Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director Net Zero Exeter & City Management.

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council approve:-

(1)  the allocation of the £1million earmarked reserve to support the delivery of Net Zero for Exeter City Council and the Net Zero Exeter 2030 plan, covering the next four years;

(2)  that £800,000 of the £1million earmarked reserve be allocated to delivering net zero for the City Council and £200,000 be allocated to the delivery of the Net Zero Exeter 2030 Plan; and

(3)  an additional £50,000 from the underspent supplementary budget in 2021/22 be allocated to support the delivery of the Net Zero Exeter 20230 Plan.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report which sought approval to spend the £1million earmarked reserve to support the delivery of Net Zero projects and the goals of the Net Zero Exeter 2030 Plan, covering the next four years.

The Service Lead Net Zero and Business reported that the allocation would comprise £800,000 for City Council Net Zero initiatives and £200,000 for the delivery of the Net Zero Exeter 2030 Plan. All activity through this budget would be procured through the City Council’s procurement and contract procedures. The following were highlighted:-

·         two temporary team members had been appointed for the next four years to support City Council Net Zero projects, with a total of four officers in the new Net Zero team;

·         a Net Zero Risk Register had been developed and would be presented to the Audit and Governance Committee;

·         an action plan to reduce City Council carbon emissions would be presented to the Strategic Scrutiny Committee, Executive and Council this autumn. The action plan would provide greater clarity on the breakdown of the £800,000 funding;

·         the Green Accord would be re-launched and the green accreditation scheme would improve supply chain sustainability to reduce Scope 3 emissions;

·         decarbonisation studies would be undertaken for high use sites such as RAMM and the City Council’s leisure centres;

·         Carbon Literacy training would be held for the team, Members and the Net Zero Ambassadors; and

·         external funding would be sourced for the delivery of the City Council’s Net Zero Carbon Reduction action plan and a bid had been made to the LEVI Electric Vehicle Charging infrastructure fund.

During the discussion, the following points were made:-

·         initiative is welcome including solar panels on the Riverside roof and adding a number of batteries to existing solar sites and a new solar array on Marsh Barton, which links up to Exton Road for the electrification of electric refuse vehicles and our fleet vehicles;

·         the Net Zero Ambassadors will prove a valuable addition to the Council’s ambitions of reducing service carbon emissions, change behaviour, support sustainable travel and smarter working and reduce waste;

·         the Green Accord accreditation scheme would improve supply chain sustainability by increasing the numbers of businesses being accredited and reduce Scope 3 emissions; and

·         the failure of some of Devon County Council’s Electric Vehicle Charging points across the city which need replacing is regrettable.

RECOMMENDED that Council approve:-

(1)  the allocation of the £1million earmarked reserve to support the delivery of Net Zero for Exeter City Council and the Net Zero Exeter 2030 plan, covering the next four years;

(2)  that £800,000 of the £1million earmarked reserve be allocated to delivering net zero for the City Council and £200,000 be allocated to the delivery of the Net Zero Exeter 2030 Plan; and

(3)  an additional £50,000 from the underspent supplementary budget in 2021/22 be allocated to support the delivery of the Net Zero Exeter 20230 Plan.