Agenda item

Purpose of report:This is the second progress assessment to be done since Surrey declared a climate emergency in 2019 and the Climate Change Delivery Plan (the Delivery Plan) was published in 2021.  It sets out the achievements we have made in supporting residents and businesses to reduce their emissions as well as the progress made to date on the Council’s 2030 target.  It also recommends areas of focus in the coming year to ensure that the plan has the greatest impact.

Witnesses:

Marisa Heath, Cabinet Member for Environment

Katie Stewart, Executive Director for Environment, Transport and Infrastructure

Carolyn McKenzie, Director, Environment

Katie Sargent, Greener Futures Group Manager

Cat Halter, Climate Change Strategic Lead

 

Key Discussions:

 

General

1. The Cabinet Member for Environment summarised the 2030 and 2050 targets of the Council and affirmed the Council ’s ambitions to reaching those targets. There were many challenges in reaching the targets including the national policy context, grid infrastructure and funding.The Cabinet Member paid tribute to the work of the team which was recognised nationally. The Executive Director for Environment, Transport and Infrastructure added that the work was increasingly a cross-county, cross-Council endeavour and highlighted the strong partnerships in place.

 

2. A Member asked the Cabinet Member if recent Government announcements would derail progress towards net zero targets. The Cabinet Member said the context was challenging but the Council was committed to reaching its goals. Changes to national vehicle decarbonisation timelines were unhelpful. The Climate Change Strategic Lead added that the Climate Change Committee highlighted in their June report that the current government framework was not sufficient for reaching future targets for electric vehicles. Recent national announcements weakened carbon policies around vehicles, home insulation and gas heating and would negatively impact the Council ’s ability to meet its targets. Reforms related to the grid were positive but would only be effective if planning laws were strengthened. A Member asked if it was better that more achievable targets were set. The Cabinet Member for Environment said that there was a willingness within business and the public to press ahead with the agenda.

 

Progress Towards Council 2030 Target

 

3. The Chairman noted that the assessment of the 2030 target was Green on track with risk and asked if this was an accurate reflection. The Cabinet Member for Environment confirmed it was but acknowledged a degree of risk. Good progress had been made on streetlighting and decarbonising the Council estate which made up for 91% of the target. The Greener Futures Group Manager expressed confidence that the service would achieve the 2030 target.

 

4. A Member noted that activity and investment should be driven by impact and asked if it would be possible to give an impact assessment to increase understanding of which activities or projects would make the biggest difference to reducing carbon. The Climate Change Strategic Lead noted that this would be difficult Creating a rating had not been achievable to date, but impact was considered strongly across all actions. It was important to reflect the level of control and ability of the local authority to act.

 

5. The Director of Environment added that with limited resources, the Council was continually looking at how to maximise impact by collaborating with partners the support of the Greener Futures Reference Group was welcomed.
6. A Member raised concerns about the new street lighting in her area and queried if they had turned dimmer over time. The Executive Director for Environment, Transport and Infrastructure offered to hold a conversation with Cllr Mason regarding this issue.

 

2030 Key Projects

 

7. A Member asked how the Council would assist boroughs and districts on decarbonising fleet waste vehicles due to their high costs. The Climate Change Strategic Lead noted that the 2030 target only covered vehicles owned and operated by the Council. There were only a few low carbon options commercially available. The Council would work with local authorities to help them consider potential solutions.

 

8. The Director of Environment explained that the Surrey Environment Partnership was looking at what could be funded and done with boroughs and districts. The Cabinet Member for Environment noted that decarbonisation of fleets would only be considered at the end of life of a fleet. A Member asked if it was realistic to decarbonise fire service vehicles by shifting to hydrogen vehicles or offsetting. The Climate Change Strategic Lead said there were no low carbon commercially available fire vehicles currently but would be open to new decarbonised vehicles on the market.

