Agenda item

A report was submitted which provided an update on the progress made since the Climate Emergency declaration in November 2019 and provided responses to specific questions raised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee was informed that a Climate Response Framework had been developed and presented to the MCA Board in January 2020.  The Framework provided a high-level approach for delivering on the declaration and include the ‘Net Zero Target’ date of 2040.

It was noted that an integrated approach was required to meet the target with three key areas which were transport, industry and commerce and housing, each of which were responsible for approximately a third of emissions.

In July 2020 Urban Foresight had been commissioned to help prepare the Net Zero Programme which prioritised actions and the phasing of those actions and the interdependencies needed to maximise impact.

An Action Plan of projects had been developed and part of the work had been to understand any barriers and obstacles that Local Authorities and other partners across the region faced to deliver against the projects and the Framework.

The main barriers were found to be capacity, particularly within Local Authorities, finance and a lack of knowledge as to what was available.

Potential projects would fit within the five categories of the SCR Climate Response Framework which were:

• Leadership
• Carbon Reduction
• Carbon Capture
• Climate Adaptation
• Climate Economy

K Sample explained how each element fitted into the Framework.

The projects had been prioritised using a framework developed by Urban Foresight.

The Committee discussed:

• How the Net Zero Programme linked in with Local Authorities who and all set their own targets to get there and what help and support was available.
• The number of charging points for electric vehicles, low emission public transport targets, the use of hydrogen and other alternative fuels and supporting local innovative companies in these areas.
• How the SCR response to the Climate Emergency would integrate with Central Government’s policies and strategies.
• The need to engage the public in the process and how they could be actively involved.
• The progress made in the 11 months since the Climate Emergency declaration.
• The support available for low income families.
• The importance of the prospectus for housing and energy efficiency; and
• Quick wins, for example early deliverable brownfield housing schemes and active travel programmes.

The Chair asked how many electric vehicle charging points the £2.6m mentioned in the report would deliver.  K Sample informed the Committee that there would be 229 across South Yorkshire of which 197 would be ‘fast’ and the remainder ‘rapid’.

Cllr Ennis stressed the importance of public involvement and commented that the public should be actively encouraged to submit ideas to achieve the net zero target, particularly following the statement made by Mayor Jarvis at the January MCA meeting. The SCR needed to be a listening forum as well as a delivery forum.

Cllr Ross referred to the report and noted that the MCA and declared a climate emergency in November 2019 which had recognised the need for urgent action.

He noted that during the 11 months since then a Climate Response Framework had been developed, a consultancy firm had been appointed, the Net Zero Partnership Board had only met twice, and the Net Zero Programme was still in draft form.  He asked for assurance that the climate emergency was really being taken as urgent action.

C Blackburn replied that there was work going on behind the scenes to secure funding, develop programmes, to deliver programmes and to support businesses in their decarbonisation programmes.  These included:

• Secured significant investment for public transport and active travel, all of which contributed to the climate agenda.
• Work was being progressed with LA officers on the Green Homes grant.
• A prospectus for the £40m brownfield housing fund which set out what was hoped to be achieved in new housing had been recently been signed off by the Housing and Infrastructure Board.
• Engagement with industries and business around supporting their achievements e.g. bids for the Clean Steel Fund; and
• Looking at MCA stock to see how energy efficiency and decarbonisation could be achieved.

It was noted that the draft Net Zero Programme would be received the following day giving MCA officers two weeks to make comments before the final draft was produced at the end of November.

At its first meeting the Net Zero Programme Board had a scoping session to understand the role of the Board.  At the second meeting the Board had begun looking at Programme and had received a presentation on the Programme from the consultants.

Cllr Jones commented that there was a lot of interest in brownfield housing and requested a link to the prospectus for this.

The Chair suggested that in future all reports should include a Climate Change Impact Assessment. This was agreed.

RESOLVED – That the Committee:

i)        Note the progress in delivering the Net Zero agenda.

ii)        RECOMMENDED that all future SCR reports contain a Climate Change Impact Assessment which would be carried out when assessing all programmes and projects.