To consider the Motion on Notice received from Councillor Morley:
“This Council pledges to:
1. Declare a climate emergency.
2. Set up a Task Force, commencing by September 2019, to examine ways in which Babergh & Mid Suffolk Councils will respond to the climate change challenge on a spend to save basis, with the ambition to make Babergh & Mid Suffolk Councils carbon neutral by 2030.
3. To work with partners across the county and region, including the LEP and the Public Sector Leaders, towards the aspiration of making the county of Suffolk carbon neutral by 2030.
4. To work with Government to a) deliver its 25-year Environment Plan and b) increase the powers and resources available to local authorities in order to make the 2030 target easier to achieve.
Proposer: Councillor Suzie Morley
Seconder: Councillor Jessica Fleming
Minutes:
14a.1 The Chair invited Councillor Fleming, Cabinet Member for the Environment to introduce the motion, as detailed in Item 14a on the Agenda.
14a.2 Councillor Fleming the Cabinet Member for the Environment MOVED the Motion as detailed in the Agenda.
14a.3 Councillor Fleming then provided background reasoning for the Motion before stating that a Declaration of Carbon Neutral action had been made by the Government and throughout the world. In the UK at least 85 local and regional authorities had made similar declarations. In June 2019, Suffolk County Council had declared an environmental emergency and brought a paper to Cabinet in July setting out a strategy on how to respond to the issue. The Motion was being brought to bring Mid Suffolk District Council into the framework of working together with Councillors and partners to coordinate environmental action to achieve progress in the region. The District Council would be setting up a taskforce with Babergh District Council to implement measures for achieving the goal of being carbon neutral by the year 2030; to be sustainable in line with the key UN Goal 13 and to support the Government’s 25-year environmental plan. The Council would be working with partners to achieve this goal, by supporting economic growth to maintain a quality of life but change was necessary to enable economic development in a sustainable way. Responsibility for the Council’s actions had to be taken and she would like the Council to lead on environmental change. This was her vision for Mid Suffolk, and she asked Members to support the motion.
14a.4 Councillor Morley SECONDED the motion.
14a.5 Councillor Mellen referred to the recent record high temperatures and that climate change was now part of our daily lives. The Green Party welcomed the declaration of the Climate Emergency Motion but wondered what it actually meant. He believed that the solution was the policies and actions, which the Green party had been supporting for years. It was already known how to build carbon neutral homes, but courage was needed to set higher building standards. Reduction in vehicle admission could be achieved by advocating the use of walking, cycling and the use of public transports instead of building more roads. Power could be provided by renewable energy, which was cheaper than nuclear energy. It was necessary to provide support for staff within the Council to develop sustainable green policies for Communities and the environment. He felt that if Climate change were to be taken seriously then it had to be in the forefront of our minds when making the right decisions, as our communities required it and our children deserved it. The Green party welcomed the declaration but awaited to see how the Council would respond through the policies to support it.
14a.6 Councillor Field stated that the Liberal Democrats supported the Motion but agreed that this Motion required action, and he hoped this was not just words. He was slightly worried about the words ‘spend to save’ and trusted that this was to save the planet or carbon and not just to save money.
14a.7 Councillor Humphreys MBE stated that Climate Change was not coloured by any political colour but was for all political parties to support. This Motion was a step in the right direction, and he appreciated the word ‘action’ in the Motion. The taskforces would be set up to examine ways to help environmental improvements in Mid Suffolk District Council.
14a.8 Councillor Caston agreed that human activity had exacerbated Climate change, as a conservative he wanted to conserve things in a better condition to be passed on to the next generations. In 2017 the lowest green house admission had been recorded since 1984. He wanted the Council to lead the way in in the prevention of Climate change and he would like to be involved as much as possible to support this.
14a.9 Councillor Stringer supported the Motion in general but found that some of the wording was slightly challenging and he was concerned about the ‘spend to save’ wording. However, he would accept this to save the wider environment. He thought that caution had to be exercised when considering carbon reduction, as many of the manufacturing business had been offshored, which was not an actual overall reduction in carbon dioxide.
14a.10 Councillor Pratt questioned the development of the Ipswich Northern Road and how this fitted in with the Council’s declaration of being carbon Neutral.
14a.11 Councillor Morley advised Members that the Ipswich Northern Road was not an issue for discussion at this meeting as it was a matter for Suffolk County Council to decide.
