Issue - meetings

The Committee are asked to consider a report from the Climate Change Officer that seeks approval and adoption of the Climate Change Strategy.

The Committee considered a report from the Climate Change Officer that sought approval of a Climate Change Strategy following the declaration of a Climate Emergency in October 2020.

The Committee were advised that the proposed strategy would be linked to Surrey County Council’s own strategy and would include Surrey County Council’s plans that might impact on Spelthorne Borough Council (the Council) and other Surrey Local Authorities. Concerns were raised as to whether the Council was committed to the Surrey Greener Future Plan. The Group Head Commissioning and Transformation advised the Committee that this had been supported at a previous meeting and that although the Council would be involved in all aspects of the plan, realistically the main focus would be on services that the Council provided and therefore would have the greatest influence on. The Committee were advised that the Council could not fully endorse the Surrey Greener Plan due to the parts of it that the Council had no control over. Concerns were raised regarding some of the future target dates within the proposed strategy. The Climate Change Officer advised the Committee that a number of key tasks outlined in the proposed strategy were being worked on in tandem and that the work plan was not reliant on one task being completed before commencing another.

The Climate Change Officer advised that a full day of training would be provided for all officers in respect of the Climate Change Strategy.

The Committee requested that an item be added to the Forward Plan for this Committee, to report back on progress made on the actions outlined in the report. The Committee asked that the work to be undertaken and work completed as part of the strategy be added to the Project Management Plan so that members would be able to see progress made.

The Committee resolved to approve and adopt the Climate Change Strategy.