Agenda and minutes

Venue: This meeting will be held remotely. The meeting can be viewed live by pasting this link into your browser: https://youtu.be/R9EJ6-tpTOE

Contact: Suzanne Bennett/Liz Knight, Governance Services - Telephone: 024 7697 2299/2644  E-mail:  suzanne.bennett@coventry.gov.uk/liz.knight@coventry.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

58.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

Councillor Bigham declared she held a position on the West Midlands Combined Authority – Transport Delivery Committee. There was no requirement for her to leave the meeting.

 

There were no other declarations of interest.

59.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 204 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 March 2021 were agreed as a true record.

 

There were no matters arising.

60.

Sustainability and Climate Change - Progress to Date pdf icon PDF 204 KB

Briefing note of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator and presentation by the Head of Sustainability and Climate Change

 

Councillor O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration, Councillors Hetherton and Lloyd, Cabinet Member and Deputy Cabinet Member for City Services, Councillor Caan, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Sport and Councillor Welsh, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities have been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor O’Boyle introduced the item and emphasised that the Council was committed to tackling climate change. A new climate change strategy was being developed which would help shape the future work programme on this agenda. There were a number of projects either completed or underway in the City to support this agenda, including; Heatline, work with the Energy sector located in Coventry,  more electric vehicle charging points per head in the City then anywhere else in the UK outside of London, becoming the first city with an all-electric bus fleet and the development of Very Light Rail. 

 

Cllr Hetherton outlined that there was a range of work taking place within her City Services Portfolio on sustainability and climate change. This included looking at 15 minute cities and 20 minute neighbourhoods, ensuring recycling provision in the city centre, looking at cycling routes and electric fleet for Council vehicles.

 

Cllr Welsh outlined that there was a review of the Local Plan due and sustainability would form part of it.

 

The Committee received a presentation on Sustainability and Climate Change – Progress to date form the Head of Sustainability and Climate Change,

 

The presentation outlined the following points with regards to sustainability and climate change:

·  Energy and Climate Change

o  The City Council had a CDP A- Rating.

o  The City was part of an innovative programme called Regional Energy Systems Operator (RESO).

o  Meetings were taking place with Western Power Distribution & Cadent to see how we could predict energy usage more accurately

o  £6m had been received from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund for school and Coventry City Council buildings.

o  There was a review of Supplementary Planning Guidance Documentation in relation to energy

·  Regional Energy Systems Operator (RESO)

o  This was funded by Innovate UK

o  The money was used for identifying systems design for Zero Carbon energy generation, distribution and efficient use of supply.

o  Work was underway to identify potential investors for developing infrastructure

·  Transforming transport & mobility

o  An Electric Vehicle Infrastructure was being built in the City

o  The City would be the first all Electric Bus City

o  Very Light Rail was being developed

o  Active Travel would require a new infrastructure which was being implemented

·  Biodiversity

o  There were a number of projects on biodiversity underway in the City including

§  Living Landscapes River Sherbourne Corridor

§  Wildlife Corridors

§  London Road Cemetery

o  The Green Space Strategy was informing West Midland Combine Authorities 5 year plan

·  Addressing Environmental Inequalities

o  Plans to support this area of work included

§  Air Quality Action Plan

§  Social Value Policy

o  £2.3 million had been awarded to retrofit energy saving measures in homes to help address one element of fuel poverty.

o  Support had been provided to the City Food Network

o  Work was underway to look at employment and training opportunities through social enterprises

·  Circular Zero Carbon Economy

o  Support was being given to businesses to look at ways to support them to reduce carbon usage and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.

61.

Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee Work Programme 2020/2021 pdf icon PDF 272 KB

Report of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator

Minutes:

The Committee considered their Work Programme for the current municipal year.

 

RESOLVED that the Work Programme 2020/21 be noted.

62.

Any Other Items of Public Business

Any other items of public business which the Chair decides to take as a matter of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

Minutes:

There were no additional items of public business.