Corporate Assurance Register

Assurance Area: Meeting our zero carbon targets and wider environmental responsibilities					Date of update: 14/11/25
Assurance Description: Climate change poses a significant risk to society as well as the Council. It is well documented that the likelihood of severe and extreme weather events is increasing. It is therefore the Council’s duty to do what it can to directly and indirectly minimise our environmental impact and ready ourselves in the event of a serious weather event. Assurances are needed therefore that appropriate strategies and policies are in place and effective, they are understood and complied with, and our emergency resilience and business continuity arrangements are in place and tested.
Assurance Owner: Group Head Commissioning and Transformation			Focus / Concern / Issue:  Focus			Assurance Level: L / M / H	M
Action / RAG	Description	Action		Latest Update
1	Climate Change Strategy & Action Plan	Review the CC Strategy and progress of the action plan to ensure it remains appropriate and achievable		Strategy regularly reviewed every 2 years (2024) and action tracker in place. With LGR on horizon we will produce a carbon footprint report annually – 14/11/25
2	Awareness and training	Review the arrangements to ensure all staff and members are aware of the Council’s strategy and policies in relation to zero carbon and general environmental awareness		The Council has achieved the bronze level for carbon literacy training for staff and is close to achieving silver to ensure staff are aware of the Council’s strategy etc.  Training has also been undertaken for members but limited number – 14/11/25
3	Oversight by E&S Committee	Continue to explore ways to meet a carbon neutral target and to promote climate change as an issue that needs to permeate all Council areas		Continue to undertake discussions with the Climate Change and Nature working group of members and take relevant projects to meet net zero targets to E&S Committee – 14/11/25
4	Business and service planning	Review the process for business and service plans to ensure they adequately reflect opportunities to reduce our carbon and meet other environmental targets		Service plans do have a section for addressing climate change within a services operation but there is scope to for services to consider and expand in more detail – 14/11/25
5	Maximise funding	Review opportunities to attract external funding to support our carbon neutral target		Staff attempt to obtain funding wherever possible including in conjunction with SCC and other Boroughs and Districts – 14/11/25
6	Influence property development	Subject to the approval of the Local Plan, implement the proposed supplementary planning guidance (SPD) to assist in future properties being better adapted to both heat and cold		Sustainability and climate change lead officers do review current planning applications to see if meet renewable energy requirements but once Local Plan in place and SPD adopted a more rigorous approach will be taken -14/11/25
7	Greener Futures Strategy	To build on Greener Futures climate adaptation strategy and incorporate actions into our climate change strategy		Adaptation strategy will be submitted to E&S Committee in January 2026 – 14/11/25
8	Wider emergency resilience & business continuity plans	Review the corporate emergency resilience and business continuity polices and plans to ensure they adequately reflect the implications of climate related issues		The review of emergency planning and business continuity plans are on a rolling basis and currently up to date with the exception of strategic business continuity which will be completed in the new few weeks - 14/11/25