Agenda and draft minutes

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (in the event of an appeal the press and public will be excluded).

(*In accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting)

There were no appeals against the inspection of documents.

1)  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

2)  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

3)  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:-

The agenda contained no exempt information.

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes)

No late items of business were added to the agenda, however, supplementary information was circulated to Members prior to the start of the meeting. This related to Item 6 – Minutes of the previous meeting, Item 8 – Strategy & Resources Directorate Update and Item 10 – Climate Action Leeds.

To disclose or draw attention to any interests in accordance with Leeds City Council’s ‘Councillor Code of Conduct’.

No declarations of interest were made.

To receive any apologies for absence from the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor R Downes, Councillor O Newton, Councillor J Tudor and Councillor P Carlill, with Councillor E Thomson deputising for P Carlill.

At the discretion of the Chair, a period of up to 15 minutes may be allocated at each ordinary meeting for members of the public to make representations or to ask questions on matters within the terms of reference of the Committee. No member of the public shall speak for more than five minutes in the Open Forum, except by permission of the Chair.

Please note: Members of the public are asked to submit a video of their question or statement to climate.emergency@leeds.gov.uk  by 5.00 pm on Wednesday the 30^th of October 2024.

At the discretion of the Chair, a period of up to 15 minutes may be allocated at each ordinary meeting for members of the public to make representations or to ask questions on matters within the terms of reference of the Committee. No member of the public shall speak for more than five minutes in the Open Forum, except by permission of the Chair.

The following submissions were made as part of the Open Forum:

Pudsey Community Project (PCP)

The Director for PCP outlined that the organisation was charity based and part of the Leeds Community Anchor Network, operating out of West Leeds and provided a range of services, including, a food bank, youth, employment and bereavement support, a repair café and reduce, reuse kid’s clothes. The repair café created carbon reduction and financial benefits and the reduce, reuse kids’ clothes was based on a charity shop model, with some free provision or a pay as you feel options for families experiencing financial constraints, as well as reducing the negative impact on the climate the textile industry posed, with the CO₂ impact noted to be equivalent to the shipping and aviation industries combined. Microfibres contributed to 9% of water pollution into oceans and 20% of clean water pollution globally, so reusing clothes rather than purchasing new items was environmentally and financially sensible. The clothes rooms, as part of the reuse offer was based in Pudsey and open six days a week, which supported a number of climate and financial focussed charities and organisations. Emerging data for 2024 outlined that the reduce, reuse kid’s clothes had provided for approximately 2,500 families equating to 4,000+ children, with over 7 tonnes of fabric reused, equating to a saving of 127 tonnes of CO₂, including 900,000 litres of water which would have been required to produce the amount of fabric that had been reused. The service had gained traction, and it was hoped that increased carbon savings would occur year on year. there were some part time staff but, PCP was reliant on volunteers.

The Chair thanked Director for PCP and outlined that the Committee was supportive and were to promote the services offered by the organisation.

Horsforth Climate Action

A Hub Worker from Horsforth Climate Action outlined that the Horsforth Climate Action Hub was one of eight across the city, which had been opened following receipt of National Lottery funding in 2020; the funding had been agreed for four years and expired in 2024. The funding was used to support a variety of community events and paid Hub Workers who worked around 15 hours per week. The aim of the group was to encourage more climate action, contribute to zero carbon initiatives and to be more friendly to nature. Activities included a repair café, a library of things, nature maps alongside nature friendly walks and gardens, relaxed mowing sites, food groups, composting and education. A holistic approach, including audits of high footfall areas, for Horsforth being climate friendly as well  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

To receive a verbal update/presentation from the Strategy & Resources Directorate.

A verbal update/presentation from the Strategy & Resources Directorate, was to be provided to update Members on recent work of the department.

Following agreement from the Chair, this item was removed from the agenda due to other Officer work commitments, in light of the agenda order being revised prior to the start of the meeting. It was noted that this item was likely to be considered at the next meeting cycle on the 16^th of December 2024.

To recevie a verbal update/presentation from Climate Action Leeds.

The report of the Chief Officer Climate, Energy and Green Spaces, provided and update on Climate Action Leeds (CAL) who were working for a zero carbon, nature friendly, socially just Leeds by the 2030s. Their aim was to support this by mobilising communities, campaign groups and different sectors to plan and act together. They had been supported through National Lottery grant funding and work in partnership across the city with a range of groups, such as Voluntary Action Leeds, Leeds Tidal, Our Future Leeds, Together for Peace and CAG Consultants amongst others

Andy Hickford, Senior Project Manager, Climate, Energy & Green Spaces introduced the item, noting that, the Council had been engaged with CAL for a number of years and had supported the National Lottery funding bids. CAL worked across the community and were involved with a variety of climate focused initiatives within Leeds. Work was ongoing to embed the CAL ethos and continue their work, with some challenges faced, given the pending expiration of the National Lottery funding.

Paul Chatterton, Professor of Urban Futures, University of Leeds, provided the following information:

·  CAL had been established in October 2020 following the approval of £2.5million of funding granted by the National Lottery and involved seven main delivery partners. The funding was to last until September 2025.

·  CAL had been comprised of a test and learn study to develop practises to engage with and prepare communities for the impact of climate change.

·  The Council’s Climate Emergency Declaration in 2019 had been the starting point for the development of CAL. The Covid-19 pandemic had impacted the initial work conducted by CAL.

