Agenda item

The Executive Member for Environment, Finance and Governance and the Director of Environment and Community Services submitted a report for the Executive’s consideration. The purpose of the report was to seek approval of Middlesbrough Council’s Green Strategy Year Two Action Plan and to summarise the progress made in Year One.

 

The Green Strategy had three main aims:

 

·        To make Middlesbrough Council net carbon neutral by 2029.

·        To ensure Middlesbrough as a town was net carbon neutral by 2039.

·        To make Middlesbrough a lead authority on environmental issues

 

The Green Strategy was an overarching climate change and sustainability strategy that contained a number of themed action plans based upon the One Planet Living (OPL) framework and principles, which were:

 

·        Zero Carbon;

·        Zero Waste;

·        Land Use and Wildlife and Sustainable Water;

·        Sustainable Transport;

·        Culture and Community;

·        Health and Happiness;

·        Equity and Local Economy;

·        Local and Sustainable Food; and

·        Sustainable Materials.

 

The Strategy had been adopted and approved by Executive in 2021 and had delivered a range of achievements in Year One (2021/22), which were summarised at paragraph 5 of the submitted report.

 

The Mayor raised a query regarding Middlesbrough’s recycling rates. The Director of Environment and Community Services explained that Middlesbrough’s current recycling rate was 33% and the Council was undertaking work to educate residents on recycling. It was also added that a new Government Bill would propose plans to boost recycling and detail new targets.

 

A Member commented that it would be beneficial for electric car charge points to be promoted and a map of locations to be developed.

 

OPTIONS

 

The other option was to do nothing and to not approve the proposed Year Two Action Plan - That would have resulted in the Council not meeting its set climate change obligations and ambitions to be a lead authority on environmental initiatives and therefore was not recommended for that reason.

 

ORDERED

 

1.      That the progress achieved in Year One (2021/22) of the Green Strategy, as outlined, be  noted and the following Year Two (2022/23) actions be approved:

·        Commence with data capture for carbon emissions for the town of Middlesbrough.

·        Enhance digital connectivity and develop a digital poverty strategy.

·        Develop a culture programme for parks with green credentials.

·        Deliver an Eco-festival.

·        Introduce active travel measures and hubs.

·        Establish a green social prescribing model.

·        Develop clean air zones.

·        Work with suppliers to help them reduce their carbon footprint.

·        Develop a social value framework and charter for Council procurement contracts.

·        Establish a food re-distribution hub in Middlesbrough.

·        Develop five new community growing sites.

·        Achieve the Sustainable Food Places Gold Award with a ‘22 Carrot Gold’ campaign.

·        Develop two new nature reserves.

·        Purchase new machinery which will help manage meadows and verges more sustainably.

·        Plant 13,000 trees and sow 80,000m2 of urban meadows.

·        Work with business and organisations to help them further reduce their carbon impact and explore energy saving measures.

·        Further expand the Council’s electric vehicle fleet.

·        Work with the Tees Valley Combined Authority to install new electric vehicle charging points in locations across the town.

·        Retain World Tree City status.

·        Hold a Climate Showcase event for business and communities.

 

 

REASON

 

The recommendation to progress with the outlined actions for Year Two of the Green Strategy was the only possible decision, other than to do nothing.

 

The Green Strategy was a long-term environmental programme and approach to respond to the climate emergency. Middlesbrough had to act now to rise to that challenge to ensure it met targets of becoming net carbon neutral by 2029 for the Council and 2039 as a town. The actions for Year Two planned to enable the Council to move closer to achieving its three overall environmental aims:

 

·        To make Middlesbrough Council net carbon neutral by 2029.

·        To ensure Middlesbrough as a town was net carbon neutral by 2039.

·        To make Middlesbrough a lead authority on environmental issues.

 

The Council therefore had an obligation to respond to climate change and lead by example by delivering against its promised actions within the Green Strategy on which it undertook public consultation in 2021.

 

The proposed Year Two actions of the Green Strategy had not been examined by Scrutiny.