Agenda item

To receive an update from Councillor James McAsh, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Development on the latest information available in relation to the climate emergency and performance against the climate emergency smart targets.

The committee heard from Councillor James McAsh, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Development in relation to the climate emergency and performance against the climate emergency smart targets.

The committee also heard from Tom Sharland, the Climate Change Programme lead.

Councillor McAsh provided information to the committee on how performance against the smart targets would be reported on and how the committee would be able to scrutinise performance.  Councillor McAsh reported on actions and issues that had arisen since the new version of the climate strategy and action plan was approved by cabinet in July 2022.  There had been:

·  Approval of the first application for the green building fund - £70,000 to retrofit properties on Tustin Estate, Manor Grove.

·  Continuation of lobbying work in terms of transport – proposals to cut bus services serving Southwark

·  Calling on the government to extend the Bakerloo Line

·  Various scoping exercises underway (Green Homes Advice Service, Carbon Neutral Procurement Strategy, Climate Change training for officers)

·  Work started on the council’s first climate adaption strategy, which would be linked up with the climate strategy annual review in 2023, with a view to integrating the two policies.

·  Bids for finance for works the council could not afford to do on its own (decarbonisation schemes – money for operational estate, social housing decarbonisation fund).

·  First schools Let’s Go Zero Schools Network – target was to get 10 schools signed up, this had been exceeded.

Councillor McAsh explained that measuring progress would be undertaken quarterly, and that the first full quarter had not yet been completed since the plan was adopted.  Progress would be reported quarterly, and would be available online through the online tracker which would be easily accessible on the council website.  There would also be an annual progress report to cabinet.  Councillor McAsh invited overview and scrutiny committee to receive the annual report ahead of it being reported to cabinet to enable scrutiny ahead of cabinet receipt/approval, or alternatively presentation to overview and scrutiny committee half yearly.

Following Councillor McAsh’s initial presentation, questions, comment and discussion took place along the following lines:

·  Solar energy panels in school buildings

·  Installation of heat pumps on estates and in schools, and the need for energy descent in order to meet net zero.

·  Consumption of meat/dairy products, and the climate impact – awareness raising in places where council is involved in the provision of food, schools etc (lack of information around this in the action plan).

·  Brake emissions from electric vehicles and future capacity to charge them, and need for focus on getting people out of their cars altogether.

·  Areas where the council could go further with climate action

·  Promoting food production in the borough, using planning, enabling and co-ordinating powers.

·  Bringing other large landowners, landlords and developers in the borough into a framework similar to the council, in terms of promoting climate action (retrofitting etc)

·  Council house building – Potential for repurposing/future proofing what is being developed now so that they can be adapted in the future without very costly redesigns.

·  Green jobs - definition

·  Green buildings fund – Council meeting requirements of green buildings standards

·  Work being undertaken with housing associations to ensure they are working towards the goal of making Southwark carbon neutral and properties energy efficient.

·  Quantifying Scope 3 Emissions

·  Establishing standards of effective carbon reduction with contractors / introducing carbon neutral and procurement policies for contractors.

·  XR Southwark comments on climate action plan

·  Frequency of pension fund performance assessments, particularly where funds are invested in fossil fuel companies.

The following key points were made in response to some of the questions asked:

Solar energy panels in school buildings / Let’s Go Zero Schools Network

·  Let’s Go Zero Schools Network meetings starting from week beginning 17 October.  Will be covering topics such as climate education through to how to retrofit school buildings.

·  Intention is to channel schools through the network, providing information and access to services

·  Targets in the action plan around solar PV on a range of buildings.

Heat pumps on estates

·  Initial scoping and discussions are taking place.

·  A lot of focus is on the bidding opportunities that are coming up, and how that can help access the funding needed for heat pumps and energy efficiency.  Funding streams mentioned – Public sector decarbonisation scheme, with focus of bid on three leisure centres; Social housing decarbonisation fund, with a focus on street properties.

Vehicle ownership

·  Overall aim was to try to reduce vehicle movements and vehicle ownership across the borough.  For those who need a car, preference is for them to own an electric vehicle.

Consumption of meat and dairy products

·  Climate action embedded across all council policies.  Trying not to replicate actions in the plan that are being actioned in other strategies - A sustainable food strategy is being developed in public health.

Green Jobs – definition

·  Green Jobs definition agreed by Central London Forward – has been adopted by many other local authorities also.

Green Buildings Fund

·  Previously called the Carbon Offset Fund

·  Funding put in place to employ policy officers to look at how there can be more green buildings.

Work being undertaken with housing associations

·  No clear work being undertaken with housing associations.  Priority is with investment in council’s own housing stock.

·  Council has a commitment for green buildings fund to be public available from next year.  Criteria developed, with first successful application on the Tustin Estate – council now considering how this can be taken beyond its own assets.

Establishing standards on effective carbon reduction with contractors

·  Initial scoping is being undertaken to see how this could be done through the procurement process.

XR Southwark

·  Council due to meet with XR Southwark to discuss matters raised.

At the end of questions, Councillor McAsh, asked the committee to relay how it wanted to scrutinise reporting on the climate action plan.