The Environment, Flooding, Climate Change and Waste Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Leicestershire Council met on Monday 8 June 2026 to discuss the council's environment strategy, carbon commitments, and waste management. Key decisions included noting the progress on the Air Quality and Health Partnership Action Plan and the Environment, Flooding and Climate Change Performance Report.

Environment Strategy and Carbon Commitments

The committee received a briefing on the council's environment strategy and carbon commitments. James O'Brien, Environment Team Manager, presented the council's revised environment strategy, approved in July 2020, which incorporates commitments to carbon neutrality by 2030 for the council's own emissions and by 2045 for Leicestershire as a whole. He highlighted the significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions achieved by the council to date and outlined the risks associated with inaction on environmental issues, including disruption to services, impacts on vulnerable populations, and increased costs. The strategy encompasses six themes: carbon and climate change, resource use, zero-carbon energy, travel and transport, biodiversity, community and wellbeing, and the local economy.

The presentation detailed the scale of emissions within Leicestershire, with the county's emissions dwarfing those of the council itself. Transport accounts for 35% of county emissions, followed closely by industry and commercial sources (34%) and domestic sources (31%). The committee discussed the variations in per capita emissions across different districts, with North West Leicestershire having the highest emissions per person.

The council has an ambitious plan to reduce its own emissions to net zero by 2030, with a roadmap and action plan expected in autumn 2021. The presentation also touched upon the Action for Nature document, which aims to address biodiversity loss, and the pledge to plant over 700,000 trees. The committee was informed about upcoming legislative changes, including the Environment Bill and a new Planning Bill, which are expected to bring new duties and responsibilities for local government.

During the discussion, Councillor Bill described the high carbon emissions in North West Leicestershire as potentially linked to the airport, quarrying, and major road networks. Concerns were also raised about the impact of various tree diseases, exacerbated by climate change, and the need for a coordinated approach to address these issues. Rosita Page questioned the per capita measurement of emissions, suggesting it might not accurately reflect the source of emissions, and asked how businesses would be engaged in reduction efforts. Amanda asked about the integration of air quality and biodiversity data, and Rosita inquired about influencing government policy on environmental planning. Blake Payne, Lead Member for the Environment and Green Agenda, emphasised the council's membership in UK 100 to strengthen lobbying efforts and Nick Chapman asked about the consideration of hydrogen in future vehicle fleets.

Resources and Waste Strategy

Vicki Cormie, Head of Service in the Environment and Waste department, and Anna Lowe, Team Manager, provided a briefing on the government's Resources and Waste Strategy and its implications for Leicestershire. The UK-wide strategy, published in 2018, aims to maximise resource value and minimise waste. Anna Lowe detailed the key consultations arising from this strategy, including those on a deposit return scheme, extended producer responsibility for packaging, and consistency in household and business recycling collections.

The committee learned about the current structure of waste management in Leicestershire, with district councils acting as waste collection authorities and the County Council as the waste disposal authority. The Leicestershire Municipal Waste Management Strategy is currently under review, with a revised document expected in spring 2027.

Key facts and figures presented included that Leicestershire deals with approximately 300,000 tonnes of household waste annually, with a recycling rate of 43.3% in 2021. A significant portion of residual waste in black bins consists of food waste (34%), with other recyclable materials such as paper, card, glass, and metals also present. The council operates 14 household waste recycling sites and two waste transfer stations.

The discussion highlighted the upcoming significant changes due to government reforms, including the potential for mandatory food waste collections and extended producer responsibility. Concerns were raised about the financial implications for districts and the need for effective planning and partnership working. The committee also discussed the challenges of construction and demolition waste, the regulation of private waste transfer stations, and the role of incineration in waste management. Amanda raised concerns about the lack of focus on waste reduction and the producer pays principle, while Bill questioned the effectiveness of reuse facilities and the impact of budget cuts to recycling education. Brian asked about the temporary closure of recycling household waste sites due to staff shortages.

