Draft Minutes
Attendees
Emily Reed, Devon Climate Emergency
Doug Eltham, Devon County Council
John Amosford, Public Health Devon
Louise Sawyer, Devon and Cornwall Police
Jacqui Warren, Torbay Council
Charlotte Molyneux, Devon County Council
Louise Marshall, Active Devon
Aaron Harverson, Active Devon
Amy Brett-Schneider, Exeter City Council
Jen Manning, Dartmoor National Park Authority
Apologies
Lucinda Brook, Plymouth City Council
Collette Germon, Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Donna Sibley, North Devon and Torridge District Councils
Betty Tsang, Devon Climate Emergency
Andy Seaman, University of Exeter
Alice Gent, Exeter City Council
Clare Jones, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Jason Ball, Mid Devon District Council
William Elliott, Teignbridge District Council
Alex Mitchell, East Devon District Council
Adam Williams, South Hams and West Devon Councils
Catherine Causley, East Devon District Council
Helen Hicks, University of Exeter
Morag Aiken, South West Water
David Rose, South West Water
Matthew Blythe, East Devon District Council
Luke Mitchell, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Julia Wordley, Devon and Cornwall Police
Tracy Hendren, East Devon District Council
1. Minutes of the Previous Meeting
Emily led the review, noting two actions from the previous minutes: checking if renewable energy capacity is included in the University of Exeter’s proposed monitoring indicators and John providing insights on the Housing Commission’s recommendations for planning and housing with regards to climate change. The renewable energy capacity wasn’t included as a monitoring indicator, but the proportion of Devon’s energy consumption met by renewable energy was discussed. John mentioned he’d prepare insights on housing reports for September, emphasizing the importance of integrating climate considerations into planning, transport, and housing. The minutes were accepted without amendments or clarifications.
2. Project Progress Report
The progress reported appended to these minutes was considered.
Emily updated the group that the University of Exeter had shared a report reviewing monitoring indicators for the Devon Carbon Plan.
The discussion about the monitoring indicators report focused on several key points:
- There was a suggestion to develop a tiered approach to indicators, with a top tier for primary indicators and additional tiers for more detailed analysis, depending on interest levels.
- Emily highlighted the need to follow up with the university, especially regarding built environment indicators and the use of Energy Performance Certificate data for monitoring improvements to Devon’s housing stock.
- The group discussed the possibility of having the data broken down to the local authority area level, which depends on the specific monitoring indicator and the data set’s availability.
These discussions indicate an ongoing process to refine and agree upon the most relevant monitoring indicators for tracking progress against the Devon Carbon Plan.
ACTION: All to review the monitoring indicators report and provide comment to Emily on the suitability of the indicators. In the meantime, Emily will work on a RAG indication for each. (All)
ACTION: Emily to speak further with the university about the EPC data and availability of indicators at a more granular geography. (Emily)
3. Economy and Resources Progress Report
Emily led the discussion, highlighting these points:
- 17 actions are now green, 7 amber, and 3 red.
- The group discussed actions R6 (aligning Devon’s household waste collection services), R7 (considering the frequency or volume of black bin collections), and R9 (waste collection authorities considering offering a high-quality commercial waste service). Emily will be in touch with other authorities to find out how they are progressing with considering these opportunities.
4. Future Opportunities for Partnership Working
- Business Support and Innovation: Charlotte discussed the challenges and opportunities in harmonizing business support across the county, particularly under the shared prosperity funding. She noted the varying levels of engagement and uptake of green business support modules among businesses. Emily mentioned reaching out to the Southwest Business Council and the World Business Council for potential collaboration on raising awareness about business resilience against climate change impacts.
- Community Action Group Network: Emily is exploring the possibility of supporting a Community Action Group at universities to engage students in climate action.
- Shared Fleet Infrastructure: Emily highlighted a pilot project funded by the Department for Transport on shared EV infrastructure for fleets, which could be of interest to the partnership. Emily also noted that a sub-group has started meeting to discuss these issues.
