Quick Navigation
- Attendees
- 1. Minutes of the Previous Meeting
- 2. Proposals for the Devon Climate Emergency Partnership Refresh
- 3. Project Progress Report
- 4. Net-Zero Delivery Problems and Successes
- 5. Meeting Frequency and Next Steps
Attendees
- Meg Booth Devon County Council (Chair)
- Doug Eltham Devon County Council (Environment Group)
- Emily Reed Devon Climate Emergency
- William Jackson-Nichols Devon Climate Emergency
- Eileen Russell Wales and West Utilities
- Joanna Chamberlain University of Exeter
- Sara Gibbs Public Health Devon
- Matthew Blythe East Devon District Council
- David Edmondson Torbay Council
- Claire Gibson University of Plymouth
- Richard Rainbow
- Keir Duffin
1. Minutes of the Previous Meeting
Emily is still awaiting the approved Terms of Reference for the Net Zero Action Group (Wendy currently on leave).
Continued discussions with the Devon County Council Economy Team regarding case studies on innovative farming practices contributing to emissions reduction and climate resilience.
Proposals for the governance refresh have been circulated and discussed with the Tactical Group.
Actions relating to green finance (Polly’s project) are ongoing; further documentation is awaited.
No recent updates on solar farm insights from Doug or David, but these will be fed into future work.
Alignment between the Devon Climate Emergency (DCE) partnership and the County Combined Authority (CCA) governance is still being developed.
ACTION: Emily to follow up with Wendy regarding Net Zero Action Group Terms of Reference.
ACTION: Emily to continue collating farming case studies.
ACTION: Emily to chase Polly for updates on green finance dissemination.
ACTION: Doug, Jackie, David, and Meg to continue exploring governance alignment between DCE and CCA.
2. Proposals for the Devon Climate Emergency Partnership Refresh
Emily presented a slide summary of the proposed governance refresh, based on feedback from the Sandy Park workshop and Tactical Group discussions. Key points included:
- Annual Priorities: To be reaffirmed yearly, focusing on 2030 and 2050 targets.
- Tactical Group Role: To recommend priorities to the Response Group, coordinate delivery via Priority Theme Action Groups, and report bi-monthly.
- Response Group Role: To provide leadership, oversight, and mandate priorities.
- Climate Task Force: To act as a critical friend and provide sector-specific expertise and scrutiny.
- Climate Impacts Group: To propose adaptation-focused action groups and maintain regional coordination.
- CCA Alignment: Acknowledged as a strategic partner with potential for co-delivery.
- Annual Forum: Proposed to facilitate networking and invigorate collaboration.
- Monitoring & Evaluation: Shift towards priority-focused reporting and annual summing-up of progress.
Discussion Highlights:
- Support for Structure: General agreement on the proposed governance model.
- Concerns about Group Overlap: Noted potential duplication and need for clarity on roles.
- Need for Broader Representation: Emphasis on engaging new members to increase capacity.
- Task Force Role: Suggested evolution from scrutiny to solution development.
- Priority Setting: Tactical Group to synthesise existing evidence (carbon plan, workshop outputs) rather than repeat scoring exercises.
- Suggestions for Priority Areas:
- Sustainable transport infrastructure
- Electricity/grid infrastructure
- Housing and retrofit
- Behaviour change and public engagement
- Rural mobility and EV infrastructure
ACTION: Emily to revise Terms of Reference to reflect adaptation and broader organisational influence.
ACTION: Tactical Group to synthesise existing evidence to propose priority themes.
ACTION: Response Group to consider renaming (e.g. “Devon Climate Emergency Partnership”) to better reflect its strategic role.
ACTION: Emily to incorporate feedback into the governance paper and prepare for September meeting.
ACTION: Tactical Group to meet in August to refine priorities.
3. Project Progress Report
Good News Stories:
- South Hams e-bike rental scheme in Totnes is performing well.
- Dartmoor ecosystem restoration vision supported by Prince William.
Task Force Recommendations:
- Support for thematic groups and quick wins.
- Emphasis on communicating co-benefits and public engagement.
- Request for feedback from the Response Group on how the Task Force can best support the partnership.
ACTION: Emily to continue publishing good news stories and collect further updates from partners.
ACTION: Review and revise progress report format to align with new governance structure.
4. Net-Zero Delivery Problems and Successes
Partner Updates:
Doug Eltham (DCC):
- Tree planting for carbon offsetting faced challenges due to drought and ragwort.
- Conclusion: self-managed carbon offsetting may not be viable long-term.
David Edmondson (Torbay Council):
- Positive developments in retrofit and PV installation.
- Challenges in reinvesting savings from energy efficiency into climate projects due to financial governance constraints.
General Discussion:
- Shared frustration across authorities about inability to retain savings from energy projects.
- Interest in collaborative solutions to reinvest savings into further climate action.
ACTION: Partners to share experiences and strategies for reinvesting savings from energy projects.
ACTION: Emily to explore opportunities for shared learning on carbon offsetting and retrofit funding.
5. Meeting Frequency and Next Steps
Proposal:
- Cancel August meeting to allow time for Tactical Group feedback and transition to bi-monthly schedule.
Decision:
- Agreed to cancel August meeting.
- Next Response Group meeting to be held in September.
ACTION: Emily to coordinate Tactical Group meeting and prepare priority proposals for September.
ACTION: Response Group members to review revised governance paper ahead of next meeting.
