The Overview and Scrutiny Climate Change Sub-Committee met on Thursday 5 December 2024 and received updates on the progress being made to meet the council's Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2035 target to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035. The committee heard about the success of the switch to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil in the council's fleet vehicles, and were asked to note the success of the recent application for £177k of funding to decarbonise council buildings. There was no discussion or voting during the meeting.

Council Carbon Footprint

The Assistant Climate Change Officer, Chloe Cox, told the committee that like-for-like council emissions had decreased by 19.1% between 2018/19 and 2023/24. She attributed the 5% overspend against the 2023/24 carbon budget to increases in heating, electricity and staff business travel.

The committee heard that the single largest source of the council's carbon emissions was from the gas heating in its buildings, which accounted for 35.3% of total emissions in 2023/24.

The Assistant Climate Change Officer reported that the council is on track to meet its 2024/25 carbon budget following the council's decision to switch its fleet to using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). She told the committee that it is estimated that using HVO will reduce the council's like-for-like emissions by 45.5%. ¹

Councillor Fail asked about the council's use of thermal batteries. The Assistant Climate Change Officer said that thermal batteries were part of the future plans for decarbonising the council's buildings.

Fleetwood YMCA

Ms Cox told the committee that Fleetwood YMCA has consistently high gas usage owing to its two swimming pools, but that the recent installation of a pool cover and solar panels, paid for using money from the government's Swimming Pool Support Fund, would reduce energy use and emissions in the future.

Civic Centre

The committee heard that the Civic Centre is the council building that uses the most electricity.

Councillor Sir Robert Atkins asked about the council's plans to install smart meters in its buildings. The Assistant Climate Change Officer said that installing smart meters would be investigated.

Current Progress

Ms Cox told the committee that good progress was being made against the Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2035 ².

She listed a series of achievements, including:

• Work to decarbonise Fleetwood Market is complete
• A successful application for £177,727 from Phase 4 of the government's Low Carbon Skills Fund, which has paid for heat decarbonisation plans and detailed designs for the council's buildings.
• The council has been certified Bronze level Carbon Literate.
• Fleetwood Leisure Centre has secured funding to install solar panels.
• The council is 77% of the way towards meeting its tree planting target.

Councillor Sir Robert Atkins said that the success of the tree planting target needed more publicity.

Communications Plan

Bethan McDonough, the Senior Communications Officer, told the committee that communicating the council's climate change work effectively was challenging. She said that a new communications plan was being prepared which would focus on four corporate campaigns:

• Supporting people
• Wyre moving more
• Improving our environment
• Boosting the local economy

She told the committee that the new plan would target non-digital audiences more effectively and that events like the Older Person's Festive Fayre would be used to promote the council's climate change work.

Councillor Lady Atkins raised the issue of resident confusion around recycling.

The Director for the Environment, Mark Billington, reminded the committee that Lancashire County Council is the Waste Disposal Authority for Wyre, and so has the final say on what materials are collected and how.

Councillor Sir Robert Atkins said that recycling would be discussed at the next meeting of the Helping Wyre Council prepare for the ‘Simpler Recycling’ rules Task Group.

Overview and Scrutiny Climate Change Sub-Committee Work Programme 2024/25

The Director of Finance and Governance submitted a report providing an update on the Overview and Scrutiny Climate Change Sub-Committee Work Programme 2024/25. The report was introduced by George Ratcliffe, the Democratic Services Officer.

Hillhouse Enterprise Zone

Councillor Fail expressed his concern about the impact of the proposed incinerators at the Hillhouse Enterprise Zone on the council's climate change commitments. He called for the incinerator projects to be paused whilst an independent Environmental Impact Assessment is produced. He said that the sub-committee should be kept informed of the potential impact on the council's climate change commitments of all significant planning applications in the Enterprise Zone.

Update on Cosy Homes in Lancashire in Wyre and opportunities via the new Warm Homes Local Grant

Mark Broadhurst, Assistant Director of Housing, Leisure and Communities, provided an update on the Cosy Homes in Lancashire (CHiL) scheme in Wyre. He told the committee that Wyre had the third highest number of homes improved through the scheme in Lancashire.

He explained that a bid for £97m of funding from the government's Warm Homes Fund ³ would be submitted by Blackpool Council on behalf of the CHiL consortium, and that if the bid is successful the money will be used to fund energy efficiency improvements to homes in Wyre.

Mr Broadhurst told the committee that the Lancashire Devolution Deal had allocated £2m of funding to CHiL.