To review the Council’s performance against the corporate Environmental Strategy targets and to update the committee on the Council’s targets in relation to climate change and carbon management, with particular reference to the Council’s own carbon emissions.

The Committee reviewed the Council’s performance against the corporate Environmental Strategy targets and received an update on the Council’s targets in relation to climate change and carbon management, with particular reference to the Council’s own carbon emissions.

The Sustainability Manager reported that the Environmental Strategy report for 2007/08, (Appendix 1 to the agenda report), showed strong performance overall on the targets, particularly in the areas of waste management, air pollution control, biodiversity, supporting environmental management within the Council and local businesses, provision of planning services, and EcoSchools. Areas where objectives were not met included the number of reported cycle trips and use of buses by the public and dealing with abandoned vehicles.  She further reported that the Council’s ISO 14001 triennial renewal visit in July went well and the Council had retained corporate certification for all unitary council functions to the international management standard. Options for rolling ISO 14001 out to the PCT were being explored. However the Council’s external certifiers had raised one non-conformity.  For the second visit in a row this related to the Council’s approach to reducing its own carbon emissions. 

The agenda report set out the background to the Council’s carbon management including commentary on recent increases in utility prices, initiatives to increase carbon awareness and to reduce carbon emissions.

On scrutinising the report the following principal points were noted:

• The Council’s current carbon emissions inventory for its own operations (Appendix 2 to the report) showed a small reduction in emissions (1.25%) from March 2005 to March 2008.  However this was below the target set in 2005 and included in the Corporate Plan 2007-10.  There were considerable fluctuations from year to year in the extensive data set which underpinned this calculation and further work was being undertaken to clarify the position.
• While Herefordshire’s Local Area Agreement had set 3 year targets for reducing carbon emissions, the Committee were concerned to hear that resources had yet to be allocated to achieve the targets.  The Director of Environment and Culture responded that by the time of the next Committee meeting a report would have been made to the Joint Management Team setting out the current position and a way forward. 
• A key element in the Council’s carbon reduction target related to the Council’s property and the Committee requested a report setting out where the Council currently was with its Accommodation Strategy.  It was also questioned whether the Council should have photovoltaic units on its properties to generate power.  The Chairman of Strategic Monitoring Committee reported that his committee was due to receive a report on the Strategy in October.
• While works had been undertaken at Stretton Sugwas landfill site to reduce methane emissions further investigations would be undertaken into the greenhouse gas reduction this was achieving and possible use of the flare for electricity generation.
• In relation to the County’s energy usage, questions were asked whether more could be done to promote energy efficient housing development through the planning system.  Energy efficiency in social housing was also questioned.  The Cabinet Member Environment and Strategic Housing commented that efforts were being made in relation to housing, however, a pragmatic approach was needed.
• Questioned whether officers in each Council building were still appointed as premises energy officers the Director of Environment and Culture undertook to provide the Committee with a list of such officers.
• Questioning whether there was an action plan to achieve the 200 tonne carbon reduction required to meet the Council’s own target the Committee were informed that a Council-wide Carbon Action Group had been formed to compile and analyse data by directorate and formulate plans on how each directorate would respond.  The Committee requested to see the resultant action plan.
• The Committee acknowledged that the Council was the custodian of a number of historic buildings and while these may not be carbon efficient these would need to be maintained.
• On debating waste objectives (agenda page 18) the Committee noted from earlier debate that further waste reduction work was on-going.
• Asked whether video conferencing could be used in an effort to reduce the number of business miles incurred, the Director of Environment and Culture responded that this could be possible, however, it would probably necessitate modifications or upgrades to the IT systems.
• The Committee acknowledged that possible actions to achieve carbon management targets could have adverse consequences for other areas of service.

RESOLVED: that:

a)      the position as set out in the report be noted;

b)     the outcome of the report on the allocation of resources to meet the Local Area Agreement carbon reduction targets be reported to the next meeting.

c)      a report setting out the current position with the Council’s Accommodation Strategy be presented to a future meeting;

d)     The Director of Environment and Culture provide the Committee with a list of Premises Energy Officers; and

e)     the resultant carbon reduction action plan by the Council-wide Carbon Action Group be reported to Committee.