Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
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Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Virtual Meeting

Note: Simultaneous meeting with BDC Cabinet 

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence received.

2.

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS BY COUNCILLORS

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest declared.

3.

QUESTIONS BY COUNCILLORS

Minutes:

There were no questions received from Councillors.

4.

MCa/19/66 ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE TASK FORCE - PROPOSALS TO CABINET pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Cabinet Member for Planning

Additional documents:

Decision:

It was RESOLVED:-

 

1.1          That the Cabinet’s Carbon Reduction Management Plan, as informed by the Environment & Climate Change Task Force, be approved in principle.

 

1.2      That the Cabinet Member for Environment and the Cabinet Member for Finance, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer, be given delegated authority to consider the business case for each proposal and approve the funding up to a total of £500,000 from the General Fund, which has been allocated from the Growth and Efficiency Fund.         

 

Reason for Decision: The Council(s) have agreed a climate change emergency in recognition of the urgent need to take action to address global warming and the crisis being created by climate change. This decision will enable the Council(s) to work towards their goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

 

1.1      Option One: To use the proposals of the Environment & Climate Change Task Force to inform the Carbon Reduction Management Plan to be agreed by the respective Cabinets. This option utilises the opinions and proposals of the Task Force and allows the Cabinets to amend the proposals as set out in Appendix A of the report.

 

1.2      Option Two: To adopt all the proposals recommended by the Environment and Climate Change Task Force without change. This option is not recommended for the reasons set out in Appendix A of the report.

 

1.3      Option Three: To do nothing. This option is not recommended as it will not achieve the Councils’ ambition to become carbon neutral by 2030.

 

Any Declarations of Interests Declared: None

 

Any Dispensation Granted: None

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Environment introduced the report and expressed thanks to the Assistant Director for Environment and Commercial Partnerships.

 

Councillor Fleming proposed the recommendations in the report. The recommendations were seconded by Councillor Whitehead.

 

The Assistant Director for Environment and Commercial Partnerships provided a presentation to Members.

 

In response to a query from Councillor Brewster, the Assistant Director for Environment and Commercial Partnerships confirmed that the car parking review would be carried out in conjunction with the visioning work being undertaken by the Assistant Director for Economic Development and Regeneration.

 

Following a question from Councillor Stringer, it was confirmed that the wording of paragraph 12.4 of the report would not be amended.

 

Cabinet Members and the Assistant Director for Environment and Commercial Partnerships responded to questions on issues including timescales and the importance of implementing the proposals quickly, the implications of the proposals on the Joint Local Plan, the importance given to social dimensions of the proposals, the funding of joint projects with other Local Authorities, and renewal of the vehicle fleet.

 

Members discussed various issues including Citizens’ Assemblies, and the reference in the report to use of  the term emerging technologies and whether this was the correct term to use.

 

It was RESOLVED:-

 

1.1         That the Cabinet’s Carbon Reduction Management Plan, as informed by the Environment & Climate Change Task Force, be approved in principle.

1.2     That the Cabinet Member for Environment and the Cabinet Member for Finance, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer, be given delegated authority to consider the business case for each proposal and approve the funding up to a total of £500,000 from the General Fund, which has been allocated from the Growth and Efficiency Fund.

 

Reason for Decision: The Council(s) have agreed a climate change emergency in recognition of the urgent need to take action to address global warming and the crisis being created by climate change. This decision will enable the Council(s) to work towards their goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.