Agenda item

Councillor Houston moved the motion in his name. Councillor Richard Cornelius moved an amendment in his name. Councillor Clarke moved an amendment in her name. Debate ensued.

Votes on the amendment in the name of Councillor Richard Cornelius were recorded as follows:

For: 18

Against: 38

Abstain: 0

Absent: 6

Total: 62

The amendment in the name of Councillor Richard Cornelius was LOST.

Votes on the amendment in the name of Councillor Clarke were recorded as follows:

For: 38

Against: 18

Abstain: 0

Absent: 6

Total: 62

The amendment in the name of Councillor Clarke was CARRIED.

Votes on the motion as amended by Councillor Clarke were recorded as follows:

For: 38

Against: 18

Abstain: 0

Absent: 6

Total: 62

The motion as amended by Councillor Clarke was CARRIED.

RESOLVED that:

Council believes that:

1.    A green recovery from the pandemic is not only possible but imperative if we are to meet our carbon reduction targets as a local authority.

2.    Up to now much of the proposed action by Government is little more than rhetoric. We need to turn rhetoric into action.

Council notes that:

1.    Melting ice caps and forest fires can often seem like someone else’s crisis when many are taking effect so far from our homes.

2.    Crises closer to home affecting thousands of local families cannot be separated from those further afield.

3.    There are 15,188 households living in fuel poverty in Barnet.

4.    Across the UK there are more than 24 million homes leaking heat.

5.    There is no route to decarbonising the economy without retrofitting these homes across the UK.

6.    Doing so would not only help to protect our planet, but can improve housing, lead to cheaper energy bills and create hundreds of thousands of good quality jobs.

7.    Here in Barnet it is estimated that there are at least 61,399 homes below EPC C that require retrofitting and this could create thousands of good quality jobs in our local communities.

8.    LB Barnet is doing all it can to improve the energy efficiency of its own housing stock, and to decarbonise the Council by 2030 and the Borough by 2042, but additional investment from the Government will be needed to retrofit all homes in the Borough.

Council therefore resolves to write to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Levelling-Up, Homes and Communities calling on them to:

1.    Commit to a Great Homes Upgrade to retrofit 19 million homes by 2030.

2.    Use the Spring Budget to commit to spending £11.7bn over the next three years to begin the Great Homes Upgrade.

3.    Commit to working with local authorities, housing associations, private rental landlords and owner occupiers to upgrade properties for net zero.

4.    Commit to setting up a retrofitting taskforce to target resources now to achieve net zero through upgrading properties.

Council also resolves to:

1.    Write to our neighbouring local authorities to ask them to join the campaign.

2.    Support London-wide efforts to lobby the Government on this issue.

3.    Write to our 3 local MPs asking them to join the campaign and lobby the Government for the Great Homes Upgrade.