Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: August 21, 2025

Purpose: To approve the revise Climate Change Strategy 2025-30 and climat change action plan.

Content: The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Corporate Services, which sought approval of the Rochdale Climate Change Strategy 2025-30 and Climate Change Action Plan.   The Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment delivered a brief summary of the report’s key points.   The Head of Corporate Policy, Performance and Improvement was in attendance to present the information and to address the questions and the comments of the Cabinet Members.   Resolved: 1.    That the Climate Change Strategy and Delivery Plan 2025-30, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report and the Action Plan at Appendix 2 be approved; 2.    That the comments and recommendations from the Climate Emergency Scrutiny Study Group meeting held on 30 July 2025, as set out under paragraph 5.9 of the report be noted.   Reason for decision: Rochdale Borough Council had declared a Climate Emergency in July 2019 and had set a target for both the council and the borough to become carbon neutral in line with the Greater Manchester target of 2038.   The timeline on the current strategy and action plan was up to 2025 and therefore required to be reviewed and refreshed. Internal audit completed a review of the current action plan (2020-2025) and produced a report on 21 June 2024, which included several recommendations on ways the action plan could be improved. The recommendations of Internal Audit had been incorporated into the development of the action plan.   The strategy aligned the approach with the new Greater Manchester Five-year Environment Plan 2025-30, the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the corporate priorities for Rochdale Borough Council set out in the People, Place and Planet Council Plan.   Alternatives considered and rejected: The resolution of council on 17 July 2019 to declare a climate emergency also included a commitment to set in place a process of engagement and collaborative action that had enabled an action plan to be considered by Cabinet and Council in early 2020, based on achieving the 2038 carbon neutrality target.   This had been further supported by the decision of Cabinet on 28 January 2020 (Minute 68 refers) to approve a draft Climate Emergency Strategy, for consultation and that the Climate Emergency Working Group once established would be tasked to agree the final Climate Change Strategy and produce a detailed climate emergency action plan which could form the basis of future discussions and decisions at Cabinet.   A Climate Change Strategy and action plan 2021-25 had been formally adopted by Cabinet on 29 March 2022 (Minute 126 refers). The report and supporting appendices was intended to update the climate change strategy and action plan for the period from 2025 to 2030.