 

9. The Chairman asked why progress on decarbonising the Council fleet had stalled. The Climate Change Strategic Lead answered that 450 vehicles were owned and operated by the Council. A new procurement, management approach was needed as well as new policies and the creation of a fleet management unit. Once these were in place, fleet decarbonisation could progress. The Cabinet Member for Environment emphasised that Surrey was only looking to change vehicles at their end of life.

 

10. A Member asked how the public could be encouraged to take up active travel The Cabinet Member for Environment said more needed to be done to raise awareness around what it was and to encourage uptake. The Executive Director for Environment, Transport and Infrastructure noted that having attracted funding to improve infrastructure for active travel, the Service was trying to work with the communications team and external partners to consider how to reach people best.

 

11. A Member asked a question on school travel and the difficulty of changing behaviours. The Executive Director for Environment, Transport and Infrastructure noted that it was a challenging topic, and the safety element was critical in creating infrastructure that worked with children and created best practices such as walking and biking. It must be sold to the public as a choice. The Cabinet Member for Environment stressed that this was also a social issue, if the infrastructure was put in place, then behaviour changes would occur.

 

12. A Member asked a question on the Council Retrofit programme and why currently only 7 buildings had been retrofitted against a goal of 200 by 2030. The Greener Futures Group Manager answered that decarbonising buildings was a lengthy process.83 were currently being assessed for retrofit potential with a funding bid for a further 20 buildings. The Service was collaborating closely with Land & Property who were working up an asset strategy which would be completed by March 2024 and would be updated annually. The Director of Environment stressed that fully decarbonising would rely on the grid which was out of the Council ’s remit and could delay projects by up to 8 months.

 

13. The Member asked if building retrofit would still be red this time next year. The Cabinet Member for Environment said that there was full confidence in the plan and the ambition was for it to be green although there were dependencies on funding and the budget priorities.

 

14. A Member asked a question on carbon literacy training for staff. The Cabinet Member confirmed that 3357 staff members had completed the carbon awareness training. The Climate Change Strategic Lead noted that there were two levels of carbon training at the Council: an online course that all new starters complete and a one-day carbon literacy course. The carbon literacy pilot programme was aimed at the senior leadership team who had all completed it. Some pledges as part of the training have had a positive real-life impact. The Cabinet Member for Environment noted that there were issues around Member uptake on training.

 

15. A Member asked what the total target figures were for the Council ’s corporate 2030 target. The Climate Change Strategic Lead answered that the aim was a 40% carbon reduction by 2025 compared to the 2019 baseline. In the last four years, a 34% reduction in carbon emissions had been achieved and the Council was on track to meet the 2030 target.

 

16. The Chairman asked a question on the effectiveness of the Greener Futures Board. The Cabinet Member for Environment noted that the matter was under consideration. The Board needed to become more a mechanism for delivery. A new co-chair position had been created, Professor Lorenzo Fioramonti from the centre of sustainability at the University of Surrey had been appointed and would bring a level of independence. The Board was looking to diversify by having local authority, businesses, and nature group representatives. The Director of Environment noted that it was key to ensure that the Greener Futures Board was linked with boards like the Growth Board.

 

Progress Towards Surrey’s 2050 Target

 

17. A Member asked a question on low carbon busses. The Assistant Director, Strategic Transport said that the Council was on track to over-deliver and by 2025 was projected to have 101 low carbon busses. The Service was also in discussion with four local bus companies to discuss future opportunities. The Member asked how many busses were operating in surrey. The Assistant Director answered that around 700 buses operated in Surrey and on cross border routes covering contracted and commercial services.

 

18. A Member noted that transport emissions accounted for 41% of Surrey’s emissions and asked about the barriers to progress. The Assistant Director, Strategic Transport  said that key challenges were current behaviours and choices by residents and businesses. There was a need for behaviour change and better engagement with local businesses.

