Agenda item

RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Policy Committee are asked to:

1.    Note the review of the action plan 2022 – 2024

2.    Review and comment upon the GEDS Action Plan 2024 – 2027

Councillor Lucille Thompson, Cabinet Member for Business and Culture, introduced the report ref EHP50, outlining the proposals for the Green Economic Development Strategy (GEDS) Action Plan 2024/27 (available here). The introduction included the following points:

1. The strategy offered a framework aimed at guiding the district's economic development over the next decade, aligning with the Council's goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
2. There was an emphasis on the Council Plan's objective to foster a vibrant local economy by seising green growth opportunities. The strategy set out these opportunities and detailed actions for the Council and its partners to promote green growth within the district.
3. There would be an evaluation of the accomplishments from the past two years and an assessment of the changing landscape, influenced by the pandemic, international conflicts, inflation, and the cost of living crisis.
4. She stressed the importance of maintaining the agility of the strategy and its operational plans amidst these evolving circumstances, ensuring that the core themes of GEDS remain relevant and actionable.
5. It was proposed to review the governance arrangements surrounding GEDS to facilitate effective implementation. The establishment of a Winchester District Climate and Green Economy Partners forum was proposed, with a new set of terms of reference available in Appendix 1 of the report.

Councillor Malcolm Wallace addressed the committee and highlighted several points which could be summarised as follows:

1.    He welcomed the integration of green aims throughout the GEDS, acknowledging the strategy's alignment with environmental objectives.

2.    That there were concerns about the strategy's connectivity to other council strategies, specifically the integration with the Council Plan and the Carbon Neutrality Action Plan (CNAP).

3.    Regarding governance arrangements, he suggested inviting cross-party representatives to the Climate and Green Economy Partners Forum to foster collaborative work.

4.    He was concerned about the transparency and public accessibility of the Carbon Neutrality Action Board's meetings and minutes and asked for their availability to members and the public.

5.    He emphasised the need for efficient resource utilisation to achieve the Council's net-zero target by 2030, suggesting a revision of the report to include SMART goals for clearer direction and accountability.

These points were responded to by Susan Robbins, Corporate Head of Economy & Community and Andrew Gostelow, Service Lead - Economy & Tourism accordingly.

The committee proceeded to ask questions and debate the report. In summary, the following matters were raised.

1. Clarification was sought regarding the graph on page 90 depicting the percentage of energy-efficient houses in the district and how this percentage was determined for houses that had not been sold for some time.
2. The necessity for indicators within the documents to quantify the delivery mechanisms, often beyond the Council's direct control, and suggesting the inclusion of useful indicators from the report to observe changes over time.
3. Resolving the tension between biodiversity and food security, particularly considering the current emphasis on “Regeneration” and Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF) exemplar Farms and querying how these practices could be expanded across the food production sector in the district.
4. The challenges posed by a lack of infrastructure, such as electricity and wastewater services, and questioning the feasibility of incorporating ambitious objectives within the strategy given the practical constraints.
5. Clarification was sought on the governance structure presented on page 73, regarding the Economy and Housing Policy Committee's oversight of two forums without apparent representation from Winchester City Council.
6. That the local plan should be linked to the GEDS to ensure job provision aligns with housing developments, especially in rural areas, to minimise carbon emissions associated with commuting.
7. Whether other parishes undertook similar work to identify employment opportunities in conjunction with housing developments as part of the local plan.
8. The absence of certain business organisations, such as the Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, from the “partnership wheel” and the potential for broader councillor involvement as raised by Councillor Wallace.

These points were responded to by Susan Robbins, Corporate Head of Economy & Community and Andrew Gostelow, Service Lead - Economy & Tourism accordingly and Councillor Lucille Thompson, Cabinet Member for Business and Culture.

RESOLVED:

The Committee:

1.    Noted the effort in amalgamating a wide array of underlying policies and documentation that influenced the green economic development of the district.

2.    Noted the complexity of the GEDS, considering the multitude of partners involved and the various external factors affecting its implementation, underscoring the need for a balanced and nuanced approach to measuring success and progress.

3.    Emphasised the importance of including indicators that reflected the general direction of the policy but also narrowed down to specific areas where the Council had a direct impact, ensuring the ability to track Winchester City Council's contributions effectively.

4.    That the cabinet member considers the committee's comments raised during the discussion of the item.