Agenda item

This report provides a review of the council’s current 2022-2024 Climate Programme and sets out a new Climate Programme for the period 2024-2026, which will run until the end of December 2026 including a number of key deliverables requiring specific approval.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)        To note the progress made with the current Climate Programme (2022-2024) as summarised in Section 5 of the report and in the Climate Data Dashboard (included as Appendix 2 of the report).

(2)        To agree the proposed overarching priorities and key deliverables to be included in the 2024-2026 Climate Programme, as set out in Section 6 of the report.

(3)        To agree the new Climate Programme 2024-2026, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

(4)        To approve a capital budget allocation of £3m to implement the Church End and Roundwood Green CorridorsScheme, and approve £3m SCIL funding to offset these costs.

(5)        To agree to an amendment to the current Brent Carbon Offset Fund Allocation Policy to remove the current weighting/proportions (60%/30%/10%) available for council housing, Brent maintained schools and ‘Other’ respectively, so that the Fund can be used to maximise both the overall funding the council can attract and the outcomes that can be delivered for residents and to meet its climate commitments; and, to delegate authority to the Corporate Director, Partnerships, Housing and Resident Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Employment, Innovation and Climate Action, to continue to have overall responsibility for the oversight and operationalisation of the Policy.

(6)        To note that an updated Brent Climate Adaptation & Resilience Plan, which sits under the Brent Climate Strategy, is proposed to be published later this autumn under delegated authority to the Cabinet Member for Employment, Innovation and Climate Action.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 21 October 2024

Councillor Rubin (Cabinet Member for Employment, Innovation & Climate Action) introduced a report providing a review of the Council’s current 2022-24 Climate Programme and setting out an updated programme for 2024-26.

In presenting the report, Cabinet were advised that Brent’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Programme represented one of the most far reaching programmes of activity across the Council with the key aim in seeking to address both the immediate and longer-term challenges in its journey towards carbon neutrality by 2030 and to make Brent one of the greenest, most diverse and climate resilient boroughs in London.  In addition to the key themes within the original Climate Strategy the updated programme had also been designed to place greater emphasis, as additional overarching principles, on connecting people with nature, improving Brent’s resilience to the impact of climate change as well as building community capacity for climate action.  In contributing towards the Council’s wider strategic priorities, the programme had also retained a focussed in promoting social justice and economic well-being with households supported in tackling the cost-of-living and local businesses in the promotion of cost effective climate friendly practices.  Amongst the new initiatives identified within the programme, members attention was drawn to the Church End & Roundwood Green Corridor Scheme which had included a £3m capital allocation designed to not only enhance green spaces but also improve air quality and biodiversity and address fly tipping and other types of anti-social behaviour.  Additionally, further flexibility was being sought in use of the Brent Carbon Offset Fund in order to take advantage of the opportunities to seek external grant funding to support the decarbonisation of Council housing and the Council’s corporate estate.  Taken together it was felt the programme would provide a focus not only in progressing the Council’s climate ambitions but also in continuing to address key issues of significance for local residents including cleaner air, greener spaces, warmer homes and healthier and more active and sustainable travel options, including expansion of the School Street programme.

In considering the report, members welcomed the ambitious nature of the initiatives included within the programme including the investment in the Church End & Roundwood Green Corridor, along with the progress made in delivery of the programme to date whilst also recognising the ongoing challenge from local activists and stakeholders to move faster in relation to delivery of the targets in relation to carbon neutrality.

Officers were thanked for their efforts in delivery of the current programme and development of the updated set of priorities and initiatives which it was recognised would require ongoing collaboration to deliver, working in partnership with key stakeholders (including local businesses and residents the Mayor for London and London Councils, the health service and Public Health) to deliver meaningful change in seeking to build a greener, cleaner, healthier, prosperous and a fairer borough for all.  In concluding, members also took the opportunity to highlight their support for wider initiatives which it was felt would also assist in addressing transport and air quality issues in relation to delivery of the West London Orbital rail network and decarbonisation of the Chiltern Line.

In view of the support expressed Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)       To note the progress made with the current Climate Programme (2022-2024) as summarised in Section 5 of the report and in the Climate Data Dashboard (included as Appendix 2 of the report).

(2)       To agree the proposed overarching priorities and key deliverables to be included in the 2024-2026 Climate Programme, as set out in Section 6 of the report.

(3)       To agree the new Climate Programme 2024-2026, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

(4)       To approve a capital budget allocation of £3m to implement the Church End and Roundwood Green Corridors Scheme and approve £3m SCIL funding to offset these costs.

(5)       To agree to an amendment to the current Brent Carbon Offset Fund Allocation Policy to remove the current weighting/proportions (60%/30%/10%) available for council housing, Brent maintained schools and ‘Other’ respectively, so that the Fund can be used to maximise both the overall funding the council can attract and the outcomes that can be delivered for residents and to meet its climate commitments; and, to delegate authority to the Corporate Director, Partnerships, Housing and Resident Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Employment, Innovation and Climate Action, to continue to have overall responsibility for the oversight and operationalisation of the Policy.

(6)       To note that an updated Brent Climate Adaptation & Resilience Plan, which sits under the Brent Climate Strategy, is proposed to be published later this autumn under delegated authority to the Cabinet Member for Employment, Innovation and Climate Action.