Agenda item

To receive and consider the draft terms of reference for this committee following the amalgamation of the Planning & Development Committee with the Climate & Biodiversity Sub-committee.

Members received and considered the draft Terms of Reference for the new Committee.  A member felt that the council should firm up the concept of being carbon neutral by 2028.  She felt that this should state that the Council is looking to be carbon neutral in its operations by 2028 and will encourage residents to be more environmentally conscious.  She wanted this to be clear that it was not realistic to expect the whole town to be carbon neutral by 2028.

The Chair agreed.  Events held on our land should also work towards being carbon neutral. 

The Town Clerk commented that she was pleased to hear that members wanted this to be a very clear element in the Terms of Reference, as she had been led to believe initially it was something quite different when the motion was originally presented to Council last year.

A member referred to scope 1 – all use of fossil fuels and scope 2 – use of electricity, and this would be incorporated into the wording.

RESOLVED:  that the Terms of Reference for the Committee as presented be agreed with the addition of some wording explicitly on the Council’s commitment to Carbon neutrality by 2028 – Cllr Ashbourne would work on these with the Chair and they would be circulated to the Committee for approval.