Subject: Cost-of-living and Energy Crisis

Date of meeting: 20 October 2022

Proposer: Councillor Evans

Seconder: Councillor Appich

Ward(s) affected: All

Notice of Motion

Labour Group

Council notes with concern the Government’s:

a) Lacklustre response to the cost-of-living crisis it has helped create, particularly regarding rising energy costs;

b) Decision to lift the ban on fracking, identifying the Jurassic Weald Basin as a possible site despite scientists and economists warning fracking will not ease the energy crisis or bring down utility bills but will imperil climate targets;

Therefore, Council:

1. Requests the Chief Executive writes to Government lobbying for;

· The ban on fracking to be reinstated;

· Adopting a Warm Homes Plan

· Adopting plans to form a GB Energy Company;

· Adopting plans for green growth and self-sufficient zero carbon power by 2030

2. Welcomes existing work, reported to P&R*, supporting residents with energy and fuel costs;

3. Requests officers explore all avenues to obtain further support for residents warming homes this winter, including grant funding and best practices from other local authorities;

4. Welcomes the commitment made at P&R* to work with the community and voluntary sectors to explore establishing a network of ‘warm zones’.

5. Requests that officers consider the use of all public spaces, including libraries, schools and museums, as ‘warm zones’ for those in need, and that officers consider reaching out to private and public sector anchor institutions in the city to encourage them to contribute spaces to the ‘warm bank’ network;

6. Restates strong opposition to fracking and reiterates Brighton & Hove’s declaration of a frack-free zone, and requests officers consider working with neighbouring authorities and bodies** to resist any fracking in the region.

Supporting Information:

https://www.bgs.ac.uk/geology-projects/shale-gas/shale-gas-in-the-uk/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/08/fracking-uk-not-fix-fuel-bills-economically-high-risk

Labour’s Warm Homes Plan – insulating 19 million homes to bring down energy bills;

Labour’s plans to form GB Energy – a publicly-owned renewable energy provider offering cheaper, greener energy;

Labour’s plans for green growth and self-sufficient zero-carbon power by 2030 – permanently cutting bills through doubling onshore wind, tripling solar power and more than quadrupling offshore wind power;

https://labour.org.uk/issue/clean-energy-by-2030/

https://labour.org.uk/issue/labours-plan-to-cut-bills/

https://labour.org.uk/issue/economic-growth/

*P&R (Policy & Resources Committee)

**i.e. GBEB (Greater Brighton Economic Board), Coast2Capital LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership)