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Subject: |
Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly |
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Date of Meeting: |
21 January 2021 19 January 2021 Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee |
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Report of: |
Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture |
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Contact Officer: |
Name: |
Rachel Williams |
Tel: |
01273 291098 |
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Email: |
rachel.williams@brighton-hove.gov.uk |
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Ward(s) affected: |
All |
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FOR GENERAL RELEASE.
1. PURPOSE OF REPORT AND POLICY CONTEXT
1.1 The purpose of this report is to formally welcome the final report on the Brighton and Hove Climate Assembly and the interim report of the Youth Climate Assembly, note the findings, note the initial city council response and request that officers consider the findings in the development of the Carbon Neutral Plan, fifth Local Transport Plan and the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.
2. RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee:
2.1 Welcomes the final report of the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly (Findings Report attached in Appendix 1) and the interim report of the Youth Climate Assembly (attached in Appendix 2);
2.2 Notes the findings of the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly, including the assembly’s 10 key recommendations that are set out on p4 of the Climate Assembly report at Appendix 1, and notes the interim findings of the Youth Climate Assembly at Appendix 2;
2.3 Notes the initial response of the city council as set out in Appendix 3;
2.4 Requests that officers consider the findings of the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly and the Youth Climate Assembly when developing the fifth Local Transport Plan, the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan and further developing current transport initiatives such as the Liveable City Centre and Ultra Low Emission Zone schemes.
That the Policy & Resources Committee:
2.1 Welcomes the final report of the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly (Findings Report attached in Appendix 1) and the interim report of the Youth Climate Assembly (attached in Appendix 2);
2.2 Notes the findings of the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly, including the assembly’s 10 key recommendations that are set out on p4 of the Climate Assembly report at Appendix 1, and notes the interim findings of the Youth Climate Assembly at Appendix 2;
2.3 Notes the initial response of the city council as set out in Appendix 3;
2.4 Requests that officers consider the findings of the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly and the Youth Climate Assembly in the development of the 2030 Carbon Neutral Plan
3. CONTEXT/ BACKGROUND INFORMATION
3.1 Brighton & Hove City Council declared a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency in December 2018 and has committed to becoming a carbon neutral city by 2030. In December 2019 Policy & Resources Committee approved the establishment of the cross-party 2030 Carbon Neutral Member Working Group to oversee the creation and delivery of a Carbon Neutral Programme to help the city to transition to carbon neutrality by 2030. In December 2019 Policy & Resources Committee also approved a Recommendation to note the requirement to develop an engagement programme to inform this work including a city Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change.
3.2 A Citizens’ Assembly is a group of people who are brought together to discuss an issue or issues and reach a conclusion about what they think should happen. The people who take part are chosen so they reflect the wider population – in terms of demographics (e.g. age, gender, ethnicity, social class). Citizens’ assemblies give members of the public the time and opportunity to learn about and discuss a topic, before reaching conclusions. Citizens' assemblies often adopt a three-step process of learning, deliberation and decision making. This is supported by a team of impartial facilitators who guide participants through the process, ensuring that everyone is heard and comfortable participating.
3.3 The city council commissioned Ipsos MORI to design and deliver the city Citizens’ Assembly ‘Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly’ focusing on transport and travel. Carbon dioxide emissions from transport represent around one third of the total emissions in our city, and they are reducing more slowly than emissions from housing or industry. Assembly Members were asked to address the key question ‘How can we step up actions to reduce transport related carbon emissions in the city?’.
3.4 Ipsos MORI delivered its final report on the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly to the city council in early December 2020. The city council would like to take this opportunity to formally thank the 50 Assembly Members who gave up their time and contributed their ideas to help make this first city Citizens’ Assembly a successful initiative. Councillors have written an open letter to the Assembly Members thanking them for their contribution and setting out next steps, to accompany the final report which has been published on the city council website (attached in Appendix 3).
3.5 Working with The Sortition Foundation, Ipsos MORI recruited a randomly selected but representative sample of 50 Brighton & Hove residents aged 16 and over (a ‘mini public’). A range of selection criteria were applied: gender, age, ethnicity, long-term illness or disability, occupation, car ownership and area of the city. Invitations were sent to 10,000 local households, 700 residents applied for one of the 50 places; a very strong response compared to Citizens’ Assemblies elsewhere.
3.6 Although originally planned as three face to face sessions in April-May 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Climate Assembly was delivered through five on-line sessions over the period 22 September – 7 November 2020. Ipsos MORI established and led a Climate Assembly Advisory Board which met five times between July – November 2020 to provide ‘check and challenge’ throughout the process. The board contributed to planning and the development of materials and suggested expert speakers. The board brought together diverse views and perspectives from academics, specialists, activists, councillors and council officers.