14a.12 Councillor Eburne confirmed the task force be set up in September. She asked for definite guidelines for targets, the length of the Taskforce was to operate and requested that regular reports on progress together with a timeframe for delivery of the task force be provided to Members.
14a.13 Councillor Fleming responded that a report would be delivered to Council in six months’ time and she envisage a cross party taskforce in cooperation with Babergh District Council. She was looking forward to share experiences and ideas with the taskforce which would provide the tools to make the change.
14a.14 Councillor Richardson related, based on his experience working in the NHS, how general wellbeing in the communities was attributed to the amount of air pollution and related respirational conditions, and that the quality of life and the benefits to the population achieved by the Motion would make a difference to residents and which had not previously been discussed. He therefore welcomed the motion.
14a.15 Councillor Warboys was relieved to see the Motion was coming forward, however he was concerned about the inclusion of the words ‘spend to save’ and in his consideration of the meaning of the words he felt it was not possible to put a value on improvements to environmental issue nor the benefits for the be long term effects. He agreed with Councillor Richardson and he felt that to ensure the work conducted was for environmental benefits and not for economic reasons. He PROPOSED an AMENDMENT to the Motion that the words ‘Spend to save’ be omitted from the Motion.
14a.16 Councillor Carter seconded the Amendment.
14a.17 The Chair asked if the Councillor Fleming accepted the Amendment, which she declined.
14a.18 Members debated the Amendment as concerns were raised regarding the cost implications and whether this would have an impact on the environmental benefits intended to be achieved by the Motion.
14a.19 Councillor Fleming responded that financial investment must have some tangible benefit to the Council and the people of the Mid Suffolk and there had to be a control on costs. Funds were not unlimited funds and the benefits therefore had to be both environmental and financial.
14a.20 Councillor Morley reminded Members that the Budget had been set for this year and that the Council had a fiscal responsibility not exceed the set budget. The cross-party taskforce would consider quick wins for immediate effect to save the planet.
14a.21 Councillor Otton raised a point of order as she felt that procedurally the debate had lost is focus and asked that the Proposer and Seconder responded to the comments made by Members.
14a.22 Members continued to debate the benefits, which could be achieved by implementation of the Motion including social, environmental and health benefits in relation to the economic benefits. Some felt that the amendment would be counter-productive, others felt that the environmental emergency was too pressing and that generally Members knew what the motion was trying to achieve.
14a.23 Councillor Warboys summed up the Amendment and the ambiguity of the words which had been debated. He understood that the Council had to be fiscal with its budget, but the implication of the climate change was profound. He was afraid that the efforts to combat climate change could be at risk because it did not have an economic return.
14a.24 Councillor Fleming summed up and she felt that the Opposition was the disingenuous if they thought that the Council would withhold a process that could improve the quality of life of the its residents due to costs implications. However, she would not like to deviate from the Wording, which had been proposed by Suffolk County Council and indeed across the Country because she felt that with this motion the Council could work together with other partners and implement action. She could not accept the proposed amendment.
14a.25 The Amendment was put to Members for voting the Amendment was LOST.
14a.26 The Chair then returned to the Substantive Motion.
14a.27 Councillor Geake referred to the National Planning Policy Framework in relation to the Joint Local plan, which covered the period up to 2036. She enquired if the plan would help to reduce greenhouse admission and whether the plan was were carbon neutral. She also wanted to know, if all those who had commended the Motion would be responding to the Consultation on the Ipswich Northern Route and vote against it. The money could be spent to build foot and cycling paths, which she felt was the only way to become a green County.
14a.28 The Substantive Motion was put Members for voting and the vote was CARRIED.
It was RESOLVED:
That this Council pledges to:
1. Declare a climate emergency.
2. Set up a Task Force, commencing by September 2019, to examine ways in which Babergh & Mid Suffolk Councils will respond to the climate change challenge on a spend to save basis, with the ambition to make Babergh & Mid Suffolk Councils carbon neutral by 2030.
3. To work with partners across the county and region, including the LEP and the Public Sector Leaders, towards the aspiration of making the county of Suffolk carbon neutral by 2030.
4. To work with Government to a) deliver its 25-year Environment Plan and b) increase the powers and resources available to local authorities in order to make the 2030 target easier to achieve.