Items
No. |
Item |
108. |
Apologies for Absence
To receive any apologies
for absence.
Minutes:
Apologies were received from
Councillors Hobbs, Boyden and Munt.
|
109. |
Declarations of Interest
To receive and note any
declarations of interests in respect of any matters included on the
agenda for consideration at this meeting.
(The other registrable
interests of Councillors of Somerset Council, arising from
membership of City, Town or Parish Councils and other Local
Authorities will automatically be recorded in the minutes:
City, Town & Parish Twin Hatters - Somerset Councillors
2023 )
Minutes:
No declarations of interest were
announced.
|
110. |
Minutes from the Previous Meeting PDF 155 KB
To approve the minutes
from the previous meeting.
Minutes:
Resolved that the minutes of
the Scrutiny Committee - Climate and Place held on 11/11/2024 be
confirmed as a correct record but to rectify the attendance details
of Cllrs Dingwall and Denton.
|
111. |
Public Question Time
The Chair to advise the
Committee of any items on which members of the public have
requested to speak and advise those members of the public present
of the details of the Council’s public participation
scheme.
For those members of the
public who have submitted any questions or statements, please note,
a three minute time limit
applies to each speaker and you will be asked to speak before
Councillors debate the issue.
We are now live
webcasting most of our committee meetings and you are welcome to
view and listen to the discussion. The link to each webcast will be
available on the meeting webpage, please see details under
‘click here to join online meeting’.
Minutes:
No public questions were received.
|
112. |
Budget Monitoring Update month 6 PDF 314 KB
To consider the presentation on Month 6 Budget
Monitoring Update.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Chair Invited Christian Evans, Head of
Business to present an update regarding the Month 6 Budget Monitoring.
- Overview of the corporate financial
position, highlighting an underspend but also noting the use of
reserves and contingency funds.
- Detailed breakdown of the financial
performance of various departments within the Climate and Place
portfolio, including waste services, infrastructure, highways,
traffic management, and car parking.
- Discussion on the medium-term
financial plan savings and the challenges in achieving them; the
officer advised that an update would be provided at the next
meeting if the papers are available publicly.
The Chair then invited the members to raise
any questions. The following points were discussed:
- A member sought clarity on the five
savings recorded at risk and what measures are being taken to
mitigate these risks – the officer explained that the
medium-term financial plan savings would be detailed in the next
meeting, including a table showing the mitigations put in place to
avoid risks. He acknowledged that one saving in waste was
unachievable and would provide further details in the next
meeting.
- The Vice Chair requested that the
next meeting include updates for months seven and eight, as month
seven figures were already available, by February month 8 figures
would be out as well. The officer agreed to include updates for
months seven and eight in the next meeting, working with Democratic
Services team to ensure the timing aligns with the committee cycles
and appropriately reported to this panel.
- A member requested the officers to
consider the waste collection days measures in a new manner –
or a different cycle, to help ease the pressure of numbers
reflected on these papers. The officers agreed that quarterly basis
might be more helpful and would work with the team to implement
this.
- A member asked for clarification on
the undeliverable savings in waste services and the use of the term
"mitigations" versus "substitutes." - the officer confirmed that
the £50,000 saving related to black recycling boxes was a
minor issue and that mitigations were being put in place for other
at-risk savings. He would bring a detailed narrative of these
savings to the next meeting.
- All directors are required to put
the mitigations in to offset the savings that they've they haven't
achieved this year.
- The officer suggested that he would
bring the MTFP tracker to the next meeting for the committee to see
and raise questions or ask for clarification where
needed.
- A member asked about the ongoing
pressure of the waste services overspend and whether it was
correctly categorized and how – and was advised that the
waste services overspend should be categorized as ongoing pressures
and that it had been worked into the medium-term financial plan up
to 2030.
- What falls under resilience and
adaptation and why is it an overspend? - the resilience and
adaptation budget included flood and water management, the Somerset
Rivers Authority, and emergency planning. The Officers would
confirm the details and provide a written reply if
necessary.
|
113. |
Local Nature Recovery Strategy Update PDF 2 MB
To receive and consider a presentation on the
Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Chair invited Stephen Dury, Project
Manager – Coast Catchment Levels and Moors, to present the Local Nature Recovery Strategy
draft to the committee.
- The LNRS is a spatial strategy aimed
at environmental improvement and biodiversity
enhancement.
