Issue - meetings

Reporting Person – Giorgio Framalicco

RESOLVED

That  (i)    the proposals for action set out in the Executive Summary of the ‘Recommendation to the Executive following WEAct Presentation’ report OSC23-021 to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 20 March 2023 be referred to the Greener Woking Working Group for consideration; and

          (ii)   the Greener Woking Working Group to report back to a future meeting of the Executive.

Reason:   To consider the recommendation from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee following the presentation made by representatives of WEAct.

Reporting Person: Councillor Ayesha Azad

The Committee reviewed the Executive Summary of the WEAct presentation report:

“Following the presentation made by representatives of WEAct at the meeting of the Committee held on 20 February 2023, Members agreed to provide recommendations to the Executive in support of Climate Change action to be taken, accelerated, or otherwise furthered by the Council.  During the evening the Committee and WEAct discussed WEAct’s recommendations: the Council strengthens the Climate Emergency Action Plan to reflect the recommendations of the Anthesis carbon footprint assessment; officers consider the feasibility of joining the UK100 network of councils (giving due consideration for the financial and resource implications); the Council continues to be a ‘High Ambition’ council on climate action; further support on embedding the Council’s net zero ambition across the organisation; and the Council continues its leadership role in encouraging community climate action.”

The Committee agreed that several specified proposals arising from discussions with WEAct at the February meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee should be submitted as a recommendation to the Executive.

RECOMMENDED TO THE EXECUTIVE That

the proposals for action in the report’s Executive Summary be referred to the Greener Woking Working Group for consideration.

Representatives of WEAct (Woking Environment Action) will give a presentation on their work locally addressing issues relating to climate change and sustainability.

Representatives of WEAct, Rupert Devereux, Jamie Gordon and Ellen Pirie, were welcomed to the meeting.  The WEAct representatives stated their hope that the Council considered WEAct as a critical friend and emphasised their appreciation for the long history of Climate Change related activities by the Council.

The presentation encouraged the Council to utilise its dual role as influencer and enforcer in the Community to greater effect.  The Council was also challenged to further reinforce its climate action and knowledge throughout the organisation.

The recently published Anthesis report, that measured the carbon footprint of the Council, was praised by both the WEAct representatives and Councillors.  The report set out three ambitions to reduce the amount of carbon produced: business as usual, low ambition, and high ambition.  WEAct registered their strong preference for the Council to pursue the high ambition, which would reduce the Council’s carbon footprint by the greatest amount.

The Committee Members and WEAct representatives discussed the potential economic benefits of adopting robust climate change objectives that could create jobs.  A focus on renewable energy generation would also mitigate against the current inflated utility costs.

WEAct encouraged the Council to join the UK100, a collection of local authorities that were working together to reach net zero in their areas by 2045, ahead of the national ambition of 2050.  Members of UK100 were sharing resources and knowledge to be more effective.

The presentation provided information on Zero, a climate charity in Guildford, which was leading the Leaky Homes campaign and WEAct supported.

Following questions from Members on how to accurately measure carbon production for the Borough, the WEAct representatives pointed to the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE).  The CSE had produced a tool that provided details of the total carbon production, both direct and indirect, in local communities and authorities based on extensive calculations.

The WEAct representatives recommended, when asked by Members, that Councillors could make an impact by helping those in the private rented sector to make improvements and reduce climate impact.  To make more general change, the most effective approach was to show residents that they were contributing to a larger effort and making similar changes to others.

WEAct was due to open a repair café and asked if the Council would provide support for the Café.  Councillors were asked to speak to their local community to find those with experience in repairing any and all items to volunteer their time and expertise.

Members expressed an interest in celebrating the activities of the Borough’s youth.  The creation of a young climate activist award and running an inter-school competition were both mooted.

The Committee thanked Rupert Devereux, Jamie Gordon and Ellen Pirie for their presentation and agreed to consider areas that could be scrutinised by the Committee.

The Committee agreed to provide recommendations to the Executive.