Issue - meetings

Reporting Person – Giorgio Framalicco

Councillor Graves, Portfolio Holder for Greener Woking, introduced the report which presented the draft Climate Change Strategy and highlighted that it was a ‘living draft’.  Following the last update to the Strategy in 2015, Councillor Graves explained that the Strategy had been revised to reflect the Council’s net zero commitment in line with the Council’s climate and ecological emergency declaration in 2019.  The Executive was advised that the draft Strategy would be subject to a six-week consultation period from mid-May to the end of June.

The Executive was also asked to endorse the Take the Jump climate campaign which promoted a greener way of living and encouraged people to try out six lifestyle shifts to live more sustainably.

The Leader welcomed the report and the input of Woking Environment Action (WEAct) into the Council’s Climate Change Strategy consultation.

RESOLVEd

That  (i)    the contents of the proposed draft climate change strategy (attached at Appendix 1 to the report) be noted and approved for public engagement and consultation commencing mid-May 2023;

          (ii)   delegated authority be given to the Strategic Director - Place, in consultation with the Greener Woking Portfolio Holder, to approve amendments to the draft strategy to reflect new information before it is published for public engagement;

          (iii)  the Take the Jump campaign be endorsed, and staff and Councillors be encouraged to consider what behaviour shifts they can take in support of the Council’s corporate climate commitments;

          (iv)  the activities undertaken to date and those planned in furtherance of the Council’s climate and ecological emergency declaration, be noted as reported to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 20 February 2023; and

          (v)   the Terms of Reference for the Greener Woking Working Group be approved.

Reason:   To note the review of the Council’s climate change strategy and planned public consultation; the role of public engagement in local climate action and the continuing activities of the Council and its partners in furtherance of its climate and ecological declaration commitments.