The Corporate Select Committee of High Peak Council convened on Monday, 10 June 2024, to discuss a range of topics, including an update from Transition Buxton on their repair café, the annual review of Alliance Norse's performance, and various waste initiatives by Alliance Environmental Services (AES). The meeting also covered the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the council's nature declaration.

Transition Buxton Repair Café Update

Jean Beale from Transition Buxton provided an update on the organisation's repair café, which has been running since September 2009. The café has processed 1,085 items, repairing 650 of them, and saved an estimated 21.4 tonnes of CO2. Beale highlighted the need for regulatory reform to eliminate designed obsolescence and discussed other initiatives, including the hard-to-recycle scheme and the library of things.

Alliance Norse Annual Review

The committee received a presentation on the annual performance of Alliance Norse, covering financial information, compliance, repairs, voids, cleaning, caretaking, and the Capital Programme. Members discussed the digitised asbestos register, stair lifts, and the condition of public toilets. The Executive Director (Resources) agreed to undertake a site visit to assess the facilities.

Waste Initiatives by Alliance Environmental Services

Jason and Marissa from Alliance Environmental Services presented their efforts to tackle recycling contamination, including new leaflets, door-stopping campaigns, and a recyclable tag system for bins. They also discussed public engagement activities and plans to launch junior recycling officer programmes in schools. Members raised concerns about the collection of red textile recycling bags and the impact of contamination on residents.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund

Gillian provided an update on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, focusing on energy-saving initiatives. The capital will be directed towards social housing to achieve 100% low-energy lighting, with installation support from Norse. The programme will include extensive community engagement and funding for three community groups to implement energy-saving measures.

Nature Declaration and Next Steps

Katie, the council's biodiversity officer, discussed the recently published nature declaration, which acknowledges the nature crisis and outlines steps for recovery. The council's Plan for Nature will be finalised following a public consultation, with a potential launch event in late summer.

Annual Climate Change Event

Gillian and Katie proposed holding the annual climate change event in September, coinciding with the Plan for Nature launch. The event aims to empower community groups, share progress, and foster collaboration. Potential themes include energy, nature, recycling, and wildfire prevention, with involvement from various organisations.

For more details, you can refer to the agenda frontsheet and the public reports pack.