- It is a legal requirement under the
Environment Act 2021 and aims to create a comprehensive approach to
nature recovery.
- Somerset Council is leading the
development, working closely with the Somerset Local Nature
Partnership and other stakeholders.
- Extensive engagement with the
public, farmers, landowners, and various organizations has been
conducted to gather input and feedback.
- To protect and expand nature-rich
habitats, ensuring they are better connected to allow species to
thrive.
- To deliver other environmental
benefits such as cleaner air and water, healthier soils, flood
prevention, and carbon sequestration.
- The strategy includes a local
habitat map identifying existing protected sites and areas where
action could bring about significant nature recovery.
- Two types of opportunity areas are
identified: those important for biodiversity and those where
biodiversity recovery can contribute to other environmental
benefits.
- The LNRS will guide funding from
various sources, including biodiversity net gain, environmental
land management schemes, and private investment.
- It aims to channel funding to areas
where it will have the most impact.
- The strategy will be monitored and
reviewed every three to ten years to assess progress and make
necessary adjustments.
- There is an expectation of regular
reporting to ensure the strategy's effectiveness.
- The strategy emphasizes a
collaborative approach, involving local authorities, farmers,
community groups, and NGOs.
- Public consultation is planned to
gather further input and ensure broad participation.
- Addressing the decline in
biodiversity and the impact of climate change.
- Balancing nature recovery with other
land uses such as agriculture and development.
- The presentation highlighted the
comprehensive and collaborative nature of the LNRS, aiming to
create a sustainable and biodiverse environment in
Somerset.
The Chair then invited the members to raise
any questions. The following points were discussed:
- The Vice Chair commented on the
biodiversity damage and the need for data on what is damaging the
moors and levels across the country.
- The lack of data from Natural
England about what is causing the damage to our moors and levels is
alarming. Members supported the idea of funding streams for
environmental projects and emphasized the need for data and
research.
- There is no finding within the
Council for any of the environmental goals either to invest in fact
finding and data finding.
- The Officer acknowledged the need
for data on the damage to the moors and levels and agreed that
combining climate change, environmental damage, and biodiversity
issues was crucial. He supported the proposal for a CIL payment for
the environment.
- Combines action plans for various
themes.
- A member asked whether the LNRS
would be in place in time to influence the local plan - advised
that the LNRS would be in place to influence the local plan and
that the team would likely become a statutory consultation body for
planning, pending further guidance and funding from
DEFRA.
|
114. |
Energy Plan Progress PDF 106 KB
To consider a progress update on the Energy
Plan and how it links with the Local Plan.
Minutes:
The Chair invited James Divall, Head of
Climate and Natural Environment, and Mark Fortune, Service Manager
– Programme Manager, Climate Emergency, to update the
committee on the Energy Plan.
- Officers provided an update on the
Somerset Energy Investment Plan, highlighting the progress made and
the next steps.
- Explained that the plan had not yet
gone to the executive due to organizational changes and multiple
officers leading the project. However, they aimed to present it by
March.
- The energy plan includes six key
recommendations: decarbonizing council estates and assets,
developing large-scale solar and wind projects, improving energy
efficiency and retrofit in housing, electrifying demand, changing
transport to reduce fossil fuel use, and engaging with the energy
system.
- Specific Projects and
Funding:
- Wellington Sports Centre: A
£3.5 million project to upgrade heating systems, air source
heat recovery, and solar panels, resulting in significant carbon
savings.
- Saltlands Solar Park: Originally stalled due to a
delayed grid connection, now re-evaluated with a new connection
date of 2025/26. The project received £50,000 in grant
funding to explore options for development.
- Heat Network Feasibility Study: A
project in Taunton to develop a heat network, with £70,000
secured for detailed project planning.
- Decarbonizing Fleet and
Transport:
- Transport Discovery Day: An event to
explore options for decarbonizing heavy fleet vehicles, including
electric and hydrogen solutions.
- Zebra Funding: £2.2 million
awarded for electric buses, paired with £13 million from
First Bus to transform 25 buses to electric, covering 30% of the
fleet in Somerset.
- Electric Vehicle Charging Points:
Anticipated £3.8 million for on-street and car park charging
infrastructure, with a consultation planned for public input on
locations.
- A meeting with National Grid
scheduled for early February to discuss future grid impacts and
improvements needed for EV infrastructure.
