The Waverley Borough Council Executive meeting on 11 June 2024 covered several significant topics, including the adoption of the Local Cycle and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIP), updates on the Carbon Neutrality Action Plan, and the decarbonisation of Farnham Leisure Centre. Key decisions were made to advance the council's sustainability and community engagement goals.

Local Cycle and Walking Infrastructure Plans Adoption

The Executive resolved to delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Place to adopt the updated versions of the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIP) for both Waverley and Farnham. This decision followed the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) guidance, which aims to promote sustainable transport options. The adopted LCWIPs will inform Transport Statements and Travel Plans for new development planning applications and help enforce Waverley’s existing Sustainable Transport policies. The LCWIPs will also become reference documents for the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), aiding in the appraisal and scoring process for funding applications.

Carbon Neutrality Action Plan Priority Actions

The Executive approved the introduction of priority projects within the Carbon Neutrality Action Plan (CNAP), which will be updated in the annual review due in September/October 2024. The council acknowledged that some projects might not feasibly reach net zero by 2030 and decided to set new dates for these projects following the production of the Constraints to Net Zero report. This approach aims to prioritise projects with the greatest impact on carbon reduction and manage expectations realistically.

Farnham Leisure Centre Decarbonisation

The Executive approved the use of £1.545 million in grant funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, along with a £330,000 contribution from the Empty Homes Grant, to install air source heat pumps at Farnham Leisure Centre. The existing boilers at the centre are at the end of their life, and this funding will facilitate their replacement with more sustainable options. The Strategic Director of Place was delegated authority to appoint a contractor and enter into the necessary design and build contractual agreements.

Joint Legal and Democratic Services Structure Proposals

The Executive approved several proposals to create joint roles and teams between Waverley Borough Council and Guildford Borough Council. These include the creation of roles such as Joint Executive Head - Legal and Joint Executive Head - Democracy & Governance. The aim is to strengthen the Legal and Democratic Services team to ensure effective governance. The Executive also recommended that Full Council approve the necessary arrangements for the discharge of functions through joint arrangements between the two councils.

Customer Charter

The Executive adopted a new Customer Charter to support residents and manage their expectations when contacting the council. The updated charter aims to improve customer interactions, acknowledging that many interactions are with contractors rather than the council itself.

For more detailed information, you can refer to the Minutes Public Pack 07052024 Executive and other related documents.