Agenda item

Notice of Motion - Declaration of a Climate Emergency and Call to Action on Local Energy

This Council notes the IPPC Panel report on Global warming predicts severe impacts to health, home and environment, with the severe floods of October 2019 and February 2020 endangering Powys communities, clearly demonstrating that we are ill prepared for the challenges we face as a Council.

This Council notes that by declaring a climate emergency, councils are demonstrating their collective leadership and signifying the urgency which, as a publicly accountable body, they place on tackling climate change and decarbonising the economy as required by The Environment (Wales) Act 2016.

This Council notes that  by supporting the Local Electricity Bill the council will remove the barriers to local energy supply, and could lead by example in reducing its corporate carbon footprint by using our farm estate to become a local renewable electricity provider, whilst also supporting communities to find innovative ways to reduce their carbon footprint and invest in, and support, their community facilities.

This Council notes Fay Jones’ MP commitment to the cross-party effort to have the Local Electricity Bill passed into law, helping Councils kick-start a local energy revolution which has the potential to reduce Powys’ carbon footprint once and for all whilst distributing the benefits to local communities perpetually.

This Council therefore resolves to:

1. Join with other councils across Wales in declaring a Climate Emergency

2. Support the implementation of Prosperity for All: A Low Carbon Wales (March 2019) to make Powys County Council a net zero carbon local authority by 2030.

3. Request the Leader to consider assigning roles within the cabinet to lead on Climate Change mitigation and to actively engage with all members and stakeholders by: A. setting up a cross-party working group and, B. establishing a Powys-wide multi-stakeholder group, to develop a baseline picture @2020 and bring forward a strategy and action plan @2021 for a truly sustainable Powys.

4. Support our MPs to ensure the Local Electricity Bill succeeds in an Adjournment Debate to encourage and enable the local supply of electricity and facilitate more resilient Powys communities.

5. Ask Welsh and UK Governments to provide the necessary support and resources to enable effective carbon reductions and transition to a green Powys economy.

Proposed by Cllr Jake Berriman

Seconded by Cllr Jackie Charlton

 

Minutes:

Council debated a motion combining the motion proposed by County Councillor Jake Berriman and seconded by County Councillor Jackie Charlton and the motion by proposed by County Councillor Iain McIntosh and seconded by County Councillor Lucy Roberts.

 

This Council resolves to:

1. Join with other councils across Wales in declaring a Climate Emergency

2. That this council will endeavour to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero, in line with the Welsh Government target of 2030 and, call upon the Welsh Government to provide adequate support and resources to achieve this target to support the implementation of Prosperity for All: A Low Carbon Wales (March 2019) to make Powys County Council a net zero carbon local authority by 2030.

 

3. Request the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Housing and Regulatory Services lead on Climate Change mitigation and continue to actively engage with all members and stakeholders by:

A. working  with  the established cross-party working group and,

B. establishing a Powys-wide multi-stakeholder group, to develop a baseline picture @2020 and bring forward a strategy and action plan @2021 for a truly sustainable Powys.

4 That this council, with the assistance of the appropriate portfolio holder, newly appointed climate change officer and climate change working group, builds on the achievements to date and develops a working strategy and associated action plans to achieve this target.

 

5. That this council reviews all relevant policies, strategies and plans, to include its corporate plan and local development plan, to support the achievement of the  above targets.

6. That this council promotes and publishes best working practices in limiting global warming whilst encouraging residents and businesses to take their own suitable actions to also reduce their carbon emissions in line with the Welsh Government target of 2030.

7. That this council, together with appropriate support and resources from the Welsh Government, works with partners, other local authorities and organisations to help develop and implement best working practices, to publicise this declaration of a climate emergency, limit global warming and enable effective carbon reductions and transition to a green Powys economy.

 

8. Support our MPs to ensure the Local Electricity Bill succeeds in an Adjournment Debate to encourage and enable the local supply of electricity and facilitate more resilient Powys communities.

