Decision Details

Implemented

Acknowledgement of the Declaration of Climate Change and Impact on Housing

ES/0369

No

Committee

Cabinet

Wed 6 May 2020

No

Report of the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Housing 

1. That Cabinet considers Cllr Gooch’s motion of 22.1.20 which is referred to in the report, above, together with this investigatory report, what the Council has done to reduce the carbon impact of its housing stock and what it intends to do, in future, to build on its successes to date. 
2. That this report, together with comments from Cabinet, form the basis of a further report back for subsequent debate by Council, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.5. 
3. That notwithstanding any subsequent debate in Council, Cabinet continues the work to limit the carbon impact of its housing stock by giving delegated authority to the Head of Housing, acting in consultation with Member for Housing, to appointment a specialist consultant to develop a new, green standard specification for new builds, that will provide a realistic pathway to carbon neutrality for the Council’s housing stock, subject to compliance with the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules.

Housing Operations & Landlord Services

Not Applicable

Cairistine Foster- Cannan

None. 

Yes

1. That the report forms the basis of a further report back for subsequent debate by Council, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.5. 

3. That notwithstanding any subsequent debate in Council, Cabinet continues the work to limit the carbon impact of its housing stock by giving delegated authority to the Head of Housing, acting in consultation with Member for Housing, to consider appointing a specialist consultant, subject to budgets, to develop a schedule that will provide a realistic pathway to carbon neutrality for the Council’s existing housing stock, subject to compliance with the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules.

The report responded to the propositions in the Motion that

 

1. all new council houses will be built carbon-neutral, for example by futureproofing with low carbon heating and the highest standards of energy efficiency. 

2. all developers of new affordable housing should be encouraged to meet these same high standards. 

3. all other developers of new housing should be encouraged to meet these same high standards. 

4. all existing council stock, and properties purchased for such use, should be retrofitted to the highest standards as economically as possible.

 

It investigated the propositions so that Cabinet could debate them and further report back for subsequent debate to the Council, in accordance with CPR 11.5.

 

 Therefore, the report set out the considerable investment, and achievements, to date, to reduce the carbon impact of the Council’s housing stock. It set out how the Council’s recently adopted Housing Development Strategy aims to promote sustainability, and to meet the Council’s environmental ambitions. It explained what had been done to encourage private developers to do likewise. Finally, it set out the Council’s realistic intentions, going forward, to further its environmental aims, to meet the challenges of its climate change agenda, and crucially, to find a pathway to carbon neutrality for its housing stock.

 To meet this latter ambition, the report recommended, additionally, that a consultant be appointed to look at developing a future programme of work for the retrofitting of the existing housing stock.

None. 

None.

None.