modelling of One Leisure, St. Ives.

Having requested that work continue to expand the Management Plan Beyond 2013/14, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  (a)  that the progress made towards the implementation of the Council’s Carbon Management Plan and the positive impact this had had on energy use and bills at the Council’s main sites be noted; and

  (b)  that the undertaking of cross-departmental working as a way of maximising cost savings and the continued use of the salix ring-fenced funding and Environment Strategy Capital Funding to implement further energy saving projects be supported.

To receive a report by the Head of Environmental Management on the Carbon Management Plan.

(Councillor D M Tysoe, Executive Councillor for Environment, was in attendance for consideration of this item).

With the aid of a report by the Head of Environmental Management (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Panel was acquainted with the background to the Carbon Management Plan, which was currently in its third year of operation. Members noted that the Council was on target to achieve a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions from the Council’s estate by 2013/14. To date, a 20% reduction had been achieved. The Head of Environmental Management reported that a saving of £300,000 had been realised, with a further saving of £700,000 expected to be made by 2013/14.

The Panel discussed a number of matters, including whether the target of 30% had been regarded as being stretching at the time the Plan was developed, the role of the Council’s Environmental Resource Efficiency Group in promoting cross departmental working, particularly within the Operations Division and across the One Leisure sites, and the receipt of an interest free Salix loan to assist with energy efficiency improvements at One Leisure St Ives. Other matters discussed included the impact of the solar photovoltaic PV panels at Eastfield House and the emergence of environmental initiatives which might generate a financial return to the Council. At the request of the Panel, the Head of Environmental Management undertook to clarify the figures reported in relation to the cost and savings identified for pool covers across the One Leisure sites and to establish whether the overall savings figures had taken account of inflation.

Having congratulated the Head of Environmental Management and his staff on the valuable contributions they had made in achieving the carbon reduction targets, the Panel

RESOLVED

  that the Cabinet be recommended to

(a)  note the excellent progress made towards the implementation of the Council’s Carbon Management Plan and the positive impact this has had on reducing energy use and energy spending; and

(b)  support ongoing cross-departmental working to maximise cost savings and the continued use of the Salix ring-fenced funding and Environment Strategy Capital funding to implement further energy saving projects.