Agenda item

Faith Everett, the Council’s new Climate Change officer will introduce herself and cover some of the climate change measures the Council is taking. (10mins)

Faith Everett, Bracknell Forest Council’s new Climate Change Officer, attended the

meeting to give a presentation on Climate Change and the Cost of Living

The presentation set out the bigger picture for Bracknell residents and signposted some things that may help ease the pressure as well as detailing some ideas that all could be done everyday to help make a difference.  

Arising from the presentation, the following points were noted:

·       Climate change amplified the growing cost of living crisis.

·       The heatwave in summer 2022 had likely increased many peoples water bills.

·       It had been stated that the cost of climate change was 6 times higher than originally anticipated.

·       In September 2022, 91% of UK households reported an increase in their cost of living.

·       The household mainly attributed the increase to the rise in the cost of food, rising utility bills, and a sharp increase in the cost of fuel.

·       Weekly food shopping for an average family of four had increased by 8% compared to the same time last year.

·       The average energy bill per month for a 3-bed home was likely to increase from £164 to £296.

·       The average price of fuel was £1.92 per litre for fuel and £1.99 per litre for diesel, this was 40-45% higher than the previous year.

·       Poel were paying 64% more at the pump in July 2022 then they were in January 2022.

·       The impact wasn’t a one size fits all and impacted people differently.

·       Recent research showed that domestic gas use contributed to 70% of domestic emissions across Bracknell.

·       Advice and support on energy efficiency at home including warm safe and well Public Health funding could all be found on the Bracknell Forest Council website.

·       10% of household heat loss was through poor windows.

·       There were a number of energy supplier grants and schemes and could be found on the citizens advice website.

·       The transport sector was one of the highest contributors to local carbon emissions and also one of the sectors with the highest rate of inflation.

·       In Bracknell Forest, transport made up 35% of the borough’s total greenhouse

gas emissions.

·       Love to Ride and Eco Rewards were free active travel sign up platforms which rewarded sustainable travel choices.

·       The Council was currently installing 32 additional EV charging points at local neighbourhood hubs.

·       The Council was encouraging residents to consider alternative methods of travel with active commuting and flexible working policies.

·       The way food contributed to climate change was broad, through production and processing of food, food delivery miles, packaging, storage and preparation, and food waste.

·       The demand for the local food bank had double since this time last year.

·       The Council were developing a climate change ‘daily tips’ section on the website to encourage behaviour change and help save residents money.

·       The Council had a successful food waste scheme across the borough. This had since been extended to 25% of flats in the borough and since starting had divert almost 6000 tonnes of food waste from landfill.

·       BFC comms and marketing were helping to encourage individual actions as some of the most effective ways to tackle rising emissions that could also impact rising costs.

·       £900k had been secured via the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery 1A, funding improving energy efficiency within hard to heat homes. This had delivered 123 retrofit measures to 99 resident’s homes.

Arising from the presentation the following points were raised:

·       Faith felt that joined up working, building networks and working together across the borough was important to tackle climate change.

·       A flexible dynamic approach was needed.

·       300 flats were currently part of the food waste scheme. There was a criterion that flats needed to meet in order to be part of the scheme. 1800 flats would eventually be part of the scheme, which was 20% of the flats in the borough.

·       Olio app had been circulated by Cllr Mrs Temperton in Great Hollands, and the uptake had been fantastic, and was really working well in Great Hollands.

·       Cllr Mrs Temperton would circulate with Cllr Mrs Hayes and Faith what had been included in Great Hollands Matters in regard to the Olio app.

·       Royal Berkshire Fire Service would be providing a Winter hub in Crowthorne Fire Station.

·       Winter Hubs were outside of the Climate Change remit, but work was being undertaken in the Council by Katie Flint.

·       The website was being redesigned, and the timeframe for the daily tip was currently unknown.

·       It was unlikely the Council would supply generators in a black out. Kevin Gibbs would look at the emergency planning too see what was detailed.

·       Sandhurst Community Centre were looking into opening their building for vulnerable people with no heating.

·       The Council had a list of vulnerable people within the borough with medical infrastructure at home. So, the Council would be able to act quickly in a black out situation.