Meeting Details

(i)  Coronation of King Charles III

Pursuant to Procedure Rule 11.2, the Corporate Director of Governance and Regulatory Services reported that the following question had been submitted on notice from Councillor Pickstone:

"The Coronation of King Charles III takes place on Saturday 6 May 2023. I am sure the Leader or Executive Member will agree with me that so many residents throughout the City will want to celebrate, and mark, this important occasion.

The City Council will no longer exist in May, however planning for events and celebrations is taking place now. How is the Council supporting residents, community groups and Town and Parish Councils plan for this important celebration, and how is the Council working with its successor authority to ensure that the occasion is marked appropriately and proudly in the (unparished) City of Carlisle itself?"

The Culture, Heritage and Leisure Portfolio Holder responded that support for community groups was available from the National Lottery Community Fund. It was proposed to waive road closure fees for street parties and consideration was being given to making small grants of up to £200 available to contribute to costs. Events were proposed for Victoria Lawn, Bitts Park and Workington Leisure Centre with ‘big screens’ showing the coronation as part of a weekend long event which may include the screening of a concert on the Sunday and volunteer fairs on the Bank Holiday Monday. Quotes were coming in for the provision of bunting in key service centres.  All the above would need the input and final say of Cumberland Council.

(ii) Climate Emergency

Pursuant to Procedure Rule 11.2, the Corporate Director of Governance
and Regulatory Services to report that the following questions have been submitted on notice by Councillor Dr Davison:

"On 5th March 2019 Carlisle City Council passed a motion declaring a climate emergency. In relation to this:
 
1. Which aspects of the climate emergency motion did the Executive choose not to take forward and what are the reasons for each of these?

2. Why, despite this being a critical area of work that should cross-cut all that council does, didn't the cross-party Climate Change Members’ Action Group (MAG) continue meeting beyond June 2021?

3. How many, and which members, of the Executive have undergone Carbon Literacy training?"

The Environment and Transport Portfolio Holder responded noting that there had been 19 bullet points contained in the adopted Climate Emergency motion, to provide and individual response to each matter would take an inordinate time.  However the response would provide an overview in relation to each of the points, (see brackets)

1. It was vital that Climate Change action was embedded in the normal working practices of the Council.   It cannot be left to special officers or special committees.  That is why it is at the heart of the Carlisle Plan (the document that sets out the Councils’ key aims) and, consequently, at the heart of the Medium Term Financial Plan, which was reviewed by members every year, and linked the availability of resources to all of the key aims and objectives of the Council, including the Climate Change strategy. (3,7,8,13,14)

The year 2030 had been a brave first stab at a net zero carbon target: it quickly became evident that it was unachievable: the green energy required and the technology to harness it simply did not exist.  However, energy production and technology were greening rapidly and he believed that the adopted target year of 2037 was achievable.  The target was also sensible as it aligned with that agreed by the County Council and some 70 other partners through the Zero Carbon Cumbria Project.  Zero carbon was not something the City Council could achieve alone, the Environment and Transport Portfolio Holder trusted the new authority would pursue the target. (2,4,9). 

This Council's electrical energy was purchased through a partnership arrangement with the County Council. A new agreement was entered into last October, with the blessing of the Shadow Authority.  This included a commitment from the contractor to support the Council in achieving net zero targets.

The City Council had published its’ Heat Decarbonisation Plan in February 2022 which addressed the Council’s estate building-by-building.  The Council had not been successful in getting grant funding for the work at that time, but all the works that the Council carried out recently were informed by the Plan.  A new energy monitoring system had been installed in the Civic Centre to accurately determine where savings might be made through new equipment or systems and to enable a reaction to heat losses in real-time. (5,7,17)

The conversion of the Council's streetlights to LED’s had contributed to a 17% reduction in  overall electricity usage. The planned conversion of the Crematorium from gas to electricity, which was contained in the Council’s capital programme, would reduce gas consumption by nearly 45% and reduce carbon emissions by more than 8%. (5,17)

It was anticipated that a saving of nearly 3% in overall carbon emissions would be achieved by the closure of the old pools complex and the opening the new pools.  That saving would be lost, and the Council's carbon footprint substantially increased, if there was public subsidy to keep the old Victorian Health Suite operating.  He urged Members, in the light of the imperative to tackle Climate Change to take a long hard look at any proposals to burn more gas. (7,9)

The last few years had seen unprecedented investment in Carlisle through the Borderlands programmes and the Station Gateway, the High Street Fund and Town’s Deal, the University at the Citadels and the Garden Village, totalling well over £100M.   Those projects, all with low-carbon living at the heart of them, would come to fruition under the new Council and, with the Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plan, give Carlisle a fabulous opportunity to become a prosperous low-carbon City.  For these programmes the Council must praise the work of the previous administration and local MP John Stephenson, whose support had been invaluable. (15,16,19)

Sixteen double Electric Vehicle charging points had been installed and many more were to be installed through the recently announced award of £1.9M for On Street Residential Charging in Cumbria.  Also, electric vehicles would make up 10% of the Councils’ fleet when the latest purchases were delivered.

The Council had created an oasis for nature and people at the Swifts, right in the heart of the City, the conservation grassland in parks had increased and mowing reduced  in other grassed areas to encourage wild flowers native mammals and birds, as well as to capture carbon.  In partnership with others, the Council had  planted hundreds of trees and will shortly start to plant 15,000 more in the Kingmoor Woodland Creation Project.(17)

Council staff had been out and about in all weathers consulting and meeting people and achieved well deserved national recognition.  Officers had engaged with people of all ages at community centres and on the streets, through our schools’ competitions, the Big Buzz at the Swifts, and at Talkin Tarn with Dark Skies and the Fell Foot Forward project, to name a few.   The Portfolio Holder concluded that he had not focused on meetings to talk about Climate Change but had got on with the job. (6,10,11,12).