To receive a verbal update from the Group Manager for Corporate Property and Commercial Assets on the action taken to calculate the Council’s corporate carbon footprint.
Members to discuss the formation of a Working Group, proposed by the Chairman, to define the policy and strategy with regard to the Council meeting its Climate Change Declaration and to agree the membership of the Working Group.
Members to discuss the Chairman’s proposal that a recommendation be made to Cabinet that a lead Cabinet Member be assigned to the progress of the Climate Change Declaration.
Minutes:
The Group received and NOTED a verbal update from the Group Manager for Corporate Property and Commercial Assets on the action taken to calculate the Council’s corporate carbon footprint and he explained that there was a coordinated approach ongoing with other District Authorities to scope out the level of emissions currently being used. He explained that this work would form part of the carbon footprint key performance indicator and would be reported back to members in line with the information being shared with other local authorities in the area.
Addressing the member of the public that asked a question on the carbon reduction measures being undertaken in council properties he stated that he would investigate the measures in her particular property but it could be an issue which could be raised at the Homes PDG.
Members then discussed the formation of the Working Group and the Chairman explained his thoughts that the group should explore how the PDG engaged with local community groups in the first instance and that information and ideas could be collected from them.
Members expressed a view that the Working Group should be a conduit for members of the public, environment community groups, farmers and school children to engage in conversation with the Council and bring their ideas forward to be considered.
Members requested that current constitution be checked to establish who could be co-opted as a member of the Working Group.
The Chief Executive reminded the PDG that the Climate Change declaration was to complete the baseline work within 6 months and that the Council was working with other Councils to align this. He explained that the baseline emissions would need to be established first and then the Council could look at ways to reduce them. Alongside this DCC were setting up a Citizens Assembly with the aim of getting public buy in for a Devon wide plan. He explained that the Working Group could be empowered to have discussions with the community groups and members of the public and bring those views back to the PDG.
The Group AGREED to the formation of a Working Group to consider:
1. Being a place for the community voice to be fed to the Council
2. To map that community voice and ideas against the Devon Carbon Plan
3. To present further recommendations for what MDDC could do as a District that goes beyond the Devon Carbon Plan
(Proposed by the Chairman)
Members suggested that the makeup of the Working Group should be of Members and not members of the public.
The Members of the Working Group were AGREED as:
· Cllr B Holdman
· Cllr Ms E Wainwright
· Cllr J Wright
Members discussed the Chairman’s proposal that a recommendation be made to Cabinet that a lead Cabinet Member be assigned to progress the work of the Climate Change Declaration.
Members discussed the proposal and agreed that the public were unaware that the Cabinet Member for the Environment was currently also responsible for Climate Change and that this should be made clear.
The Group therefore AGREED to:
RECOMMEND to the Cabinet that the Cabinet Member for Environment title be changed to Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change.
(Proposed by Cllr Ms E Wainwright and seconded by Cllr C Eginton)