Agenda item

To consider the Bracknell Forest Carbon Management Plan.

The Panel noted a report setting out the progress achieved to date in the implementation of the Council’s Carbon Management Plan by the Carbon Management Project Team. 

In February 2007, Bracknell Forest Council signed the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change. The Bracknell Forest Council Climate Change Action Plan was adopted by Council in October 2008 as an outcome of that commitment. An action from this plan was to participate in the Carbon Trust’s Local Authority Carbon Management Programme.

Bracknell Forest Council’s carbon dioxide baseline was 18,380 tonnes / CO₂ for the financial year April 2007 – March 2008. The carbon reduction target established by the Carbon Management Programme Board was that Bracknell Forest would reduce CO₂ emissions from its own operation by 25% against the 2007/08 baseline by 2013.

The reduction of carbon emissions across the council would result in reduced CO₂ and waste, helping to address local, national and international climate change issues. The cumulative cost savings from the 25% carbon emission reduction target is £4,107,225 compared to the ‘business as usual’ scenario with rising energy costs. £250k of ‘Invest to Save’ grant funding had been earmarked to reduce carbon emissions.

Arising from Members’ questions and comments the following points were noted:

• The carbon emission reduction target of 25% related to reduction within the council including council managed schools, from a variety of short, medium and longer term opportunities.
• Whilst the Council was committed to reducing carbon emissions across the borough as a whole it could only provide advice, encouragement and leadership to external organisations and the public.
• The T12 street lamps which were currently being used in Sandhurst and Easthampstead Park were to be replaced with a new more efficient T5 model, by either the replacement of the full unit or using an adaptor which upgraded the current unit.
• Eighteen schools had inefficient oil fired boilers, some of which would be replaced with biomass boilers. Some smaller schools who had a smaller energy demand  would receive replacement gas boilers as which would be more viable.
• Since the signing of the Nottingham Declaration partners had come together to identify schemes and assess viability. It had taken time to gain co-operation from all partners involved in some schemes and to co-ordinate the best time to deliver specific schemes.
• Schools were a particular challenge for energy efficiency due to a complex funding and management structure. The Council was committed to carbon reduction in schools. The driving force for schools were penalties for bad performance, likely to come into force in 2010.

The Panel noted that Councillor Brunel-Walker was nominated to support Councillor Mrs Hayes on the Carbon Management Programme Board due to his personal interest and not in his former capacity as Chairman of the Panel.

The Panel congratulated the Director of Environment, Culture and Communities and all the officers involved in the Carbon Management Plan for the excellent work achieved in tackling an important issue for the Borough and for reducing the Council’s carbon emissions so far. The Panel looked forward to the future progress made by the initiatives identified in the plan.