Agenda, decisions and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, the following interests were declared: -

Councillor S J Rice declared a personal interest in the agenda as a whole.

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, the following interests were declared: -

Councillor S J Rice declared a personal interest in the agenda as a whole.

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Approved.

Resolved that the Minutes of the Climate Change and Nature Recovery Service Transformation Committee held on 16 October 2023 be approved and signed as a correct record.

For information.

Jane Richmond, Project Manager Strategic Climate Change and Rachel Lewis, Directorate Project Manager, Property Services presented a ‘for information’ report which provided an update on progress, setting out a delivery plan for net zero 2050 and presented the Swansea Council activity on the ‘Delivering on Nature Recovery and Climate Change’ Engagement Plan.

It was outlined that Swansea Council declared a climate emergency in June 2019 and a Nature Emergency in November 2021. In 2022 a Climate Change and Nature Strategy and Delivery Plan for 2022-2030 was approved by Cabinet to deliver 30 actions by 2030. This strategy and plan would deliver net zero for its own operations by 2030.

The Council was also working in parallel, to the internal strategy and plan, by delivering a plan for net zero 2050, the county wide approach to net zero and decarbonisation. Swansea Council recognised that it cannot accomplish net zero for Swansea as a county on its own and that it needed to work in partnership with others to enable the best possible outcomes.

It was recognised that Welsh Government would expect future progress reports in respect of 2050, in a similar way to the reporting it does for net zero 2030.  The activity for the wider Swansea city and county net zero 2050 and creating the carbon literate workforce that would be required to enable delivery across all sectors of Swansea Council work was outlined in the report.

The Committee were updated in detail on Swansea Council Activity for Net Zero 2050, including Appendix A - Climate Change Delivery Plan Update 2022-23; the Climate Change and Nature Action Signatories Group, the Environmental Partner Framework and the Local Nature Partnership; Internal Delivery Plan for 2030 and 2050, including the Climate Change Communications Plan for 2023-27 at Appendix B; and External Delivery Plan for Net Zero 2050; and delivery of Net Zero 2050 and Nature Recovery through Swansea Public Service Board.

It was summarised that the delivery plan for engagement for Net Zero 2050 was based on 3 main areas of work. This would form the basis of some of the work to be carried out by the Strategic Climate Change Project Manager for the duration of the present Swansea Well-being Plan, to ensure alignment with the reporting procedures of Swansea Public Service Board.  The 3 areas of focus would be: -

·       Internal delivery to ensure a climate literate workforce and well-informed Council Members to enable positive change and reduced emissions;

·       External delivery through the Environmental Partner Framework; and

·       Delivery through the Climate Change and Nature Action Signatories and by the taking on of the delivery group role for step 3 of the Swansea Well-being Plan.

The Committee discussed the following: -

·       How people will only react when suffering an actual physical impact and the need for any changes introduced to be person based and not scientific.

·       The importance of the available training sessions being completed.

·       The importance of simple communication and empowering people to help make the achievable changes.

·       Importance of the Energy Awareness Hub.

The Chair thanked the Officers for the report.

Noted.

Andy Edwards, Project Manager, Property Services, supported by Anna Lawson, Principal Energy Consultant, City Science presented a report which advised the Committee of the development of Swansea’s Local Area Energy Plan.

It was explained that a Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) is the strategic plan, within a defined geographic area, for how the energy systems would be decarbonised. It results in a fully costed plan that identifies the change that needs to happen, detailing ‘what, where, when and by whom’, with the aim of achieving Net Zero by 2050.

It was added that an LAEP addresses electricity, heat, and gas networks, future potential for hydrogen, the built environment (industrial, domestic and commercial) its fabric and systems, flexibility, energy generation and storage, and providing energy to decarbonised transport e.g. electricity to electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.

Furthermore, Welsh Government had split councils into 4 regions, with Swansea part of the South West Wales region, along with Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.  Welsh Government had appointed a specialist company to work with each region, and the individual councils, to produce their LAEPs. City Science had been appointed to work with the South West Wales region and these locally developed plans would feed into the regional and national energy strategies.

It was highlighted that City Science had developed a process to progress matters, working with Swansea Council and a wide range of stakeholders, it commenced in February 2023 with a view to producing a first draft of the plan in December and the final document was due to be signed off in March 2024.  Appendix B provided the Overview of LAEP Development Stages.

The development of Swansea’s LAEP had considered a number of likely scenarios and modelled them to identify a pathway the Council may be able to follow to achieve of Net Zero Swansea by 2050.  From the scenarios, a range of possible actions were identified and split into specific categories, which were listed.

It was further explained that the South West region had received Welsh Government funding to employ a Project Manager and two Project Officers to oversee the initial implementation of the individual LAEPs and their integration into the Regional Energy Strategy.  These officers would be employed by Carmarthenshire Council but would work across the region, until November 2025.

Each action would have its own governance arrangements and the overarching governance arrangements for implementing the LAEP would be outlined within the final plan.

The Committee discussed the following: -

·       Potential energy being produced locally, including power storage.

·       Ensuring communities are included in developments, producing energy efficient homes and being conscious that biodiversity energy options do not dominate local areas.

·       The importance of cost effective and energy efficient public transport.

·       Solar energy system pilot projects which were ongoing within communities and some of the issues raised by the schemes.

·       The Council being mindful of how much they were asking of residents and ensuring that changes made were positive, empowered and was manageable for individuals.

Anna Lawson, Principal Energy Consultant, City Science highlighted the importance of working regionally, involving business in the journey and making decarbonisation financially viable.

Resolved that the Committee notes the development of Swansea’s Local Area Energy Plan.

Noted.

The Chair presented an updated Work Plan report.

Resolved that: -

1)    The contents of the report be noted.

2)    The meeting scheduled for 22 January 2024 be cancelled and a workshop session be held on Sustainable Transport Strategy – next steps.