3.7 The Climate Assembly received presentations from 14 expert speakers, who introduced the issue and presented a range of options (or policy interventions) to help reduce carbon emissions from transport and travel. The main themes were improving public transport, reducing car use and improving active travel. In each session Assembly Members discussed the presentations in small groups and asked the expert speakers follow-up questions and clarifications. Assembly Members received pre-reading materials and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) with responses from the expert speakers and the city council were made available after the sessions. All these written materials are contained in the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly Technical Report written by Ipsos MORI. The video presentations and all the other materials were made available on the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly mini website hosted by Ipsos Mori.
3.8 The Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly strongly supported taking action to reduce transport-related carbon emissions, recognising that wide-ranging changes to the way we travel will be necessary, as well as challenging. The 10 key recommendations of the Assembly are briefly outlined on page 4 of the final report in Appendix 1, and again in fuller detail with conditions/caveats on pages 13-15. It is important to read the main body of the report which explains these recommendations in full, how the assembly developed them, and the caveats and conditions that apply to each. The recommendations generated by assembly members focussed on the need to reduce travel by private vehicles, increase active travel, improve public transport, and the importance of engaging the residents of Brighton and Hove in developing and implementing any changes.
3.9 The recommendations are presented by the Climate Assembly as a suite, rather than standalone ideas – so consideration should be given to them all as part of a strategic, integrated approach. The assembly wanted the council to focus its efforts on making sure there is no need for unnecessary private car use (unless someone is disabled/have a blue badge), focusing on improving alternatives and communicating those alternatives. Assembly members were sensitive to the language used in the recommendations, leaning towards a focus on what is gained rather than lost. The assembly want the council to recognise the diversity of the residents in Brighton and Hove, particularly in terms of needs and how tailored communication approaches would be required for different audiences. The assembly kept a strong focus on changing mindsets through interventions, campaigns, and prioritising active travel.
3.10 In terms of implementation, physical barriers (such as poor or non-existent infrastructure) were deemed the biggest barriers to reducing car use. To address physical barriers, it is suggested that the council should improve infrastructure, raise awareness of improvements and motivate citizens to use public transport or travel by walking or cycling. The report also sets out that:
3.10.1 To address citizens’ expectation that public transport will not be convenient and reliable enough to reduce their car use, the council should consider demonstrating the reliability and convenience of an improved transport network.
3.10.2 To address citizens’ habits, the council should consider interventions that enable them to plan their journeys, change routines and provide positive feedback.
3.10.3 To address social and cultural norms around prioritising the driver, messaging may benefit from emphasising public health benefits, and the reinvigoration of communities while also addressing climate change. Communication may also benefit from challenges to false assumptions about other people’s habits.
3.11 It is important that the city council works with local residents, businesses and other organisations in order to help reduce carbon emissions in the city. The Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly forms an important part of this engagement work, but the city council was keen to involve the wider city in the conversation and established the on-line space ‘Let’s talk climate change’: https://climateconversationsbrighton.uk.engagementhq.com/. This platform has links to all the Climate Assembly materials and presentations and involves the wider city in conversation, polls and submitting ideas about local action on climate change. To date, in line with the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly, the focus is on carbon reduction and transport and travel. However, the on-line space will also cover a range of other themes / initiatives and seek residents’ input to help the city to transition to carbon neutrality.
3.12 Young people from across the city also established and delivered a youth climate assembly, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, to run alongside the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly. The youth climate assembly for ages 13 to 19 (up to 25 for young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND)) also focused on reducing carbon emissions from transport and travel and will feed back its outcomes to the city council. The city council would like to take this opportunity to formally thank the organisers and members of the Youth Climate Assembly who gave up their time and contributed their ideas to help make this a successful initiative.
3.13 It is proposed that the findings of the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly and the Youth Climate Assembly are used to inform the development of the Carbon Neutral Plan, the new (fifth) Local Transport Plan (LTP5), and the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).The Carbon Neutral Plan will have several thematic priorities including ‘Transport and Travel’ and the findings of the Assembly will help shape the carbon reduction projects included in this section of the Plan. A report on the Carbon Neutral Plan will be brought to committee in March 2021. Reports on LTP5 and LCWIP are planned to be brought to Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee later this year.
4. ANALYSIS & CONSIDERATION OF ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
4.1 The Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly was originally planned as being delivered through three face-to-face sessions over the period April-May 2020. Due to anticipated Covid-19 restrictions relating to large public meetings it was agreed to move to an on-line format and deliver five on-line sessions in September-November 2020.
5. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & CONSULTATION
5.1 The Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly forms a key part of the community engagement work to develop the new (fifth) Local Transport Plan, the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan and the Carbon Neutral Plan. In addition, the Climate Assembly Advisory Board, established by Ipsos MORI, provided ‘check and challenge’ throughout the process, bringing together diverse views and perspectives from academics, specialists, activists, councillors and council officers.
