Issue - meetings

This report sets out the County Council’s Carbon and Energy policy for 2015 to 2019, which builds on the Council’s existing policy framework.

The policy sets out the County Council’s ambition to be a resilient and low carbon council in the most cost effective way, whilst enhancing the wider benefits to Surrey’s economy and environment.

The policy will enable the Council to reduce its carbon emissions, manage energy costs and become more resilient in times of volatile global energy markets, whilst meeting our energy needs in buildings, streetlighting and the Council’s fleet and business travel.

The Council has a number of statutory duties that it is obliged to carry out in respect of carbon and energy.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by either the Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee or the Environment and Transport Select Committee]

1.       That the proposed Carbon and Energy Policy, as set out in Annex A to the submitted report, be approved.

2.      That an action plan be developed, further to the policy’s outline action plan, as set out in Annex A, section 7 to the submitted report, to implement the policy and deliver the carbon emissions reductions and associated cost savings.

3.      That the Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning works in partnership with Surrey Boroughs and Districts to develop opportunities for joint working to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs of the public sector. 

Reasons for Decisions:

Implementing the Carbon and Energy Policy will support the Council’s aims, including providing improved cost control and value for money, demonstrating community leadership in relation to carbon emissions reduction and achieving wider benefits for Surrey’s local economy and environment.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by either the Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee or the Environment and Transport Select Committee]

The Council’s Carbon and Energy policy for 2015 to 2019, which built on the Council’s existing policy framework was introduced by the Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning.

He said that the County Council had a number of statutory duties that it was obliged to carry out in respect of carbon and energy and that this policy built on the Carbon and Energy Policy of the last four years.

He said that, through the policy, the County Council was demonstrating responsibility and leadership in protecting quality of life for Surrey residents and future generations, as well as achieving value for money for residents today. Energy management was one of several ways that the County Council was bearing down on its operational costs to ensure more money goes to front line services, whilst ensure statutory responsibilities in this area were fulfilled.

He gave a detailed explanation of the way forward to 2019 and said that the policy set a target of 10% reduction in carbon emissions by 2019 against a 2013/14 baseline. He also considered that there were sound business cases in place to secure the necessary funding.

Finally, he said that one of the next steps would be a joint working partnership with Boroughs and Districts.

RESOLVED:

1.       That the proposed Carbon and Energy Policy, as set out in Annex A to the submitted report, be approved.

2.      That an action plan be developed, further to the policy’s outline action plan, as set out in Annex A, section 7 to the submitted report, to implement the policy and deliver the carbon emissions reductions and associated cost savings.

3.      That the Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning works in partnership with Surrey Boroughs and Districts to develop opportunities for joint working to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs of the public sector.  

Reasons for Decisions:

Implementing the Carbon and Energy Policy will support the Council’s aims, including providing improved cost control and value for money, demonstrating community leadership in relation to carbon emissions reduction and achieving wider benefits for Surrey’s local economy and environment.