Issue - meetings

A report from the Chief Executive Officer, Terence Herbert

Councillor Nick Botterill, Cabinet Member for Development Management, Strategic Planning and Climate Change introduced and moved the recommendation as detailed in the report This was seconded by Councillor Richard Clewer.

Councillor Botterill paid tribute to his predecessor for By Brook Division, former Councillor Baroness Scott of Bybrook OBE for her role in forming and shaping a newly formed authority from 2009 and to the previous Cabinet Member former Councillor Toby Sturgis, for his keen mind and steady hand in his role on the portfolio.

The authority resolved in 2019 to seek to make Wiltshire Council carbon neutral by 2030 and made a commitment in providing 6 monthly updates. Significant progress had been made over the past 6 months despite the pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic. Almost £92m of revenue and capital expenditure had been approved to be spent on reducing carbon emissions.

Wiltshire was a large rural county which presented many additional challenges in carbon reduction; however, the council had set out ambitious plans in producing deliverable reductions in carbon output and from biggest sources of emissions.

Adapting society to a low carbon future over the coming years would not be an easy task and would likely not happen at all if there were a weak faltering economy and a broken society. That was why it was imperative to ensure that the economy grows, and communities thrive.

The Chairman then invited Group Leaders to comment on the report and
presentations received.

Councillor Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council, thanked Councillor Botterill and the Carbon Reduction team, noting that this was a critical year for the country in terms of getting strategies and plans in place for reduced carbon. The government’s Decarbonising Transport Plan had recently been published, which started to set out what would need to take place, on working towards decarbonisation of transport.

The council’s Climate strategy was up for consultation and intended to be considered for approval later in 2021. He noted that the approach was impressive, and that the council had already achieved an 80% reduction on figures for 2016. Government policy would need to change to enable further movement, which the council was ready to act upon.

The Leader had also taken over as chairman for the Countryside Climate Network, a group of mostly rural authorities coordinating work to help achieve net zero and improve resilience of communities. He had recently visited Europe’s largest battery storage centre in Minety, noting that it was good to be playing a part, particularly as a rural authority, in solar and other technologies. 

Councillor Ian Thorn, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, also conveyed his thanks to officers and those Members who were present when the council voted for the Climate Emergency motion which set the council on its path to achieve its objectives.

He went on to note that a challenge of the initiative was how to engage, involve and work with communities across the county. The first step would need to ensure joined up working to achieve the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23

Report of the Chief Executive.

Cllr Nick Botterill, Cabinet Member for Development Management, Strategic Planning and Climate Changepresented the report which provided the fourth progress update on actions taken in response to the climate emergency.

Questions were received from the following members of the public in relation to this item:

·       Mel Boyle

·       Jeremy Wire

·       Andrew Nicolson

The Leader acknowledged that the questions had received a written response which had been published on the Council’s website prior to the meeting.

Supplementary questions were received from (i) Mel Boyle about the removal of the three temporary bollards; Cllr Dr Mark McClelland, Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste, Streetscene and Flooding, and the Leader confirmed that the Council were monitoring the situation and were expecting a resolution to the issues raised; (ii) Andrew Nicolson about the Council joining the Carbon Disclosure Project and Carbon reduction outcomes; Cllr Nick Botterill reported that he was aware of the Carbon Disclosure Project and had responded to their request for the Council to join the project; the Council had not set interim targets as this would be undertaken nationally; and Wiltshire is a very rural county with differing issues to urban areas.

Cllr Jerry Kunkler, Chair of the Environment Select Committee, confirmed that the Select Committee would be considering the Local Plan report at their meeting on 14 July 2021 and had re-established the Global Warming & Climate Emergency Task group at its meeting held on 15 June 2021.

In response to questions from Cllr Ian Thorn about (i) measuring the Council’s performance against other similar Councils; (ii) working in partnership with communities to gain greater outcomes; (iii) development of the Local Plan and how it meets climate objectives. Cllr Botterill, (i) confirmed that the Council measured performance, although there is an expectation that the Climate Change Conference (COP 26) taking place in Glasgow during October and November 2021 would generate further targets that the Council could consider at that time; (ii) details of how the Council engages with the local community is highlighted in the report; and (iii) confirmed that the Government will publish how this would be viable following COP 26.

In response to questions from Cllr Derek Walters and Cllr Brian Mathew about the Northacre Energy from Waste Facility at Westbury and how (i) it delivers on a reduction in carbon emissions in the county; and possible predetermination by the Strategic Planning Committee; Cllr Nick Botterill and the Leader confirmed that (i) the development would demonstrate a reduction of 58,000 tonnes of carbon per annum and avoids residue going to landfill; and (ii) the Strategic Planning Committee considered the planning officers report in line with due process and there was no predetermination involved.  Cllr Pip Ridout, confirmed this as a new member of the Committee and Cllr Suzanne Wickham highlighted that she had objected to the planning application and at no time was she asked to withdraw her objections.

In response to a question from Cllr Gavin  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30