5.2 In addition to the main climate assembly, local young people created and delivered the city Youth Climate Assembly which also focused on transport and travel. The Youth Climate Assembly met over the period October – December 2020, supported by the city council’s Youth Participation team, and has recently shared its interim findings with the city council (Appendix 2).
5.3 A week before the opening session of the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly, the city council launched the ‘Let’s talk climate change’ on-line space to engage local residents in action on climate change.
6. CONCLUSION
6.1 The outcomes of the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly and the Youth Climate Assembly should be used to inform both the development of strategies, plans and initiatives on transport and travel and the development of the city council’s Carbon Neutral Plan to help the city to transition to carbon neutrality by the target date of 2030.
7. FINANCIAL & OTHER IMPLICATIONS:
Financial Implications:
7.1 There are no direct financial implications arising from the recommendations of this report. The costs of the development and delivery of the Climate Assembly are being met from existing service budgets. The recommendations include officers to consider the findings in the development of Local Transport Plan 5, the Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan, the 2030 Carbon Neutral Plan and the development of transport initiatives; separate reports for these will be brought to committee and will include financial implications as appropriate.
Finance Officer Consulted: James Hengeveld Date: 07/01/21
Legal Implications:
7.2 The Council’s Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee is responsible for the Council’s functions relating to highways management, traffic management and transport, parking and sustainability. Decisions which have corporate policy implications should be taken by Policy & Resources Committee. This report seeks decisions from both committees as set out in the recommendations. The recent coroner’s landmark ruling in the Ella Kissi-Debrah case is significant and widely believed to be the first in the world to identify air pollution as a cause of an individual’s death. More information.
Lawyer Consulted: Alice Rowland Date: 08/12/20
Equalities Implications:
7.3 The recruitment was designed to ensure that the 50 Assembly Members formed a broadly representative sample of Brighton & Hove residents. A range of selection criteria were applied: gender, age, ethnicity, long-term illness or disability, occupation, car ownership and area of the city. The Climate Assembly included a session on inclusion and accessibility, and Assembly Members stressed the importance of considering the needs of people with disabilities, as well as people whose livelihoods may be affected as a result of some of the measures discussed in the assembly. Equality Impact Assessments (EqIAs) would be required in developing projects, including considerations of access and affordability.
Sustainability Implications:
7.4 The Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly forms a key part of the community engagement work to support the development of the Carbon Neutral Plan which will set out actions to help the city achieve carbon neutrality by the target date of 2030. In addition, the Climate Assembly findings will inform the development of key local sustainable transport and travel strategies: the LTP5 and the LCWIP.
Brexit Implications:
7.5 None identified
Public Health Implications:
7.6 Enabling greater uptake of active travel across the city would provide both short- and long-term benefits to the mental and physical health of residents: walking and cycling reduce the risk factors for a number of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, some cancers, and Type II diabetes. This approach supports the implementation of the Brighton & Hove Health and Wellbeing Strategy. Reducing road transport emissions would improve air quality in our city – pollution causes over 170 early deaths each year in Brighton & Hove and is linked to heart disease, respiratory diseases and some cancers. Our own evidence on exposure to bad air pollution in our Air Quality Annual Status Report. As set out by the Royal College of Physicians: “Air pollution also adversely effects the development of the foetus. There is compelling evidence that air pollution is associated with new onset asthma in children and adults as well as contributing to diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases and is a risk factor for lung cancer”. UNICEF “At least 4.5 million children in the UK are growing up in areas with unsafe levels of particulate matter”
Corporate / Citywide Implications:
7.7 The findings of the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly will inform the development of the following city plans: the Carbon Neutral Plan, LTP5 and the LCWIP. The findings can also inform positions on planning, as the updated National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 181 states: “Planning policies and decisions should sustain and contribute towards compliance with relevant limit values or national objectives for pollutants, taking into account the presence of Air Quality Management Areas and Clean Air Zones, and the cumulative impacts from individual sites in local areas. Opportunities to improve air quality or mitigate impacts should be identified, such as through traffic and travel management, and green infrastructure provision and enhancement. So far as possible these opportunities should be considered at the plan-making stage, to ensure a strategic approach and limit the need for issues to be reconsidered when determining individual applications. Planning decisions should ensure that any new Development in Air Quality Management Areas and Clean Air Zones is consistent with the local air quality action plan.” Furthermore, it is proposed that the findings of the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly are used to inform the further development of current transport initiatives such as the Liveable City Centre and Ultra Low Emission Zone schemes. A report on the initial feasibility study for these two schemes will be considered by Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee on 19 January 2021.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Appendices:
1. Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly Findings Report written by Ipsos MORI
2. Youth Climate Assembly Interim Findings
3. Initial response from Brighton & Hove City Council – open letter from councillors
Background Documents
None