Agenda item

The Climate Change Manager presented a report on the Climate Change Strategy 2026-2031 and in doing so recapped that the Council had declared a climate emergency in 2019 and had committed to place climate considerations at the centre of its decision-making.

The Strategy for 2026-2031 appended to this report updated and replaced the previous Carbon Reduction Action Plan and set out the pathway for the Council’s own operations to achieve a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of 50 per cent by 2030 and to achieve net zero by 2040. It was highlighted that current modelling suggested the Council was on course to achieve net zero by 2040.

The carbon emissions context was provided for Redditch. It was noted that the latest official data, for 2023, showed Redditch achieving emissions of 3.5 tCO₂e per capita, below both the regional and the national averages.

Information on the Council’s initiatives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions had been provided. This included the £1.81 million invested by the Council in its social housing stock to provide energy efficiency upgrades alongside £260,000 for private home retrofits, expansion of electric vehicle (EV) charging across the Borough, and biodiversity improvements, for example through Council’s mowing regimes and ways of treating weeds. It was highlighted that there was ongoing work to improve performance monitoring through the dashboard and expand reach of the Council’s initiatives to the community and businesses.

Following the presentation of the report, a Member expressed disappointment that the report did not consider the environmental impact of the introduction of the Council’s dedicated Pet Cremation Service at the Abbey Crematorium and, in particular, the proposed introduction of a capital budget of £50,000 to purchase a Pet Cremator Machine and ancillary plant equipment, as approved at the full Council meeting on 2^nd March 2026.

The Member clarified that her concerns related to the Pet Cremator Machine being proposed for purchase would be fuelled by diesel. Although there were options to operate the proposed machine on natural gas or biofuel in the future, the Member highlighted that this was a missed opportunity for adoption of electric technology which would prevent emissions at source. The Member further stated that the Pet Cremation report suggested the potential switch to electric-powered cremators would not be considered by the Council until its next planned replacement window in approximately eight years. The Member commented that this contradicted the urgency for the Council to meet its net zero targets and improve local air quality.

Several other Members argued that the Pet Cremation Service would provide a good source of revenue for the Council and at the current state of technology, in industries such as cremation, electric machines were significantly less efficient than the fossil fuel powered counterparts. Some Members argued that consideration had to be given to emissions produced in the manufacturing of electric machines, such as from the production of batteries.

A Member questioned the lack of noticeable decline in tCO₂e following the declaration of the climate emergency by the Council in 2019, both in Redditch and across Worcestershire. The Climate Change Manager responded that there could be several reasons behind this including the initial focus of carbon reduction being on areas where emissions reductions could be easily achieved and subsequent difficulties in keeping the previous rates of decrease in emissions. Also highlighted was the difficulty for the Council in quantifying its scope 3 emissions, which were the indirect emissions created through Council’s supplier operations and procurement decisions. It was noted that the Council would be undertaking a review and proportionate environmental impact assessments of key suppliers to identify scope 3 emissions hotspots. The Strategy aimed to provide a way to accelerate the rate of decline in Council’s carbon (and other greenhouse gas) emissions over the next few years.

The lack of mention of the Council’s relationship with key regional stakeholders in addressing environmental issues, such as North Worcestershire Water Management, was highlighted. It was clarified that although the Strategy did not directly reference some regional agencies, the Council would collaborate with these agencies when required. The Climate Change Manager explained that the Strategy focused not only on carbon emissions but also on the wider living environment and biodiversity. It was highlighted that when addressing these challenges, wider solutions would be explored, rather than simply technological solutions.

A further comment was made by a Member regarding the Worcestershire County Council’s environmental campaigns such as ‘Let’s Waste Less Worcestershire’. It was asked whether local campaigns/initiatives organised or supported by the Borough Council would be protected during the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). It was responded that the ambition was for the Climate Change Strategy and initiatives and plans detailed in this to be continuing through the LGR. However, it was highlighted that the Strategy was designed to be also adaptable to new local government arrangements that would be in place post-LGR.

The Vice-Chair stated that the Council needed monitoring of the monetary costs (or savings) of achieving the reductions in tCO₂e through the Climate Change Strategy. It was suggested that monitoring the Strategy should include a graph to monitor the Council’s CO₂ emissions from its own operations against the cost/saving achieved. In response, the Officers explained that the Climate Change Strategy covered all Council departments and that the cost and environmental impact of each initiative, programme or procurement decision that the Council was proposing to undertake would be considered as part of every report that was considered by Members. The Committee was reassured that climate change implications had to be considered as part of a business case submitted by service areas/departments for every new proposal.

Before the Committee deliberated on the recommendations set out in the report, it was clarified that this Climate Change Strategy was due to be further considered by both the Executive Committee in March 2026 and by full Council in May 2026.

The Committee endorsed the recommendations as set out in the report.

RECOMMENDED that

1)    The Council’s Climate Change Strategy 2026-2031 be approved; and

2)    An annual review of the Climate Change Strategy be reported to Council.