 

19. A Member asked why there were only 134 EV charging ports, but the target was for 1700 delivered by 2050. The Greener Futures Group Manager noted that 190 would have been installed before the end of 2023 and that number would grow rapidly over the next five years. The Member asked where the 10,000 by 2030 target came from. The Climate Change Strategic Lead noted it was based on total publicly available charge points needed relating to demand and the number would be updated shortly.

 

20. A Member noted that targeted behaviour change must target the right people to influence behaviours and not disadvantage people with disabilities. The Cabinet Member for Environment agreed that infrastructure must improve, and the Service was not expecting anyone with health conditions to stop making car journeys if that was the best choice of transport for them.

 

21. A Member asked a question on the effect of Gatwick’s potential expansion on journeys through Surrey and Surrey’s emissions. The Assistant Director, Strategic Transport agreed that expansions would have a negative impact on emissions and the Council must work closely with relevant parties to ensure sustainable plans are developed. A Member noted that Farnborough airport was also looking to expand. The Cabinet Member for Environment noted that although the airport was in Hampshire, the Council was working with groups on this issue also.

 

22. A Member asked a question on fuel poor and vulnerable households, 1380 had been treated with funding for a further 200 in place. What percentage did this represent of Surrey? The Cabinet Member answered 7%. The Greener Futures Group Manager said that this was a big priority for the Council although it costs a lot to decarbonise homes and there was no return on investment. The Service was considering how to attract and generate income to fund the programme. For households not vulnerable but poor, the scheme was exploring how to support these households by creating events in key neighbourhoods where people could access free advice and food. The Cabinet Member noted that organisations like Draft Busters do a lot around Surrey to help households with minimising heating loss.

 

23. A Member asked what the interaction was between Surrey and local boroughs on decarbonisation to address energy efficiencies. The Climate Change Strategic Lead noted that the Council was working proactively with Boroughs and Districts on this. The plan was to develop evidence and guidance to be applied to all new builds in the development of local housing plans.

 

24. The Cabinet Member for Environment noted a Member’s point that Member’s should be better engaged with EV charging point rollout in their constituencies.

 

25. The Chairman asked a question on community engagement events taking place across surrey. The Cabinet Member for Environment clarified that community engagement was different than behaviour change. Behaviour change was a long-term goal and achieved through communicating concise and consistent messaging. The Director of Environment echoed that many engagements had taken place, and the service needed to work out how to turn those interactions to positive and sustained change.

 

26. There was a discussion on the Committee’s proposed recommendations. The Cabinet Member for Environment said that the Council had been recognised nationally for hard work on its progress to NetZero and that should be reflected in the recommendations

 

27. The Chairman thanked all witnesses for their work.

 

Actions/requests for further information:

 

1. ETI officers would follow up with Cllr Jan Mason on the issues raised in regard to street lighting in her area.

 

2. The Assistant Director, Strategic Transport and Cllr Catherine Baart to hold a discussion on the Gatwick Airport expansion plan.

 

 

Recommendations:

 

That the Communities Environment and Highways Select Committee

 

1. Welcomes the progress made overall and in particular the significant progress made at Surrey Council level and the range of achievements to date including 6kt reduction in carbon emissions, £2.5M of annual bill savings, £5M of additional funding and 0.3MW of solar power.

 

2. Recognises the challenging national policy context and the difficulty changing attitudes locally but urges continued drive and ambition in those areas that Surrey does control including Council building retrofit, aspects of EV rollout, solar PV on schools and leased buildings and carbon literacy training for Council staff.

 

3. Recommends that a greater sense of prioritisation of projects (based on impact/cost) was reflected in Delivery Plan documentation given the resource constraints the Council was facing over the medium-term financial period. This would help decision makers assess what matters most and which areas of slippage are of greatest concern. Changes to be made by December 2024 and considered by the Greener Futures Reference Group.

 

4. Recommends governance structure be revisited including role and future of the Greener Futures Board, by end 2023.

 

Andy Macleod arrived at 10:09

Lance Spencer arrived at 19:11