Agenda item

Councillor R Fuller, Executive Leader and Executive Councillor for Housing and Economic Growth to present a report setting out a proposal for the Council’s environmental principles.

(The report was considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Customers and Partnerships) and the Cabinet at their respective meetings on 7th and 14th October 2021).

Consideration was given to a report by the Managing Director, Assistant Director (Recovery) and Strategic Growth Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) on the Council’s environmental principles and key considerations to support the renewal of Huntingdonshire’s Strategy for the Environment. The Executive Leader drew Member’s attention to the consideration of the item that had been discussed at the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Customers and Partnerships) and the Cabinet, and although not required to be formally approved by the Council as the content and issues were likely to cross party lines it was hoped that a consensus could be reached.

In discussing the background and basis of the report, the Executive Leader highlighted how the Council had been forward thinking and ahead of its time following their approval of an Environment Strategy in April 2008. Over the ensuing years since the adoption of this Strategy the Council continued with a programme of projects to address climate change including taking pride in its environment, which has been reflected in communities through the cleanliness of the environment, access to parks and open spaces that has been maintained and also the building of the new Council headquarters with carbon reduction measures installed.

The Executive Leader explained that pride of place has been at the heart of the Council’s ethos and the profile had been raised in 2018 through the Corporate Plan. In addressing the ongoing issues of recovery in the District, Members noted that it was incumbent upon us to deliver greener recovery measures based around the environmental principles to be adopted for the Council and its activities that have been set out in the report now submitted.

In referring to the development of these environmental principles, the Executive Leader explained that they had been developed as part of the OxCam Arc as there were a number of other local authorities coming together to agree environmental principles to ensure that the infrastructure was available to support any form of housing growth across the geography of the area.

Attention was drawn to recent press articles on the proposal of target net zero carbon at District level by 2040 against the 2050 target set by Government, with the District’s target being set at a level that was achievable and realistic. The Executive Leader assured Members that the principles could be delivered alongside achieving economic growth whilst cutting carbon emissions but would be a measured approach in accordance with the budget constraints of the Council. The Executive Leader moved the recommendations which were duly seconded by Councillor Ms M L Beuttell.

In welcoming the Executive Leader’s comments on the proposals, Councillor J P Morris stressed the urgency of tackling climate change and in doing so moved and it was duly seconded by Councillor Mrs S J Conboy that the following addition be made to the recommendations of the report as follows –

to accelerate the production of an HDC Climate Action Plan in 2022.

Upon being put to the vote the Motion by Councillor Morris was declared to be LOST.

Councillor T D Sanderson referred to it being an ambitious report but one that could be achieved by 2040. He highlighted his concern with the incompatibly of  economic growth against the green strategy and protection of green open spaces that was already widely accessible to all residents across the District and welcomed further detail emerging on how the resources would emerge to take this forward.

Councillor M F Shellens requested further detail on a draft Action Plan with dates and timescales included.

In agreeing with the suggested OxCam Arc environmental principles, Councillor S Wakeford suggested that this should not preclude the Council from going further. Specifically, with the expected development in the District, the Council should be an exemplar for sustainable development and go beyond the legislative legal minimum and whether there was scope to go for a higher standard.

Councillor Mrs S J Conboy indicated her support for the proposals but highlighted the general issue of great angst of the impact of climate change and the speed of reaction time to address this. It was felt that the Council should be ambitious in its approach around the planning process, with a District of growth being more sustainable around planning and water management.

In supporting the principles, Councillor B Pitt questioned whether the Council was going far enough with the net carbon zero 2040 target and drew attention to lack of reference to decarbonise its own buildings further, whilst acknowledging the recent decarbonisation works that have been undertaken at One Leisure Ramsey and Pathfinder House. He further highlighted his concerns with the level of resources deployed to take the action plan forward which he considered reflected the lack of urgency or ambition to take action locally. He used the comparator of the resources deployed to address the pandemic and addressing climate change was not necessarily finance driven, but the project required the necessary resources to take the actions forward.

Councillor R J West expressed his concern with the climate change crisis and urged the Government and businesses to prioritise this to provide a clearer understanding of the subject. He further conveyed his disappointment with the debate and drew attention to the environmental principles being proposed that clearly would not solve the issues immediately but demonstrated the Council’s commitment to addressing the climate change crisis.

As one of the longest serving councillors, Councillor D B Dew stressed to Members the importance of getting things right and highlighted how well the Council had succeeded so far with its parks and open spaces, schemes for retrofitting homes with energy efficiency measures, greening the vehicle fleet and encouraged Members to support the proposals.

In drawing attention to the debate and concern expressed by some Members, Councillor A Roberts indicated that he had hoped Members would be coming together, cross party, to support the environmental principles that he deemed practical and achievable, albeit ambitious, but necessary to tackle climate change.  

In thanking Members for their contribution to the debate, the Executive Leader addressed the Members responses to the debate and stressed that this Council was consistently delivering action and the ambition was there to achieve this. He further referred to the publication of information that ranked Huntingdonshire as 24th out of 314 local authority areas based upon seven environmental indicators that demonstrated that the Council had scored higher than the national average in a number of areas including renewable energy, recycling rates and efficiency of homes. The Executive Leader urged Members to support the environmental principles and reiterated his commitment to deliver the proposals. It having been previously moved and seconded, upon being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED

(a)  that the aspiration of a net carbon zero Huntingdonshire by 2040 be adopted; and

(b)  that the OxCam Arc environmental principles as set out in the report now submitted be adopted.

(Councillor D J Mead left the meeting at 8.37pm)