Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) introducing the Hertfordshire Climate Change & Sustainability Partnership’s (HCCSP) draft Strategic Action Plans for Transport, Water and Carbon Reduction.

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) which introduced the Hertfordshire Climate Change & Sustainability Partnership’s (HCCSP) draft Strategic Action Plans for Transport, Water and Carbon Emission Reduction. Officers gave a brief overview on the Transport and Carbon Emission reduction actions plans, highlighting the Ambitions, Areas and Actions. Officers informed Members that the actions were for Hertfordshire County Council but were also far reaching within Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council and included collaborating with the local authorities within Hertfordshire. Officers stated that there would be an annual assessment review and progress reports for each of the action plans.

Officers focused on the water action plan due to the theme of the meeting. Officers stated that the action plan ambitions were to ensure clean and plentiful water supply in the county. Officers stated that if water is not looked after and carefully managed sustainably then it would have a detrimental impact on biodiversity. The high level of water consumption and abstraction alongside bad infrastructure was causing harm. Officers highlighted the themes of the action plan stating most of the actions went to water companies however stated that some were for local authorities about reducing their own water consumption. Officers informed Members that Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council had already implemented some of the actions, and whilst others would need to be adopted, the Council would need to be mindful of national policies as they dictated planning rules.

The following points were noted:

·       Members sough clarity of the definition of sustainable under the transport action plan. Officers agreed to clarify and provide an answer.

·       Members asked what the Council was doing about water refiltration recovery systems and whether these could be made conditions on developments of 10 or more dwellings. Officers agreed with Members about the benefits of integrating actions into planning requirements and would look at what could be done through the use and adoption of a Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD).

·       Members expressed a desire to be ahead of national policy as there is an environmental bill in place. Officer confirmed that the action plan was a tool to help the council get to where it would want to be, which is to have the highest quality sustainable developments possible.

·       In response to a question Officers reminded Members that the actions listed in the action plan was the result of a collaboration between all Hertfordshire councils and some of the actions are specially aimed at the Hertfordshire County Council level, However, as a council, Welwyn Hatfield could do more if Members were minded to.

·       Members asked for an update on the Council’s Climate Change SPD since a Climate Emergency was declared. Officers stated the Policy Team was working on the Climate Change SPD but the work on this needed to fit with work on the Local Plan.

·       Members felt that the Carbon emission reduction action plan did not go far enough in encouraging developments to add solar panels.

·       Members were pleased with the water action plan.

·       Members felt that the EV charging policy was not strong enough and if funding was available then more EV charging was desired.

·       The Executive Member stated that the HCCSP action plans were about partnership work, with general plans that covered the whole county. However, there would be an opportunity for each borough and district to fine tune the action plan for their own projects and aspirations.

·       Members queried the lobbying aspect of the action plan and asked whether lobbying would allow the competition of business aspect seen with other essentials (gas and electricity). Officer stated that lobbying central government is not desired by all councils whether at county or district level.

·       Members highlighted the cost of bus fares which deters customers, and the reduction of costs was not mentioned under sustainable travel. Members referred to another council who worked alongside bus providers to reduce fares and increase passengers. It was noted that that the purchase of hydrogen and electric busses was expensive and would need to fit within a replacement programme.

RESOLVED:

That the three thematic strategic Action Plans be noted, and comments be provided to Officers by Monday 29 November 2021.