Agenda item

Councillor Sarah Dyke as Portfolio Holder for Environment provided an update on the progress of projects in the SSDC Environment Strategy 2019.  The full briefing:-

The Env CoP have been working through the delivery plan and most actions are now allocated to lead officers. Whilst working across all the actions, initial progress has been targeted to the following points:

Recruitment to new posts

We have now advertised for the three posts to help deliver the Env Strategy Delivery plan. These posts will be crucial to support existing officers with the amount of work that is required, both for the Council itself and for the wider community. Interviews should take place in January with start dates in Feb/March.

One post will focus on Comms work, setting up an information site for public and interested communities to access. Also liaising with the Environment Champions that we have asked each Parish and Town Council to nominate (please ask members  to encourage their PCs and TCs to engage with this and nominate people)

The Environment Case Officer will be focusing on the energy and built environment work, both for SSDC itself and working with communities. Work has already begun on this (see below) and will picked up by them when they start. They will also support work on transport issues, green travel planning, electric vehicles, planning and so on.

The Living Environment Officer will be focusing on work around the natural environment, picking up the work that has already started on trees and woodlands (see below), and also pollinator work underway.  Also strong engagement supporting communities with biodiversity work and nature corridors

Carbon footprint of SSDC

Work is now complete on calculating the carbon footprint of SSDC.  The results are as follows:

South Somerset net emissions are 1,634 tonnes CO2e

Carbon Intensity is 4.68 tonnes CO2e / fte

Vehicle fuel represents 25% of gross emissions

Gas represents 36% of gross emissions

Electricity represents 34% of gross emissions

This puts SSDC at a fairly average baseline emission which is a good starting point.  The work now being undertaken is to look at options to reduce this.  We have highlighted our top 5 energy use buildings and are working on identifying options for reducing that energy use. This is likely to need the input of an energy surveyor (which will come from Env Strategy budget money).  Business cases will be brought forward for options identified. The 5 buildings identified are: Brympton Way, Lufton depot, Octagon, Westlands entertainment and YIC. Once the Env Case Officer has started we will look more closely at options around travel and transport.

For information as people may ask what the carbon figure includes: It is based mainly on energy and transport emissions as trying to account for carbon from things like products we procure is extremely complex and full of statistical errors.  Other actions such as our procurement policy, recycling policies etc. will help control the impact of these factors

Costings on energy switch

We are currently looking into the options available to SSDC to switch to a green energy supplier. The current supplies are complicated (not just one tariff) as we have a very mixed portfolio of businesses from office buildings to large entertainment venues. A cost benefit analysis of switches to a green supplier will be carried out based on figures supplied by Crown Commercial Services. There are a variety of options available from purchasing of Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs) to Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). Once all the figures are available a business case will help inform decision making.

Trees and woodland work

An officer group has been established to lead on the roll out of enhanced tree planting and woodland creation for our own land and across the wider district. Officers have been seeking external grant funding to help cover the costs of tree planting and once funds are secured if there are implications for particular wards then members will be consulted. A list of potential tree planting grant funds has been compiled and will be posted on the Members portal ready for January. This document will be issued to the parishes via the Environment Champions but may also be of use to members wishing to support tree planting initiatives in their wards. The Great Parish Tree Giveaway is being coordinated for early 2020, SSDC are funding 60 free tree packs of 50 cell grown trees and stakes, with all the instructions required to our parishes for planting in their open spaces. A full set of instructions and guidelines will be available and information will be issued to Parish Clerks and Environment Champions before Christmas. The packs will also be posted on the member’s portal.

In response to questions from Members, the Portfolio Holder for Environment advised:-

·         There was no specification to plant orchards in the first phase of the Great Parish Tree Giveaway and initially there were only 60 tree packs in the current scheme, however, there were other organisations offering trees like the Woodland Trust and further information was on the Members Portal for other groups or trusts.

·         She would look at the area of land in Martock which the Ward Member advised had been identified for development by SSDC but the parish felt was suitable for tree planting.

·         The officers appointed would be part of the communities of practice and they would be a conduit of expertise into the planning system on environmental matters.

During discussion it was noted that finding available land to plant trees within parishes was often difficult for town and parish councils. It was also noted that planting fruit trees was beneficial to communities.

At the conclusion of the debate, Members were content to note the update on the progress of the Environment Strategy provided by the Portfolio Holder.