Agenda item - Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Investment Fund

Report of the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture (copy attached)

RESOLVED: That the Committee

(i)            Instructed officers to progress work to establish a Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Investment Fund which will support the

development and delivery of citywide initiatives which aim to reduce carbon emissions, build resilience, protect and enhance biodiversity, and develop a circular economy.

            (ii)        Agreed that officers would bring a further report outlining the

process for agreeing and assessing projects that are delivered through the Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Investment Fund to the 11 July 2019 meeting of the Policy, Resources & Growth Committee.

(ii)          Agreed the initial thematic areas proposed at paragraph 3.12

from which a pipeline of projects and initiatives would be developed.

150.1  The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture, which set out the proposals to use funding agreed in the 2019/20 Council Budget to establish a Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Investment Fund.

150.2  The Chair said that this was the starting point of a journey which the Council must take seriously. The Council needed to reduce its carbon footprint and to flag up what we were doing, and this would be something which would gradually take up a larger part of the budget.

150.3  Councillor Sykes said that this was a green city in terms of aspirations, but in terms of consumption and emissions etc we were not as green as we could be. This work would go some way to helping that, and he thanked the Labour Group for supporting the amendment at Budget Council. This was a start, but we needed staff support to do the work and develop the projects. The report was excellent and there were many organisations in the city who were keen to get involved and asked that the Council work with them.

150.4  Councillor Janio thanked officers for the report, and said he was happy to support the proposals.

150.5  Councillor Mitchell welcomed the report and noted the initiatives outlined, and thanked officers for their work.

150.6  Councillor Mac Cafferty asked how the budget would be spent, and was advised that there would be a further report to this committee in July.

150.7  RESOLVED: That the Committee

(i)            Instructed officers to progress work to establish a Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Investment Fund which will support the

development and delivery of citywide initiatives which aim to reduce carbon emissions, build resilience, protect and enhance biodiversity, and develop a circular economy.

            (ii)        Agreed that officers would bring a further report outlining the

process for agreeing and assessing projects that are delivered through the Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Investment Fund to the 11 July 2019 meeting of the Policy, Resources & Growth Committee.

(ii)          Agreed the initial thematic areas proposed at paragraph 3.12

from which a pipeline of projects and initiatives would be developed.