Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence received from Cllr Tim Swift, Natasha Luther-Jones, Simon Pringle, Jim Cardwell, Adrian Gill and Melanie Taylor.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests.

There was no exempt information requiring the exclusion of the press and public.

Subject to the following amendments requested at the informal meeting on 19 July 2022 which was held remotely due to the extreme weather conditions, the minutes of the meeting held on 22 March 2022 be approved,

Item 29.  It was noted that transport carbonisation should be transport decarbonisation.

Item 33  It was noted that under climate and environment monitoring the adoption of a headline indicator on the progress to our 2038 commitment the Committee felt it was difficult sometimes to quantify the progress in terms of carbon alone.

That the notes of the informal meeting held on Tuesday 19 July 2022 be noted.

In his update the Chair said that since the last meeting of the Committee in July we have seen a significant increase in activity focussed on the mayoral pledge of addressing the climate emergency. Activity has also seen progress being made on establishing the mechanisms and processes which will allow the region to make strides towards its 2038 net-zero carbon ambition. The Chair thanked all involved in moving this important agenda forward and for all the hard work.

The Pledge Delivery Update paper provides an excellent opportunity for us to take stock and understand the volume of activity that is currently progressing across a wide range of thematic areas. Some highlights include:

·       Establishing the structures, governance and mechanisms that will enable a pipeline of net-zero projects to be identified, supported and ultimately funded via the Net Zero Region Accelerator programme.

·       Working with district partners and key stakeholders to establish the building blocks that will form the basis on a new Local Nature Recovery Strategy for West Yorkshire and ensuring the greatest value can be derived for the region from Biodiversity Net Gain.

·       Over 900 jobs have currently been pledged by businesses in West Yorkshire in response to the Mayor’s pledge to create 1,000 green jobs.

·       Installing retrofit measures in 335 homes as part of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 1, of which 1,316 homes will be upgraded.

·       Support for nearly 600 businesses through the ReBiz programme allowing SMEs in West Yorkshire to reduce the environmental impact.

·       Delivering a programme to rollout 111 electric buses across West Yorkshire as part of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme.

This is good progress, but we must continue to move forward with our plans if we are to deliver against our ambitions and this Committee has an integral part to play in ensuring we do this.

This is especially true in the context of recent announcements relating to energy, of which there is more on in the next item on the agenda.

However, since the papers were published, we’ve also had the announcement of the Skidmore Review inviting evidence on the Government’s approach to the delivery of its net-zero target as part of its independent review of net-zero. This is something that as a committee we should help to inform as part of a wider West Yorkshire response.

We should also be alive to the potential opportunities that Investment Zones might provide in speeding up the deployment of technologies that contribute to meeting net-zero. However, we also need to be aware of the risks that relaxing planning rules in designated areas may present in undermining our ambitions, particularly around the natural environment and nature recovery.

Led by: Peter Glover

The Committee considered a report and verbal presentation on the latest position of the State of the Region monitoring indicators relating to Climate and the Environment initiating

An update on performance against the previously agreed indicators was set out in an appendix to the report and key updates included:

·        Emissions indicators have been revised to reflect emissions of a fuller range of greenhouse gases rather than carbon dioxide only.

·        Trends in greenhouse gas emissions tracked against the Carbon Emission Reduction Pathways have been added.

·        Forecasted prevalence in fuel poverty has been added in the context of the government’s energy price cap.

·        Analysis of local natural greenspace has been added.

The Appendix also set out emission trends in the context of the required rate of emission reduction to meet net-zero carbon by 2038 and supplementary analysis on renewable energy generation. Both were requested by the Committee at the last meeting.

The Director of Strategy< Communications and Policing spoke to the Committee about the paper appended to the report which set out the latest economic and business intelligence on the cost of living / doing business crisis in West Yorkshire with updated analysis considering the announcements of 7 September specifically in the context of businesses and reflected the conversation had at LEP Board on 21 September.  Key points from the LEP Board discussion include influencing central government to:

·       Increase energy efficiency grants / interventions at a national level for business and consumers.