The Chair invited members to raise any
question. Following points were discussed:
- Members expressed relief and
pleasure at the progress made, especially in decarbonization and
further bids for funding. Emphasized the importance of
electrification for transport and the potential limitations of
hydrogen due to energy inefficiency – officers acknowledged
the importance of electrification and agreed that hydrogen might be
used when there is a surplus of energy. They emphasized that under
3.5 tonnes, electric vehicles (EVs) are the way to go, while
hydrogen might be considered for heavier vehicles.
- Highlighted the need for a future
report on retrofit, including progress on council housing stock and
plans for those unable to pay - Officers confirmed that they are
already working closely with relevant teams and would provide an
updated report on retrofit as part of their cross-service
working.
- Stressed the importance of improving
planning policies to support renewable energy generation and high
energy performance in new housing. Requested an early report on how
these policies would be given weight in the new local plan –
officers acknowledged the importance of influencing the local plan
and confirmed that they are keen to ensure a broad range of topics
are included. They will work with planning colleagues to ensure
these policies are given appropriate ...
view the full minutes text for item 114.
|
115. |
Task and Finish Group Update - Water Quality in Somerset
To receive a verbal work progress report.
Minutes:
Vice Chair Cllr Hobhouse provided a verbal
update on the Task and Finish Group. The following points were
noted:
- Protocol Document - Officers
confirmed that a protocol document for the Task and Finish Group
had been agreed upon following discussions with the Vice Chair. The
document outlines the group's objectives, scope, and initial
steps.
- Data and Understanding: The group
aims to understand the available data on water quality and identify
gaps. An initial report will be prepared to outline the
opportunities for further understanding and the funding required to
address these gaps.
- Next Steps: The membership of the
Task and Finish Group needs to be finalized. An initial
scene-setting meeting will be held to determine who needs to be
consulted and what data needs to be collected.
- Scope and Focus: The Task and Finish
Group will focus on addressing the problems on the levels and
returning them to their natural biodiversity. The group will
not only identify the problems but also propose solutions and
actions to improve water quality.
- Reporting and Approval: The terms of
reference for the Task and Finish Group will be shared with the
committee and included in the meeting papers. The group will
report back to the committee after the first meeting in January,
with a detailed update on their discussions and plans.
- Concerns and Suggestions: A member
expressed concerns about the scope and the need for local knowledge
and experience to be included in the group's work.
The importance of involving a wide range of
stakeholders, including those beyond Natural England and the
Environment Agency, was emphasized.
- Finalize the membership of the Task
and Finish Group.
- Hold the initial scene-setting
meeting in January.
- Share the terms of reference with
the committee.
- Report back to the committee in
February with an update on the group's progress.
|
116. |
Scrutiny Climate and Place Work Programme
To receive an update from the Service Manager,
Governance Scrutiny. To assist the discussion, the following
documents are attached:
(a) The
Committee’s work programme
(b) The
Committee’s outcome tracker
Please use the following links to view the latest
Somerset Council Forward Plans and Executive Forward Plan of
planned key decisions that have been published on the
Council’s website:
Somerset Council Forward
Plans
Somerset Council Executive Forward
Plan
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Committee was informed that updated
iterations of the work programme and outcome tracker had been
published. These updates reflect discussions from previous meetings
and a separate meeting with Councillor Mansell.
The updated documents include several changes
and additions, with potential future agenda items added by
officers.
- Landslides and Risk Register:
Councillor Hobhouse requested that recent landslides on the A371 be
placed at the top of the risk register for the entire
council.
- Call for Action on Rights of Way:
Councillor Hobhouse mentioned new legislation allowing councillors
to call up issues personally and requested action on the governance
of rights of way.
- Early Release of Agenda Papers:
Members requested that agenda papers for the next meeting be
released earlier than usual due to the proximity of full council
meetings and the budget setting process.
- Local Plan and Retrofit: Emphasis on
including updates on the local plan and retrofit in the work
programme.
- Bus Services Report: Highlighted the
importance of the upcoming report on bus services in February,
noting the council's additional funding for buses.
- Annual Reports from Portfolio
Holders: Suggested that annual reports from portfolio holders be
presented to the scrutiny committee before going to full
council.
- Sharing Terms of Reference: Agreed
to share the terms of reference for the Water Quality Task and
Finish Group with the committee and include them in the meeting
papers.
|