Agenda item

The Chair introduced the item, noting that the Strategy includes plans for a Citizens’ Assembly.

Ms Yogita Popat, Assistant Director for Sustainability, reported that since the last meeting a contract was awarded to TPX Limited to take forward the Citizens’ Assembly, which residents would be involved in designing. A Sustainability Officer has been appointed and an impact and cost-benefits impact exercise has been carried out to ensure the project is evidence based. A dashboard to monitor Barnet’s trajectory to Net Zero is also being developed.

Ms Popat noted that the Citizens’ Assembly would entail live meetings being held over two weekends, with around 40—50 residents attending to provide evidence. Residents will decide on outcomes and make recommendations for the local authority. They would be invited from across the Borough – notification would go out on Engage Barnet when recruitment to the Citizens’ Assembly begins.

Cllr Longstaff enquired about the response to the proposal for the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion. He asked that the submission be circulated to the Committee – the Chair agreed to arrange this.

Action: Chair/Governance

Cllr Longstaff expressed concern that residents could feel let down if global warming overall means that Barnet does not achieve its goals despite their efforts. Ms Popat responded that the council will look into what can be done to increase residents’ resilience such as advice on warming their homes etc as part of the Strategy.

Cllr Wakeley asked how the council will act on the outcome of the Citizens’ Assembly and what opportunities the members of the Citizens’ Assembly will have to follow up on the council’s actions. Ms Popat responded that the council will look at each recommendation and assess it in a scientific way, to ensure that actions have the maximum impact. A monitoring arrangement will be developed for the Assembly to follow up on actions.

Cllr Radford reported that he had met with Public in Whitehall which has start-ups around sustainability that would like to work with local authorities to prove their technology works. He asked whether a meeting could be held with interested officers and himself with the company to explore what they might be able to do to support the Strategy. Ms Popat suggested that Cllr Radford email herself and the Chair to take this forward.

Action: Cllr Radford

Cllr Longstaff asked why planning officers had recently agreed to demolish a listed building as this is not in line with the Sustainability Strategy. He reiterated his comment that the Lead on Climate Change needs to have involvement with lots of different committees and needs to highlight this message to other Chairs.

The Chair responded that the Sustainability Strategy team is undertaking work across the council. Ms Popat stated that the team is working closely with planning colleagues, who are part of the action plan.

Cllr Innocenti referred to Page 143 of the report. Some electric vehicle charge points are placed on lamp columns and others are surface mounted – she added that care should be taken where they are placed, to allow for tree planting. Mr Miller responded that this would be taken back and noted by officers.

Cllr Grover enquired whether charging points could be created by running cables from properties under the pavement so that properties without driveways can charge their vehicles. Also the charging points on lampposts take away a parking space. Mr Miller agreed this was causing concern locally and other councils have gulleys in the streets.

Cllr Radford suggested using purchasing power of cheaper rates through Motability Operations, to then subsidise the roll-out to public charge points.

Mr Miller reported that options for Barnet were being discussed. 

Cllr Cooke congratulated officers, particularly Paul Bragg, for the successful submission for grant aid for charging points. Only nine local authorities in England have received  funding. In additional a significant sum had been received following a submission for grant aid for flood control for Silkstream flooding.

Mr Miller would feed this back to officers.

Action: Mr Miller

 The Chair moved to a vote on the officer’s recommendations, which were unanimously approved.

RESOLVED that the recommendations were approved.