Minutes:
The following question was received from Mr Desmond:
MSDC is a member of Greater Brighton Economic Board represented by Councillor Ash-Edwards. The Board has pledged to tackle climate change and environmental issues through 10 Pledges. These pledges include water recycling, zero emission fleets, EV charging points, rewilding, home water efficiency, low carbon heating, public buildings and lobbying Central Government. On 10th October 2020, GBEB approved a recommendation that member organisations do all they can to support these pledges through their existing work. What action plans and reporting mechanisms has MSDC put into place to play its part in mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change through these pledges?
Response from the Leader
Thank you for your question, Mr Desmond.
Protecting our environment is an important area of work for this Council. I was very pleased to support the GB10 environment pledge on behalf of this Council as our representative on the Greater Brighton Economic Board. This Council has done much to support these pledges through our existing and planned work.
I’m grateful for the opportunity that this question gives to outline some of that progress:
• Water recycling. This Council is supporting a project on the Northern Arc development, Burgess Hill which will introduce recycled water to 3,500 homes. This will keep more than 60 million litres in the environment every year and mean cheaper bills for residents. We are hoping to work with OFWAT to see this rolled out to other new housing.
• Zero Emission Fleets We are in the process of replacing our parking fleet with new electric low carbon vehicles to improve air quality. This is ahead of Greater Brighton pledge to move 50 per cent of all Greater Brighton vehicles to low carbon by 2025.
• EV Charging Points. Working with Homes England the Northern Arc at Burgess Hill all new properties at the Northern Arc will have capability for home charging; 1 in 5 homes with off street parking will have fast home charging points and 30 public car parking spaces will have rapid charging points in the three neighbourhood centres.
• Rewilding. Over the past year we are piloting 25 rewilding projects across the District, following evaluation we are hoping to roll this out to many more locations.
• Water Home efficiency visits - We are supporting Southern Water’s water home efficiency programme and have linked it to our Affordable Warmth programme.
• Low carbon buildings – We have commissioned expert consultants to provide us with advice on how we as a Council can meet the net zero target by 2030 and also how we can influence others in the district to do the same. We are also working with 17 Councils in the South East to deliver the Green Homes Grant Scheme. During July and August all eligible households in the district will receive information encouraging them to apply for the grant.
• Finally, we have started work on a Sustainable Economy Strategy supported by a cross party member working group.
With respect to monitoring our progress the Council has a robust reporting process through Scrutiny Committees and of course as a member of the Greater Brighton Economic Board, we will also report local progress to the Board.
Mr Desmond asked the following supplementary question: Considering these 10 pledges, what specific requirements has the Council made of the organisations involved in the construction of the Northern Arc to ensure that climate and ecological mitigation is set as a priority?
Response from the Leader
Thank you for your question. I think the Northern Arc will be an exemplar for positive environmental action as part of a new development. In my original answer I have referred to some of the work being done there. The work on using recycled water is a significant step being rolled out on a development of that scale. If you think about 60 million litres of water not being used every year because recycled water is being used instead, that is a considerable impact. I believe the Northern Arc will also achieve a 10% biodiversity net gain. The Council has worked hard with Homes England to ensure it is exemplary and I am pleased to announce it will shortly be featuring on the Country File programme as good example of environmental and sustainability practice in a new development.
The following question was received from Mr Kenward:
With the success of the vaccination program at Clair Hall should the NHS vacate the building towards the end of the year would MSDC consider a further meanwhile lease to community groups or organisations in order to offer events over the Christmas period and possibly beyond until such times as the results of the public consultation are known and the future of Clair Hall is decided upon. Could council also provide the date of when the public consultation is to commence (however after consulting Social Media today I understand it was today which is good news) and if it has any plans at this time for the hall when the NHS choose to move out?
Response from the Cabinet Member for Community, Councillor Norman Webster.
Thank you for your question.
The NHS has requested that the license to use Clair Hall is extended until February next year and of course the Council has agreed to this. I invite you to continue listening to the meeting on the Council’s YouTube channel as I will be making announcements about the consultation being run by our independent consultants whose appointment I agreed on 19 May following a customary tendering process.
Mr Kenward did not wish to pose a supplementary question.