Agenda Item No.14
CABINET MEETING: 13TH DECEMBER,
2006
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL
AND ECONOMIC REGENERATION
VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL - CARBON
MANAGEMENT PLAN
Purpose of Report
1.
At the Cabinet meeting of 7th September 2005 (Minute No.
C2046) it was agreed that the Council would participate in the
Carbon Management Plan initiative. This report provides an
update on progress.
Background
2.
Members will be increasingly aware of the global need to reduce
carbon emissions. The recently produced Stern Report
highlights the consequences of not taking action. Indeed, the
Council’s own Management Conference, the “Event in the Tent” on
16th June 2006 was addressed by Professor Rod Aspinal
who stressed that without carbon emission reduction, all our other
aspirations to maintain bio-diversity, water quality, and natural
habitat will fail. In other words carbon emission (including
the other greenhouse gases) reduction is a critical activity in our
attempt to maintain life on earth in anything like its present
condition.
3. The
International Panel on Climate Change (the IPCC) is predicting that
global temperatures will increase by between 1.4 and 5.8°C during
this century. The last time such a rapid change took place on
Earth was 251 million years ago. Fossil records show that as
a result of this previous catastrophic change in temperature, 90%
of all known species were wiped out. Parallels with our
present predicament can be drawn. Many organisations such as
the Hadley Centre predict that unless we begin to make significant
reductions in carbon emissions within the next 10 to 20 years
irreversible damage will be unavoidable. The recent Stern
Report reinforces this message. The irony is that the
majority of negative effects of global warming are mainly being
felt in Third World countries. Unfortunately until more
disasters such as Hurricane Katrina strike the “developed” world,
action will not be taken with anything like the required
urgency.
4. As well as major
international government action, much can be done at a local
level. Councils such as ours, can encourage and demonstrate
to others how carbon emissions can be reduced if we achieve carbon
reductions in the areas where we have some control. The
Carbon Management Plan is a process to build the organisational
structure to achieve consistent carbon emission reductions. A
framework of the Plan was produced by the Carbon Trust in Wales who
provided initial guidance on the process. Furthermore, the
current Welsh Assembly Government Policy Agreement target 7a,
requires a “Percentage reduction in carbon dioxide emissions
in the non domestic public stock” of 6% by 2007”. The Carbon
Management Plan is a contribution to the process of achieving this
goal.
5. There are many
other benefits, which result from such a Plan:
·
Assisting in compliance with the EU directive on the energy
labelling of buildings which becomes law as of January 2006 (grace
of 3 years is being allowed)
·
Improve the performance of Council owned buildings
·
Increase the lifetime of plant and equipment within Council
Buildings.
·
Saving fuel and fuel costs.
·
Assist the UK in complying with the Kyoto Treaty by reducing the
man made emissions of green house gases.
6.
Parallel with the progress of the Carbon Management Plan has been
the production of an ‘Energy Policy and Implementation
Strategy’. A draft of which has been produced for
comment. The Policy is seen as a vital tool in achieving
carbon emission reductions.
Relevant Issues and Options
7. A Carbon
Management Working Group has been set up which involves
representatives of all relevant services. It is chaired by
myself and includes Councillor Ernest, the Cabinet Champion.
The Project Manager is the Council’s Energy Manager, David
Powell.
8.
Appendix 1 (PDF) contains a table of meetings that have
taken place in the past year and also those planned for the
future. There were a number of introductory meetings before
Christmas 2005. These served the purpose of raising awareness
of the Plan itself, as well as helping to establish which staff
would be most appropriate as regular attendees.
9. The meeting on
8th June 2006 effectively represented a re-launch of the
Carbon Management Plan. Three further meetings have now taken
place. The first on 20th July, which concentrated
on IT systems, included a presentation by David Vining, Head of
ICT. Action points that came out of that meeting are shown in
Appendix 2. Key actions being the automated shut down of PCs
at the end of the working day via network based software. The
meeting on 7th September 2006 concentrated on the area
of transport. The fleet manager, John Payne and the Visible
Services Green Dragon coordinator Liesel Von Metz gave
presentations. Action points arising from that meeting are
also shown in Appendix 2. The most recent meeting took place
on 13th November when ‘Green Dragon’ environmental
initiatives were discussed and street lighting options
reviewed. Action points are being produced.
Resource Implications (Financial and
Employment)
10. In
October 2005 the average increase in the cost of gas and for
electric for Council buildings was 40%. The majority of
buildings are served by these contracts although some of the larger
sites are on a separate electricity contract. The increase in
price of electricity for these sites was over 50%. This
included electricity for the Civic Offices as well as both the
Vale’s largest Leisure Centres. All the indications are that
prices are going to continue to increase. Ultimately the
Carbon Management Plan will save resources for the Council.
Some measures such as “good housekeeping” by staff will require no
extra capital resources, just training or awareness campaign and
extra vigilance. Other activities will require additional
resources and the Plan includes elements to encourage effective
choices in how to invest. Council services will need to make
Capital bids for some of the ‘spend to save projects’.
11.
Significant reductions in energy consumption and hence carbon
emissions from buildings will not happen unless resources are made
available for projects. Most energy efficiency projects by
their very nature pay for themselves over a period via the savings
in fuel costs. For a significant reduction in carbon
emissions a “spend to save” fund will be required.
12. This report is for
information only and no decisions are required from the Cabinet on
budget. However it is worth noting that the carbon reduction
process will not be successful unless some resources are made
available. The Energy Policy and Implementation Strategy
requires the setting up of a “spend to save” budget.
Currently the Energy Manager has responsibility for improving the
energy efficiency of over 50,000 domestic homes as well as
promoting and managing projects on non-domestic stock. It may
be that a proportion of the ‘Spend to Save’ budget is allocated to
outside agencies to manage projects. In other local
authorities where carbon reduction has been successful the
authority has employed an energy team.
Legal Implications (to include Human Rights
Implications)
13. There
are no relevant issues in this area.
Crime and Disorder Implications
14. There
are no relevant issues in this area.
Equal Opportunities Implications (to include
Welsh Language Issues)
15. There
are no relevant issues in this area.
Corporate/Service Objectives
16. The Carbon Management Plan
complements Corporate/Service objectives in providing a framework
for the Council’s efforts to satisfy the energy efficiency Policy
Agreement targets. The targets have been set by the Welsh
Assembly Government in relation to the housing stock and
non-domestic public buildings.
17.
Accompanying the Carbon Management Plan is the production of an
‘Energy Policy and Implementation Strategy” a draft of which has
been circulated to those who attend the Carbon Management Plan
meetings. Once comments have been incorporated into the draft
the Policy will be reported to Members.
18. This
report is a matter for Executive Decision by Cabinet.
Consultation (Including Ward Member
Consultation)
19. The
Carbon Management Plan will ensure all relevant stakeholders are
consulted.
Appropriate Scrutiny Committee
20.
Economy and Environment.
RECOMMENDATIONS
(1)
THAT Cabinet acknowledges the need to reduce carbon emissions by
modifying Council activities.
(2) THAT Cabinet note the
progress that has been made in developing the Carbon Management
Plan and appreciates the need to consider the allocation of
resources into achieving carbon emission reduction.
Reasons for Recommendations
(1)
Participation in the Plan will assist the Council to reach the
Policy Agreement targets.
(2) The Council has been warned
that all Policy Agreement targets must be reached in order that the
Welsh Assembly Government releases all of the £1.4 million
award.
Background Papers
Contact Officer -
Officers Consulted:
Corporate Management Team
Rob Quick
Director of Environmental
and Economic Regeneration