Agenda and draft minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 January 2024 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any disclosable pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interest in respect of matters contained in the agenda.

Councillor S Hirst declared an interest in Agenda Item 12 – Rural England Prosperity Fund as a Trustee of Salesbury Memorial Hall.

There was no public participation.

Report of the Chief Executive enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report presenting Committee with the Climate Change Action Plan 2024/25 for approval and formal adoption.

The action plan was supplementary to the Climate Change Strategy 2021-2030 and had been developed by the Climate Change Working Group to be a live document which would be regularly reviewed and updated. The plan aimed to be a major step in achieving the Council’s aspiration of being a carbon neutral Council by 2030. Stage one of the plan focused on Council emissions and worked towards meeting the target, with stage two running into future years which would see the Council engaging with businesses and the wider community to reduce carbon emissions across the whole of the Borough. 

The actions in the plan were subject to the relevant Committees approval and the plan would also adapt to ensure it was affordable should the financial situation of the Council change. Additional external funding and externally funded resources were likely to be required in order to achieve the Council’s ambitions.

Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of progress against the action plan would be completed by the Working Group with annual progress reported to the Committee.

The Council would also calculate and report publicly on its organisational emissions each year using data collected from One Carbon World Annual reports.

Committee felt the action plan was a good start and made further suggestions which included the introduction of a Climate Change Officer post and carbon literacy training for staff and Members.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Approved the Climate Change Action Plan 2024/25 for formal adoption.

Report of the Chief Executive enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report presenting Committee with an updated Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Climate Change Working Group.

Committee had approved the Terms of Reference on 28 September 2023 however it had been necessary to update the ToR to reflect changes to the Committee Membership as approved at the meeting of the Full Council on 12 December 2023.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Approved the Terms of Reference and membership for the Climate Change Working Group as appended to the report.

Report of the Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive enclosed.

The Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report for information to let members know the position for the period April 2023 to February 2024 of this year’s revenue budget as far as this Committee was concerned.

It was noted that the comparison between actual and budgeted expenditure showed an underspend of £3,705 for the period April 2023 to February 2024. The current variations did not present any significant concern. However, members were reminded that the situation could fluctuate depending on activities that took place.

Report of the Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed.

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report to provide Committee with an update on Ribble Valley Taste Fest and Clitheroe Food Festival.

The application portal for businesses to apply for stalls had opened on 2 February 2024 and to date 85 applications had been received in total. This showed an increase in demand in comparison with 2023. Music stages would again be placed on both King Street and Castle Street, and potentially another site in place of street entertainment to ease congestion and obstruction. Two of the headline sponsorship packages had been sold and further sponsorship packages were still available. Work was ongoing with regard to traffic management for the road closures, and it was confirmed at the meeting that the agreement with LCC for the works to Castle Street included the requirement for Castle Street to be re-opened in time for the Food Festival. It was hoped a flyover would be arranged again by the Red Arrows. 

The minutes of the Climate Change Working Group meetings held on 21 November 2023 and 1 February 2024 were submitted for Committee’s information.

There were no reports from representatives on outside bodies.

RESOLVED: That by virtue of the next item of business being exempt information under Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be now excluded from the meeting.

Report of the Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed.

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report updating Committee on the Business Support for Net Zero Transition and Decarbonisation Project, which was being funded from the Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The report provided updates on the project actions and events for quarter three and quarter four covering the periods 1 October 2023 to 31 December 2023 and 1 January 2024 to 31 March 2024.

Report of the Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed.

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted an information report to update Members on the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) applications received to date.

Thirteen full applications had been received out of twenty-four expressions of interest. Committee were provided details of the schemes totalling £335,825 which were being submitted for approval by Policy and Finance Committee on 9 April 2024. A further report providing updates would be brought to the next meeting.