To advise Members as to the Council’s involvement with the Carbon Management Trust and details of the Carbon Management Plan compiled as a result of this work.

THAT

(a)        the Carbon Management Action Plan be adopted; and

(b)       the signing of the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change be approved.

In February 2004, Herefordshire Council made an application for funding under the Carbon Trust Local Authorities Energy Financing Scheme.  Although initially unsuccessful, in July 2004, the Council was chosen to join a group of 24 Councils to take part in the Carbon development of a Carbon Management Action Plan (CMAP) that defines the steps that the Council will take to secure emissions reduction of at least 1.25% per year from 2005 to 2012.

The Carbon Management Action plan forms an important stage in addressing issues of climate change introduced under the revised “key lines of enquiry” within the CPA Corporate Assessment from 2005/06.  The CMAP also provides an important contribution to the emerging Herefordshire Partnership Climate Change Strategy and generates bankable financial savings contributing to the Council’s obligations to generate efficiency savings.

There are no alternative options.