Agenda item

That the stretch target of borough-wide carbon neutrality by 2030, with an objective target of 2040, be approved. This target would be published in the Climate Change Strategy Vision paper. The paper was a statement of intent for the Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, due later in 2021, that would outline how Slough would decarbonise and adapt to climate change.

Cabinet received a presentation on the Council’s Climate Change Strategy Vision, which summarised the five key action plan objectives and how these were linked to the Council’s Five Year Plan. The Principal Environment Officer, Olivia Flint, reminded Members that the strategy was developed following the Council motion on climate change in 2019. It was highlighted that the strategy vision set out a stretch target of borough-wide carbon neutrality by 2030, with an objective target of 2040. It was noted that the Councils’ greenhouse gas emissions only constituted for 1.67% of the borough’s emissions. The majority of emissions in the borough come from industrial and commercial sources, followed by domestic sources and transport. A specialist consultant had been engaged to help deliver the priorities within the strategy and formal consultation on the strategy was scheduled to commence in July 2021.

The Lead Member for Sustainable Transport & The Environment highlighted that this was an ambitious vision and that early action was essential to deliver long term change. The Council would need to work with residents, businesses and organisations across the borough as the authority‘s own emissions made up a relatively small proportion of the total for the town. A corporate approach would be needed to make the necessary changes across the whole organisation and it would recognised all areas would need to be challenged and take climate change into account in all decisions being taken.

Speaking under Rule 30, Councillor Gahir asked if the data collected showed a reduction in emissions following the implementation of the A4 bus lane. The Lead Member confirmed that daily monitoring was in place and it showed that emissions were still lower than the five year baseline, although the impact of the Covid pandemic on traffic levels remained a factor and ongoing monitoring would take place.  The experimental scheme had been modified in phase 2 so that the bus lane operated in peak time only following feedback as part of the consultation process. The Cabinet agreed that transport policies were particularly important and continuing to improve bus, cycle and walking provision was a priority. Slough already performed very well in terms of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and this would need to continue in the future.

At the conclusion of the discussion the Cabinet agreed the vision as a statement of intent to drive future action.

Resolved –

(a)  That the stretch target of borough-wide carbon neutrality by 2030, with an objective target of 2040, be approved.

(b)  That the target be published in the Climate Change Strategy Vision paper as a statement of intent for the Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, due later in 2021, that would outline how Slough would decarbonise and adapt to climate change.