The motion was jointly moved by Councillor Jake Berriman and Councillor Iain McIntosh and jointly seconded by Councillor Jackie Charlton and Councillor Lucy Roberts. The proposers and seconders welcomed the positive approach taken to find a collective way forward.

 

An amendment was proposed by County Councillor Matthew Dorrance and seconded by County Councillor Sarah Williams:

 

This Council resolves to:

1. Join with other councils across Wales in declaring  and recognising that there is a Climate Emergency

2. That this council will endeavour to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero, in line with the Welsh Government target of 2030 and, call upon the Welsh Government and UK Government to provide adequate support and resources to achieve this target to support the implementation of Prosperity for All: A Low Carbon Wales (March 2019) to make Powys County Council a net zero carbon local authority by 2030.

 

3. Request the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Housing and Regulatory Services lead on Climate Change mitigation and continue to actively engage with all members and stakeholders by:

A. working  with  the established cross-party working group and,

B. establishing a Powys-wide multi-stakeholder group, to develop a baseline picture @2020 and bring forward a strategy and action plan @2021 for a truly sustainable Powys.

4 That this council, with the assistance of the appropriate portfolio holder, newly appointed climate change officer and climate change working group, builds on the achievements to date and develops a working strategy and associated action plans to achieve this target.

 

5. That this council reviews all relevant policies, strategies and plans, to include its corporate plan and local development plan, to support the achievement of the  above targets.

6. That this council promotes and publishes best working practices in limiting global warming whilst encouraging residents and businesses to take their own suitable actions to also reduce their carbon emissions in line with the Welsh Government target of 2030.

7. That this council, together with appropriate support and resources from the Welsh Government and UK Government, works with partners, other local authorities and organisations to help develop and implement best working practices, to publicise this declaration of a climate emergency, limit global warming and enable effective carbon reductions and transition to a green Powys economy.

 

8. Support our MPs to ensure the Local Electricity Bill succeeds in an Adjournment Debate to encourage and enable the local supply of electricity and facilitate more resilient Powys communities.

The proposer and seconder of the amendment said that the inclusion of the UK Government in the wording gave the maximum opportunity for the council to make representations. The amendment was passed by 40 votes to 21 with 4 abstentions.

 

Council voted on the substantive motion and by 61 votes to 1 with 3 abstentions it was

 

RESOLVED to:

1. Join with other councils across Wales in declaring  and recognising that there is a Climate Emergency

2. That this council will endeavour to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero, in line with the Welsh Government target of 2030 and, call upon the Welsh Government and UK Government to provide adequate support and resources to achieve this target to support the implementation of Prosperity for All: A Low Carbon Wales (March 2019) to make Powys County Council a net zero carbon local authority by 2030.

 

3. Request the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Housing and Regulatory Services lead on Climate Change mitigation and continue to actively engage with all members and stakeholders by:

A. working  with  the established cross-party working group and,

B. establishing a Powys-wide multi-stakeholder group, to develop a baseline picture @2020 and bring forward a strategy and action plan @2021 for a truly sustainable Powys.

4 That this council, with the assistance of the appropriate portfolio holder, newly appointed climate change officer and climate change working group, builds on the achievements to date and develops a working strategy and associated action plans to achieve this target.

 

5. That this council reviews all relevant policies, strategies and plans, to include its corporate plan and local development plan, to support the achievement of the  above targets.

6. That this council promotes and publishes best working practices in limiting global warming whilst encouraging residents and businesses to take their own suitable actions to also reduce their carbon emissions in line with the Welsh Government target of 2030.

7. That this council, together with appropriate support and resources from the Welsh Government and UK Government, works with partners, other local authorities and organisations to help develop and implement best working practices, to publicise this declaration of a climate emergency, limit global warming and enable effective carbon reductions and transition to a green Powys economy.

 

8. Support our MPs to ensure the Local Electricity Bill succeeds in an Adjournment Debate to encourage and enable the local supply of electricity and facilitate more resilient Powys communities.