Agenda item

To consider the report of the Chief Executive.

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

(1)  note the content of the report contained in Appendix A of the report and to reflect that that a step change in the Government’s approach in delivering Net Zero is required to allow any prospect for the city of Exeter in achieving a Net Zero Exeter 2030;

(2)  note the closure of ECF and the work that has been done through ECF in building collaboration and delivering progress against the city’s Net Zero ambitions;

(3)  agree that in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate and Ecological crisis, the Chief Executive will develop proposals for how Members might work with partners locally to ensure oversight of the city’s delivery on this key strategic goal; and

(4)  note that officers will identify how external work on this priority will be resourced given the end of the secondments to ECF.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report which provided a summary and review of the work that had been delivered to date, by Exeter City Futures (ECF) in delivering a Net Zero Exeter. The report also formally acknowledged the closure of ECF and provided options for how the work would be managed going forward and the challenges ahead in achieving a Net Zero Exeter by 2030.

The Chief Executive provided Members with a background on Exeter City Futures (ECF), advising that Exeter City Council became a member of the Exeter City Futures (ECF) Community Interest Company in 2016, who went on to develop the Net Zero 2030 plan. In 2021, the Executive agreed the secondments of the former Chief Executive and Growth Director and the Director of Transformation for a 12 month period, ending in December 2022. In June 2023, Global City Futures who established ECF moved to close the Community Interest Company (CIC).

Members were advised that the report provided a summary of the work undertaken by ECF, acknowledged the closure of ECF and set out options for managing the work for Net Zero 2030 going forward. Members were also provided with a copy of a review report prepared by the former Chief Executive and Growth Director at the end of his secondment to ECF, which provided an overview of the scale of ambition adopted by ECF and the success it had achieved in creating a culture of collaboration and innovation. Members were also referred to Appendix B of the report, which provided an update on the Exeter Development Fund.

Councillor Jobson, as an opposition group leader, spoke on this item and noted that the new version of the Exeter Development Fund would be discussed at a future Strategic Scrutiny Task and Finish group. She also sought confirmation on the grant funding made to ECF, and whether it had either been spent or could be used by the Council for other work.

Councillor Moore, as an opposition group leader, spoke on this item and made the following points:-

·         tackling the climate emergency was one of the three big challenges the city faced;

·         she had submitted an enquiry outside of the meeting, relating to various figures amounting to half million pounds, requesting information on how the figures had been approved and spent, and why there were differing amounts for various accounts;

·         she enquired on the assets produced by ECF, such as the data mill, the Net Zero plan and what has happened to them; and

·         requested the Leaders opinion on whether he was satisfied on the outputs from ECF and if he considered that the outcomes had moved the city on practically in terms of achieving Net Zero by 2030?

Councillor M. Mitchell, as an opposition group leader, spoke on this item and requested an outline of the residual asset liabilities of the organisation in relation to financial and physical assets and any ownership of any intellectual property.

The Portfolio Holder for Climate & Ecological Crisis thanked all officers including the current and former Chief Executive, who had been involved with writing the report. She advised that she was continuing to work with officers and stakeholders about resourcing and delivering the Net Zero 2030 target and reminded Members that Exeter City Futures had created a culture of collaborative working and that Net Zero was a shared responsibility across the city.

In response to questions and points from Members, the Chief Executive advised:-

·         an update report on the Exeter Development Fund would be brought back to Members at a later date;

·         funding that had been allocated to ECF by the Council, had either been spent or have been returned to the Council’s budget for internal work and resourcing of future projects; and

·         the question regarding the assets produced by ECF, would be provided outside of the meeting.

The Leader in responding to the question of his opinion on his satisfaction of the outputs from ECF, advised that he was concerned about the current climate crisis and the recent Government deferral of Net Zero. Exeter City Council had never received Government support for its Net Zero aspiration and had applied for various grant funding. The Council would continue to look at options going forward and would not deviate from its ambitions and would continue to use its influence to reach its Net Zero target.

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

(1)  note the content of the report contained in Appendix A of the report and to reflect that that a step change in the Government’s approach in delivering Net Zero is required to allow any prospect for the city of Exeter in achieving a Net Zero Exeter 2030;

(2)  note the closure of ECF and the work that has been done through ECF in building collaboration and delivering progress against the city’s Net Zero ambitions;

(3)  agree that in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate and Ecological crisis, the Chief Executive will develop proposals for how Members might work with partners locally to ensure oversight of the city’s delivery on this key strategic goal; and

(4)  note that officers will identify how external work on this priority will be resourced given the end of the secondments to ECF.