·  Work was divided between 8 Transition Partners providing expertise and developing climate action models, 8 Community Hubs providing information to communities and adding momentum to the cause, and the City Movement Building which was a central hub creating a legacy for future work, where many events and training programmes were held.

·  CAL worked with the Council and Leeds Climate Commission and had developed work programmes in response to 12 recommendations from the Leeds Climate Change Citizens' Jury. A 13^th recommendation had been incorporated, for a socially just approach to climate action, following the development of a report by the Racial Justice Network.

·  Transition partners had selected key focus areas to implement a sustainable approach to, energy, housing, food, nature, work and economy, youth/education and transport. Organisations were engaged with the transition model across a multitude of sectors.

·  Significant work on the transition model was highlighted as, a community wealth building strategy, a Leeds climate curriculum, a community retrofit show home, a community nature recovery network, Leeds community energy and a big climate justice conversation.

·  The locations for the Community Hubs were selected in diverse, cross representative sites, with 8 local organisations in place who had applied for further funding and had sought legal status to continue their work. The hubs were able to act as ambassadors as a next step. Examples of the dedicated work conducted at the hubs were provided.

·  A  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

This report provides the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee with an update on the work of Leeds Anchor Network climate sub-group.

The report provided the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee with an update on the work of Leeds Anchor Network climate sub-group

Andrew White, Senior Project Manager, Climate Energy and Green Spaces (CEGS), introduced the item noting that the profile of the Anchor network was recently updated and employed over 55,000 individuals, had spend approximately £720million in the Leeds economy and since beginning to measure CO₂ emissions in 2018, had reduced CO₂ output by over 21,000 tonnes. As part of the network a Climate Sub-group was held, including involvement from CEGS and Employment and Skills to develop further green jobs and relevant skills, inclusive growth and net zero initiatives.

Chris Kelly, Associate Director, Estates Compliance & Risk Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT), provided the following information:

·  In 2020 the NHS had committed to an ambition to be carbon neutral by 2040 in terms of scope 1 and 2 emissions that were in direct control of the NHS, and then for scope 3 emissions to be carbon neutral by 2045.

·  One of the seven commitments for 2024/2025 for LTHT was sustainability, which displayed LTHT’s commitment at a leadership level to make much greater considerations to carbon savings, given that the NHS accounted for approximately 5% of the UK’s carbon emissions.

·  Carbon impacts within the NHS had been monitored since 2013/2014 and by the end of the 2023/2024 municipal year had reduced its carbon footprint by 37% against data from 10 years prior.

·  The strategy to become carbon neutral was to be a staged process across the multiple hospital sites in Leeds, with various needs and outputs. The design for the new hospital planned to be built at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) was outlined to be a flagship model, with significant progress in terms of improved efficiency and was expected to operate on net zero carbon.

·  Other LGI buildings were noted to be heavily reliant on gas and on site power production, with funding, capital and thorough planning required to utilise alternative, sustainable energy sources.

·  The Lean 2 Green programme, based on the Leeds improvement method, sought to engage with 22,000 NHS staff members within Leeds, which empowered staff, allowed them to set an example and involved clinical leadership. Initial data showed significant financial and carbon savings and was a blueprint for success.

·  The LTHT Green Plan was set for its fourth iteration by April 2025 and was an umbrella document for a sustainable action plan, including travel plans, a decarbonisation strategy and climate adaptations. Success was tracked in order to provide accountability.

Lorraine Williams-Jones. Sustainability Communications and Engagement Officer, University of Leeds, outlined the following information:

·  The role at the University of Leeds covered strategy and engagement for the net zero programme and the Leeds Climate Plan, which had been approved in 2021 and devised 7 principles for change and engaged with relevant partners.

·  The pathway for delivering net zero utilised data on scopes 1,2 and 3, with baseline data outlining that the University’s carbon output was 168,049 tonnes per annum.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

To receive and approve the minutes of the meeting held on the 23^rd of September 2024.

RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meeting held on the 17^th of June 2024, be approved as a true and correct record.

RESOLVED - That the meeting notes of the meeting held on the 23^rd of September 2024, be approved as a true and correct record, subject to the following amendment:

Minute 5 – To include that the Boston Spa Energy Efficiency Trial (BEET), covered the Harewood Ward as well as Wetherby.

The following matters arising were raised:

The minutes of the meeting held on the 17^th of June 2024

Minute 18 – The follow up regarding customers on the waiting list for Leeds PIPES had been received which was noted as 47 in total, out of which, 26 were considered high priority. Further information for social worker electrical vehicle trials and schools and other relevant site’s sustainability plans were still outstanding. 

The meeting notes of the meeting held on the 23^rd of September 2024

Minute 5 – The Chair and Councillor Harrington were to visit a site which was relevant to the BEET programme. 

The Chair was meeting with the Climate Ambassadors, as part of the Royal Horticultural Society National Education and Nature Park programme and work was ongoing to engage and share information with schools regarding their participation and eligibility.

The next Working Group was proposed on the 3^rd of December 2024 at 1:00pm, with the invite to be extended to all Elected Ward Members. Members input on topic proposals were sought, with suggestions including Doughnut Economics, as discussed during the Climate Action Leeds item, public communication and engagement, myth busting as well seeking to invite speakers and organisations to present to the Working Group. It was proposed to be held remotely and was to consist of approximately a 2 hour session.

To note the date and time of the next meeting as Monday the 16^th of December 2024 at 10:00am.  

RESOLVED – To note the date and time of the next meeting as Monday the 16th of December 2024 at 10:00am.