·       Create the conditions to incentivise investment in renewable energy generation and the adoption of sustainable technologies.

·       Decouple the link between gas and electricity prices to stimulate the consumer market for low carbon electricity.

In addition to these influencing points two projects are being progressed swiftly to respond to the crisis and will be considered by the Combined Authority on 21 October.

·       SME Voucher Scheme – open to SMEs to assist with energy efficiency and renewable energy measures.

·       Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Booster – targeted at social housing in areas of high deprivation and low incomes to install energy efficiency measures.

The SME Voucher Scheme was approved by internal assurance on

28 September 2022. The Social Housing Decarbonisation Booster will be considered by internal assurance on 10 October 2022.

Members discussed the cost of living / doing business crisis and the identification of activities that should be prioritised to address the crisis and provided comments which have been noted.

Resolved:

(i)      That contents of the report and the headline analysis of the indicators be noted.

(ii)    That feedback from the Committee on the proposed schemes identified to address the cost of living and doing business crisis be noted.

(iii)   That additional measures / schemes that could be implemented quickly or brought forward to address the crisis be noted.

(iv)   That initial reflections provided by the Committee on how the Combined Authority should engage with the Government’s review of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme be noted.

Led by: Matthew Page

The Committee considered a report to provide information on the development of carbon budgets to assist with the monitoring of progress against the regional net-zero carbon target.

The paper presented the rationale for taking a carbon budgeting approach and the process for developing them for West Yorkshire. It related to the calculated budgets to the pathways developed through the Carbon Emission Reduction Pathways.

Based on the most recent information West Yorkshire is currently 1MtCO2e below the carbon budget for 2019 and 2020. Expectation that future years exceed the budget due to the rebound effect from the pandemic.

Members of the Committee discussed and officers responded to questions.

Resolved: That the contents of the report be noted.

Led by: Noel Collings

The Committee considered a report to provide an update on progress to develop the Wave 1 programmes from the Climate and Environment Plan and to gain their endorsement for what is proposed.

The report set out the scope and value of each of the individual programmes as documented in the Strategic Outline Case that was considered by internal assurance on 28 September. Internal assurance supported the allocation of development funding for the next stage of project development activity and for programmes to progress with the development of more detailed business cases.

Future decisions relating to the Wave 1 programmes will be delegated to this Committee. Several of these will be presented to the January and March 2023 Committee meetings for consideration. The timescales for the development of Wave 2 programmes were also covered by the paper. The intention is for the scope of each programme is brought to the March 2023 Committee meeting.

The Committee discussed the contents of the report provided by the Head of Energy and Environment and provided feedback which have been noted by officers,

Resolved:

(i)             That the contents of the report be noted.

(ii)            That the programmes set out in the report be endorsed.

Led by: Noel Collings

The Committee considered a report to provide a draft outline of the items to be discussed at meetings over the coming 12 months and to seek Committee input on potential guest items and priorities for discussion.

Members discussed and provided input and comments for discussion at future meetings of the Committee which officers have noted

Resolved:

(i)             That the contents of the report be noted.

(ii)            That the Committee provided potential items for discussion at future meetings of the Committee

Led by: Noel Collings

The Committee considered a report to provide an overview of selected ongoing activity to deliver against the mayoral pledge to tackle the climate emergency.

The report summarised selected activity that is currently taking place against the pledge.  It represented activity from across the eight themes on which the West Yorkshire Climate and Environment Plan is framed.

The report included an overview and progress to date of the Net Zero Region Accelerator Green Smart Community Integrated Energy Schemes, Local Nature Recovery Strategy and Biodiversity Net Gain, Green skills and jobs, Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Community Renewal Fund Retrofit Hub, Resource efficient business, Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, Zero Emission Buses and Flood Risk Management.

Resolved:  That the contents of the report be noted.