Agenda and minutes

The Chair confirmed that the meeting was being broadcast live to the internet via the Council’s website and was capable of repeated viewing. The images and sound recording may be used for training purposes within the Council. All were asked to keep to the speaking guidelines which were outlined.  Any views expressed by any speaker in the meeting are the speaker’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of High Peak Borough Council.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2022 be approved as a correct record.

David Smith introduced Gillian Wright who had recently been appointed as the Council’s Climate Change & Biodiversity Officer.  Gillian’s first priorities would be to work on the engagement strategy as well as performance monitoring and tracking emissions as part of the action plan.

Reference was made to the unsuccessful bid to UK100 around the engagement strategy, and it was noted that the council would benefit from the bid put in from DCC on behalf of the Local Authority Energy Partnership.

Action since the last meeting included:

·         Work was ongoing around the energy efficiency work on the council housing stock

·         An expression of interest and action plan had been submitted for LAD3 funding around private sector housing and feedback was awaited

·         Jacob’s had repeated their presentation around Electric Vehicle Charging Points to a special Parish Forum

·         The draft bio-diversity strategy had been sent to Derbyshire Wildlife Trust – the intention was to avoid actions already been undertaken by DCC

·         The recent Corporate Peer Challenge had looked at the council’s actions around Climate Change and there will be a future report

·         An Information Digest will be published providing a summary of the Environment Act – which will included the outcomes of the pilot around the use of hydrogen and vegetable oil to fuel council vehicles

·         The Anthesis work was on-going, the last part is about the agricultural and rural land profile and will be sent to DWT to review by end of March.  KPIs will be included as part of the final report. 

In response to further comments around performance monitoring, measures will be evaluated using the 2019 baseline data and a report will be submitted to members in due course. 

The Local Plan will be reviewed by the Local Plan Working Group and  information around energy efficiency from the council’s buildings could also be considered by this group.

RESOLVED:

That the actions and updates be noted.

The draft Vision Derbyshire Climate Change Strategy had been circulated and the Head of Climate Change and Communities provided the Working Group with a brief summary of the strategy which included a target of being net zero by 2050 and the 2022 - 2055 priorities.

The following comments were made:

·         no reference to 2035 target

·         more significant measures?  Reference made to Derby City led strategy to explore hydrogen economy

·         Query what ‘Exceed climate change targets for people’ means? (page 1 bullet point 3).  It was suggested that this should be re-worded.

·         Reference to new housing and improving rental accommodation – no mention of LA stock

·         Clarify if reference to procurement is actual procurement and traceability of sourcing

·         Concern that the table on the final page includes emissions for 2019 from the quarrying industry for High Peak – it was suggested that this information was derived from government statistics which had been manipulated to produce the table in that the raw data pointed out elements which are in and out of local authority control but were not included in this table

·         Query over what is the intention and intended audience for the document – need a clear explanation of where this document fits with other strategies

·         Concern that the action plan is not going to be shared – it should be visible

RESOLVED:

That the above comments be submitted as the council’s response to the strategy.

Suggestions for future meetings included:

·         Wider consultation / progress made against the action plan – suggested that an in person event be held

·         What concerns residents in terms of the environment, emissions, fuel prices going up

·         Energy efficiency of houses should be covered at different levels

·         Transport

·         Biodiversity – impact on carbon emissions

·         Local Plan – APSE integration of energy

RESOLVED:

1.    That the topics for future meetings be noted;

2.    That the next meeting be held on 28 April 2022 at 6.30 p.m. via Teams