ACTION: Business Support Harmonization: Connect Rob Evans with Jacqui Warren to share learnings about what’s working for business support (Charlie).
ACTION: Business Support Model: Draft a document outlining what is desired in business support to encourage the uptake of sustainable practices. This can be used to inform future funding bids for business support programmes, which could be as early as the autumn (Emily).
5. Any Other Business
Emily shared with the group that Doug and herself are unable to chair the September meeting. She asked the group for volunteers to chair, Emily can brief the chair and provide all the paperwork.
ACTION: Meeting Chair for September: Find a chair for the September 26th meeting (Emily).
Jacqui alerted the group that she had received Freedom of Information requests from Climate Emergency UK and for others to expect similar requests.
ACTION: Prepare for incoming Freedom of Information requests from Climate Emergency UK (Local Authority Colleagues).
Appendix 1
Project Progress Report
Period: July to August 2024
Partnership Update
General Communications
Total followers dropped this month for the first time since the start of the project, albeit by only 25 followers. The new Climate Emergency Support Officer started on the 8th July, it is anticipated that this extra capacity will increase followers over the coming months once she has settled in.
Figure 1- DCE Online Following
Partners’ Notable Activity
Activity is recorded centrally on the Taking Action pages of the Devon Climate Emergency website.
- North Devon Council have been able to revoke the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) for Braunton, marking a key milestone in the district’s efforts to enhance air quality. This has been facilitated by technological improvements to cars, including increasing numbers of EVs.
- Devon County Council commenced work on a new contraflow bus lane in Exeter city centre in June. Once completed, it will improve bus journey times in the city.
- Works are underway to improve biodiversity and education outcomes of the Lower Hoopern Valley, a 38 acre plot to the south of the University of Exeter’s Streatham Campus.
- Teignbridge District Council has launched The Teignbridge Climate Hub, a central resource for members of the public and business alike to find out how they can contribute to a net zero Devon.
- Torridge District Council has announced plans to establish a community woodland at the Gatefield Amenity Grassland in Bideford.
- Local Community Energy groups in Devon are offering free Retrofit Advice home visits until the end of March 2025.
Oversight of the Devon Carbon Plan
The Progress Reports detailing known activity against each action are on the website. A summary of the number of actions categorised by each RAG status is provided below, split by theme.
Note that each theme of the carbon plan is reviewed every 6 months, which means the RAG status will not change significantly within the monthly periods of this progress report.
NO CHANGE IN STATUS THIS MONTH
Blue = Completed
Green = Generally progressing wel
Amber = Progressing but geography or scope is limited
Red = Not started or activity significantly limited
Grey = Not yet assessed
Built Environment
| Economy and Resources
|
Common Issues – Finance required to expand geography – Finance required for more people resource, particularly spatial planning – Uncertainty regarding the implications of a written ministerial statement on Local Plans.
| Common Issues – Clearer guidance from government on aspects of waste management needed – Finance required for more people resource
|
Energy Supply
| Food, Land and Sea
|
Common Issues – Availability of capital finance
| Common Issues – Complexity of agendas, e.g. Land Use Framework and Local Nature Recovery Strategy – Finance required to expand geography and scope
|
Transport
| Cross-Cutting Themes
|
Common Issues – Public concern about EVs and reallocating highway space for sustainable modes – Grid capacity – Availability of capital finance
| Common Issues – Finance required for more people resource, particularly spatial planning – Finance required to expand geography |
The first phase of monitoring indicators are online. The University of Exeter is helping to expand the indicator set, which will be added to the web page incrementally.
In July, the University delivered their report to the secretariat proposing indicators to monitor progress towards the 60 milestones in the Devon Carbon Plan. Work is commencing with the Tactical Group’s involvement to update the monitoring indicators to reflect their proposals.
