Issue - meetings

Damian James presented the Annual Report on the Climate Change Strategy.

The Council had adopted a four pronged approach to the Climate Change Strategy from 2020-2024. This was to involve working with partners, working with schools and young people, preserving the climate beneficial elements of the COVID-19 emergency and preserving the natural environment sustainably in line with the Bracknell Forest Strategic Plans.

Damian illustrated the general trend of reducing emissions across the borough.

Some of the strategic highlights of the year prior were detailed:

• The Council had altered the corporate decision making process so that climate considerations were incorporated in the matrix.
• Climate change elements had been added to service plans for 22/23.
• A number of programmes within the public service team had impacted on climate change in the previous 12 months.
• In the Business Survey 2021, 51% of businesses had the intention of being more environmentally friendly.
• The Council had had a number of Ministers at landfill sites to discuss a range of possible eco-projects.
• The Schools Climate Conference had been a success.

The Council had been successful in obtaining grant funding for various environmental projects over the previous year.

An overview was given of the work various teams across the Council were doing to contribute to the Councils climate efforts.

During a period of discussion, the following points were made and answers were given:

• Due to the economic climate at the time, many businesses were primarily concerned with survival.
• Many organisations, including the Council’s partner The Economic and Skills Development Partnership, had been doing excellent work to help businesses with their climate efforts.
• The ‘looking forward’ section of the report was to be expanded.
• Statistics relating to Borough emissions not directly under the control of the Council – about 98% of Borough emissions – were to be provided.
• Small businesses were facing many of the same pressures as individual households. They were to be able to access and make use of some of the same Council initiatives as individual households.
• A number of EV charging points were being installed at Lily Hill Park for community use.
• The Council was engaging with Silver Homes to help them receive grant funding in the next tranche.
• The Council held a database containing information on the least well insulated properties within the Borough. The Council was to target the individuals most in need and the least efficient homes with funding as a priority.
• Residents were thanked for the excellent effort they had made so far. Lots of people making small changes had the cumulative impact of a large change.
• 8 schools within the Borough were to receive funding for climate projects.
• Some revisions to sections of the report were suggested.

The Chairman proposed that ‘This Panel would like Executive to consider a proportion of the SIL money so go towards home insulation’. The recommendation was seconded by Councillor Leake.