Agenda item

a)    Joint Report of the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Local Services and Director of Transformation and Partnerships

b)    Presentation by Maggie Bosanquet, Sustainability and Climate Change Team Leader

The Committee considered the Joint Report of the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Local Services and Director of Transformation and Partnership that provided Members with an update on the County Durham Climate Change Strategy and Delivery Plan in which the committee has a key role in monitoring the progress of the strategy and deliver plan (for copy of report, see file of minutes).

Members received a presentation from the Low Carbon Economy Team Leader that focused on the following:-

·       Changes in Co2 Emissions – 41% reduction since 1990

·       Total renewable energy capacity in County Durham – wind farms the largest element of this steady increase

·       Renewable Energy – continued uncertainty due to government policy

·       Climate Change Delivery Plan – progress is driven by the County Durham partnership Climate Change Strategy Group

·       Delivery Plan Actions

·       90% of schools are engaged in Schools Carbon Reduction Programme

·       North Pennines AONB Peatscapes project works to protect over 90,000 hectares of peat which stores carbon very efficiently

·       Go smarter to work encourages businesses in County Durham to promote sustainable travel including site travel plans and improved cycle networks

·       Community energy events and surveys and a bid for ESIF funding for a community energy project are ongoing with community organisations

·       £300,000 has been received for two EU funded projects looking at business energy efficiency and community energy and a further £530,000 is funding the Business Energy Efficiency Project

·       The Civil Contingencies Unit is visiting schools and caravan sites to raise awareness of flooding and climate change.

·       A BEIS funded study into district heating opportunity for County Durham

Members were advised that the Council had signed the European Covenant of Mayors that committed to a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions. They were working with the regional LA7 group to write a low carbon plan. Each authority had placed money into a fund and the project had commenced.

Durham County Council had already hit its target which had been reached due to the number of energy efficient installations but other factors had also impacted on reaching the target were warmer winters and the loss of the area’s manufacturing capacity.

The Delivery Plan is a live document to monitor progress against the strategy and sets out priority actions. All programmes are driven by the County Durham Partnership. The Low Carbon Economy Team Leader highlighted some of the programmes and advised that 90% of County Durham schools are engaged in school carbon reduction programme which had been excellent in raising awareness among children and young people. Go Smarter to Work was another project which encourages businesses to promote sustainable travel including site travel plans and improved cycle networks.  Other projects include community energy events and surveys and an ESIF bid for funding for a community energy project is ongoing. A Beis funded study into district heating opportunities for County Durham will report in May 2017 and will report to the committee at a later date.

The Chairman thanked the Officer for a very informative presentation and commented that the report was well set out and very interesting.

Councillor Holland congratulated the Low Carbon Economy team on their outstanding work. He then referred to the CO2 emissions reduction and how the drive to renewable energy had meant better management of CO2 and commented that public buildings could be energy efficient and new houses energy neutral. He commented that the rising oil costs had led to an increase in the cost of fuel causing an energy dilemma and common sense approach was needed.

The Low Carbon Economy Team Leader responded that we needed to make our own energy and without energy, 90% of things could not be done.

Councillor Clare referred to the loss of EU funding and could not see the government putting money into this area so what were Durham County Council going to do to move forward in a non-funding environment.

The Low Carbon Economy Team Leader responded that they were trying to maximise European funding until it stopped. A lot of discussions had taken place with BEIS to encourage money to be spent in the North East and they could focus on sustainable heat such as geothermal projects, with the importance on invest to save projects.

The Chairman sought clarification if the team had been involved in the geothermal project at Bishop Auckland.

The Low Carbon Economy Team Leader responded that a bid for £5 million had been submitted for the project but so far there was no news on progress.

Resolved: That the report be noted.