Issue - meetings

Purpose

To provide information about the recent Carbon Maturity Assessment carried out for Portsmouth City Council by City Sciences and set out how this information will be used to inform further developments.

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member for Climate Change & the Green Recovery note the report.

Kelly Nash introduced the report and in response to questions, she and Andrew Waggott Energy Services Team Leader clarified the following points:

The motion that was passed recently at Full Council focussed on the audit of emissions and this is an audit of the strategic development looking at strengths and weakness that the council can play to.  The audit of emissions is quantification of the actual sources and what we need to do drive those down.  These are complementary with the audit of emissions feeding into this assessment.  An action plan for things agreed in the motion will come to a future meeting. 

Regarding the gaps highlighted in the motion in terms of the council's citywide leadership role, this has been played through with colleagues on the Climate Action Board.  The way that board operates is currently being reviewed.

The council is looking to join up with large organisations, anchor institutions and employers to identify actions that are required. 

Shaping Portsmouth is supporting the council with how it can work more effectively with small and medium sized enterprises.

It is hoped that the Portsmouth Climate Festival can be a centre piece of the council's engagement strategy. 

The council plays an active part in regional groupings that have a climate element to them and a big part in the development of the green print for the area.

Portsmouth City Council secured approximately £70 million for domestic energy retrofit in the private sector in Portsmouth and a consortium which is largely based around here, West Sussex and South Hampshire authorities.

The council is trying to set the agenda working with a consortium of 20 local authorities on that work.

There is no statutory duty to put energy efficiency measures into private homes but it is something that we've identified as being a strength of ours. And we're trying to build on that strength.

The Climate Emergency Strategy will be reviewed in February. 

Action

Information on how carbon considerations were being built into the Local Plan, particularly around requirements on developers to build to particular standards would be sent to members.

The report was noted.