Issue - meetings

Councillor Keith Williams, the Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Director of Economy, Growth, and Place submitted a joint report setting out Swindon Borough Council’s draft Carbon Reduction Strategy and seeking support for the measures proposed to reduce SBC’s carbon emissions and to influence those of the wider borough. Councillor Williams set out the cross-party approach that had been used to produce this draft, which would enter an extended consultation period and he welcomed contributions to help improve or strengthen it. The Director of Economy, Growth, and Place added how officers would be developing an implementation plan incorporating contributions from the consultation.

Councillor Jane Milner-Barry asked a series of questions, to which the Leader and Councillor Williams and officers responded, concerning:

·        How could the proposals support the ambition for carbon reduction across the whole Borough for 2030, as set out in Council’s January 2020 resolution (Council Minute 67, 2019/20)? Officers would be asked to examine the viability of the wider target. The Council was supporting the bus companies with electric vehicles as well as securing money for new charging points for residential areas in the town centre wards.

·        How does the data account for the whole borough as well vehicles leased to parish councils? The Council’s share of the borough carbon is quite low and the data only took into account vehicles based at the Waterside facility.

·        Could there be a clear, early deadline for bringing the implementation plan to Members for approval? The intention was to bring the item for decision in January or February 2021.

Resolved: (1) That the objectives and content of the draft Carbon Reduction Strategy be approved for release for wider consultation. The draft strategy is summarised in the body of the report and contained in full in appendix 1.

(2) That the Cabinet Member be requested to bring back the amended Strategy for approval by Cabinet and Council in February 2021.

(3) That the Director of Economy, Growth and Place be authorised to be the lead officer for the delivery of this strategy.

The reasons for the decision and alternative options are as set out in the report to the meeting.