Blake Payne, Lead Member for the Environment and Green Agenda, acknowledged the vital role the council plays in waste management and its commitment to reducing landfill waste. He also highlighted the importance of the Environment Bill in driving profound changes in how waste is tackled.

Environment, Flooding and Climate Change Performance Report

Ann Carruthers, Director of Environment and Transport, presented the Environment, Flooding and Climate Change Performance Report for June 2021. The report detailed performance indicators across various strategic objectives, including electric vehicle charging infrastructure, domestic property energy efficiency, and carbon emissions from council buildings and street lighting.

Key points from the report included:

• Electric Vehicle Infrastructure: Both electric vehicle charging locations and ownership per 100,000 population have increased, indicating positive progress, though still in the third quartile compared to other authorities.
• Environmental Risk Management: The number of environmental risks managed on council sites has reduced significantly over time, with plans in place to address the remaining five, including drainage works at recycling household waste sites.
• Waste Recycling: The percentage of household waste sent for reuse, recycling, and composting has slightly decreased to 42.8%, falling short of the 50% target. The annual percentage of municipal waste sent to landfill remains relatively static, with a target of less than 30%.
• Total Household Waste: The total household waste per household has slightly increased to 1,018 kilograms, with the committee noting potential influences from the pandemic and the county's affluence.
• Public Perception: A high percentage of residents (97%) consider protecting the environment important, though 67% believe the council could do more.
• Building Energy Efficiency: The percentage of domestic properties with an Energy Performance Certificate rating of C or above has improved for existing properties (38.7%) but remains in the fourth quartile. New build properties perform exceptionally well (97.3%), achieving top quartile performance.
• Carbon Emissions: Carbon emissions from the council's own buildings have decreased to 3,393 tonnes, meeting its target. Emissions from street lighting and traffic signs have also decreased marginally.
• Renewable Energy: The amount of renewable energy generated as a percentage of consumption has increased to 16%, but is not meeting its target of 21%.
• Staff Perception: 93% of staff believe the council is doing enough to reduce its environmental impact, a figure that remains static. Total business miles claimed are decreasing and meeting their target.

During the discussion, members raised questions about the comparison of building efficiency with other areas, the mechanics of the dashboard indicators, and the reasons for an increase in fleet vehicle emissions. Ann Carruthers explained that the increase in fleet emissions was due to the need for more vehicles to maintain social distancing during the pandemic. Blake Payne highlighted the council's performance in waste management relative to its resource envelope and promoted the Green Homes Grant scheme. Amanda raised concerns about the marketing of the Green Homes Grant, suggesting a more inclusive approach.

Air Quality and Health Partnership Action Plan Update

The committee received an update on the progress of the Air Quality and Health Partnership Action Plan 2024-28. Mike Sandys, Director of Public Health, Communities, Law and Governance, and Ann Carruthers, Director of Environment and Transport, presented the report. The plan aims to improve air pollution in Leicestershire and reduce its impact on human health and health inequalities.

Key successes in Year 1 include:

• Collaboration with district councils on local air quality strategies, such as the Blaby Air Quality Action Plan and the Charnwood Air Quality Strategy.
• Multi-agency work in Oadby and Wigston to improve air quality, including school interventions and increased monitoring.
• Embedding health considerations within the Local Transport Plan 4 and conducting Health Impact Assessments on emerging Local Plans.
• Developing a proposal to add health data to a mapping tool to identify potential health risk hotspots.
• Integrating air quality messages into training opportunities, including Health in All Policies (HiAP) and Making Every Contact Count.
• Joint work to create a portal for public access to local air quality data.

Local data indicates a slight improvement in air quality, with PM2.5 levels declining. Leicestershire remains in the fourth quartile for particulate matter levels compared to other English councils, but has improved its ranking. The fraction of mortality attributable to particulate air pollution has also declined.

The committee noted the progress made and the ongoing work of the partnership subgroups focusing on data, mapping, industry, agriculture, transport, and communities. The report highlighted that the partnership is well-attended and valued by stakeholders, with momentum building for Year 2 of the action plan.

The committee was asked to note the progress against the actions for Year 1 of the Air Quality Action Plan 2024-28.