Oversight of the Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Climate Adaptation Strategy
The Climate Impacts Group is continuing its programme to review all the risks and near-term actions each year.
At the June meeting of the Climate Impacts Group, it was recommended that the Response Group seek reassurance from Southwest Water that the immediate issues of coastal water quality and cryptosporidium are not detracting focus from the preparation of the Water Resources Management Strategy.
Update: Meg and Emily met to discuss the concerns of the Climate Impacts Group regarding Southwest Water (SWW). It was decided that this issue should remain on a watching brief until the end of 2024, following correspondence from SWW that the Water Resources Management Strategy is now expected later this year due to delays caused by the election. Additionally, the Devon Climate Emergency Secretariat will attend the West Country Water Resources Multi-Sector Working Group, which SWW have invited it to, to ensure that climate change issues are being adequately considered.
Feedback from the Climate Task Force
The Devon Climate Task Force held its latest quarterly meeting in June and made the following recommendations, to be considered by the Response Group in July.
- The Task Force considers the recent decision by the Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC) to end the Active Streets Trial in Heavitree and Whipton as a major setback to providing safe infrastructure for walking, wheeling, and cycling, contrary to the Devon Carbon Plan. The Task Force recommends that the Response Group give urgent attention to updating plans for achieving Action T11 (Reallocate road capacity to sustainable modes), to avoid further delays on progress towards Goal TB (Using active, shared and public transport is safe, efficient and affordable). They urge the Response Group to consider the national evidence of the effectiveness of Low Traffic Neighbourhood measures in future schemes, which demonstrate benefits for active travel and air quality in the areas.
August Update: Emily has approached the Transport Planning team to collate examples of where Action T11 is being implemented elsewhere.
- The Task Force would like to see further progress on action F10 (Explore how the County Farms estate could be used to demonstrate low-carbon agriculture.) They also encourage other partners that own land that is farmed to do the same.
August Update: Devon County Council is looking at further opportunities to enhance this activity.
- Housebuilders have mandatory requirements to put in electric vehicle chargers. But in Devon some housebuilders are being told by National Grid there will be significant delays before the chargers can be connected – some as late as 2027. The partnership should consider how this situation can be improved.
August Update: There may be an opportunity to feedback to government via the recently-launched consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework.
Updates on the Climate Task Force recommendations from March:
- Consider understanding what is needed to move each action from amber to green.
August Update: No progress this month. Will be looked at shortly now there is extra capacity due to the appointment of the Climate Emergency Support Officer which will free-up some of Emily’s time.
- Mass-market retrofitting of buildings is still not happening quickly enough because the costs are high and the revenue savings are small in comparison. A retrofit summit should bring together key players to have a deep conversation about long-term solutions and to prepare a retrofit strategy.
August Update: The Energy Saving Devon partnership submitted an expression of interest in response to an invitation from the MCS Foundation to pilot a support package for local areas to develop retrofit strategies. This would deliver a series of four full-day workshops. Unfortunately we were not successful. Further funding opportunities will be looked for to take this project forward.
- The role of spatial planning in net-zero is not being delivered fully. Need to revisit conversations with the Devon and Cornwall Planning Officers Group (DCPOG) to refresh the needs of planning teams and subsequently reengage Team Devon.
August Update: Doug attended the DCPOG on June 6th. It was agreed for a sub-group to prepare examples of how planning authorities have incorporated policies that implement the policy asks of the Devon Carbon Plan into Local Plans. These examples will be used as a checklist by planners when updating Local Plans. A sub-group has been identified but has yet to meet due to capacity to coordinate this. Will hopefully meet in September.
Devolution Update
In the light of the announcement of the general election, Torbay Council and Devon CC are seeking clarity from Government officials on how the legislative process for setting up the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority will be affected.
Discussions about how to prioritise the £16m capital spend in 2024/25 are continuing, much of which will contribute to net-zero.
