Agenda item

To consider a report by the Chief Officer, Sustainable Energy and Air Quality which sets out the governance and control arrangement that are in place in relation to the Climate Emergency.

(Report attached)

The Chief Officer, Sustainable Energy and Air Quality submitted a report which set out the governance and control arrangement that were in place in relation to the Climate Emergency.

Addressing the report the Chief Officer, Sustainable Energy and Air Quality explained that this was the first time that such a report has been provided since the declaration of a Climate Emergency in 2019. The assurance report for the Climate Emergency was attached at Appendix 1 of the submitted report and set out the current governance and controls that related to the climate emergency. The report also reflected how governance/controls vary depending on the complexity of a specific project, as well as the requirement to ensure that any governance was proportionate to the work programme due to the limitations of resource.

In summary the Chief Officer Sustainable Energy & Air Quality said that having undertaken the review of the system of internal control for Climate Emergency as outlined in submitted report, she was satisfied that the arrangements were up to date and fit for purpose, that they were communicated and embedded and that they were routinely complied with.

Members queried if sufficient funding had been received from the government and from grants, and if so, from where.

Members were informed that funding received was not sufficient in terms of achieving net zero emissions, but had been sufficient to fund specific projects.  Funding and policy remain a shortfall in terms of climate emergency as some of the funding would have to come through the private sector.

Members asked if the City Council were likely to fail their objectives for net zero emissions by 2030.

The Chief Officer Sustainable Energy & Air Quality said achieving the net zero objective would be challenging.  The council had always acknowledged that the council’s emissions were relatively small in the wider city, but the council also had a role in influencing citizens in terms of behaviour and the government in terms of policy.  The Council was doing everything it could in its own control.

Members questioned whether money spent on this project could alternatively be spent on the more immediate issues effecting communities, for example flooding.

Members were informed that the City Council contributed 50% of the cost of the team, the remainder was funded through grants.  Very little council resource was put directly into the climate emergency, but the team was very good at securing external finance that could not be used for other purposes, preventing Leeds being left behind as a city.

Members sought assurance that the strategy would evolve through the transition from trial projects to big projects which absorb large amounts of capital and revenue flows.

The Chief Officer Sustainable Energy & Air Quality said that we are in a period of transition, the council had been at the forefront of a number of trials and was now bringing private sector funding into working on a bigger scale.  Assurance would continue through the annual reporting, briefings and governance set up within the Council.

Members referred to the processes for challenge, enabling the council to change direction where necessary as information and technologies develop.

The Chief Officer Sustainable Energy & Air Quality said the City Council had good monitoring arrangements in place and were also willing to adopt new technologies. Reaching out to other partners such as the Climate Commission may also assist with the provision of alternate views.

Members noted that we had built a Climate Emergency Section into all committee reports and asked whether reports prepared by the City Council were monitored for climate emergency implications of the subject matter.

Members were informed that guidance was provided for report authors and that it fell to individual departments to ensure that the information provided was robust.  Members were informed that “Carbon Literacy Training” would be soon rolled out to staff.

The Chair thanked the Chief Officer Sustainable Energy & Air Quality for her attendance and contribution.

RESOLVED – To note the governance and control arrangements that are in place in relation to the climate emergency.