Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Climate Change Panel

Stratford-on-Avon District Council's inaugural* Climate Change Panel took place on Wednesday 13 January 2021.

The first agenda item that was agreed, was to support the recommendation to work together with Warwick District Council on Climate Change matters.

The Panel also agreed to establish a Carbon Baseline that can be used by the District Council to inform decision making about reducing its carbon footprint.

Local authority reporting on emissions is voluntary, but having a consistent and easy calculation of an annual carbon baseline is an important part of managing the carbon in an organisation. Carbon Baselining is a useful tool in determining future climate action. The same methodology is being deployed across Warwickshire and having comparable data will be useful when considering joint initiatives.

The Panel also endorsed and agreed to commission a SCATTER Analysis and consultant's report for South Warwickshire.

SCATTER is a local authority focussed emissions tool, built to help create low-carbon local authorities. It provides local authorities with the opportunity to standardise their greenhouse gas reporting and align to international frameworks, including the setting of targets in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.

This differs from Carbon Baselining in that it looks activity within the wider Local Authority area rather than focussing on the Local Authorities direct emissions.

The District Council will now join with Warwick District Council to propose the appointment of Anthesis to carry out a SCATTER analysis and produce a plan of interventions that will most quickly and effectively achieve Carbon reduction within South Warwickshire.

Cllr Tony Jefferson, Leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council and Chairman of the Climate Change Panel said: "The Panel signed off on three very significant issues at the meeting, including working more closely with Warwick District Council.  Both Councils recognise that climate issues do not stop at the District boundaries and there is much value in working together to tackle this key issue.

"The items agreed by the Panel will provide useful data to inform future policy development and to ensure that we make effective climate interventions.

"We also agreed that there should be a focus on adaptation to the impacts of climate change as well as on mitigation of the impacts. This is too often underplayed.

"This Panel will play an important part in our climate change agenda and there will need to be close links between the work of the panel and the work about to get underway on the South Warwickshire Plan."

The Panel will meet on a monthly basis.

Members of the Climate Change Panel include:

• Chairman, Councillor Tony Jefferson
• Vice-Chairman, Councillor Penny-Anne O`Donnell
• Councillors: Bill Fleming, Susan Juned, Daren Pemberton, Manuela Perteghella and John Riley

The Panel is an advisory group, designed to bring together identified members of the Council to support the development of strategic policies and actions plans in response to the Council's declaration of a climate emergency.

The Panel makes suitable recommendations, which are sent to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for pre-decision scrutiny. Any alternative recommendations are then made from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for decision by The Cabinet.

The Panel also monitors the implementation of decisions made by The Cabinet where required to do so in relation to the declared climate emergency.

*Please note this was the first 'proper business' meeting, the Panel had already sat in October to decide the Terms of Reference for the Group and the public participation procedure.