Agenda item

(A report by Christian Allen, Assistant Director – Regulatory)

The Portfolio Holder Councillor Callum Butler presented the report supported by the Group Manager for Climate Change and confirmed that inFebruary 2021, a new Environment Policy had been introduced to provide the mandate for work to underpin the strategic aim within the 2020-2024 Corporate Strategy around Environmental Awareness and Accountability.  The policy had provided the framework for more detailed plans and strategies to be developed and helped to embed climate change and environment considerations across all services and directorates. The development of the new Sub-regional Strategy for the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership in 2024 set out a collective ambition for the three Councils and had at its heart the Environment as one of four sub-regional priorities.  It was a timely opportunity to review the existing policies of East Lindsey and Boston and produce a revised document that underpinned delivery of the Environment priority in the new Sub Regional Strategy.  Climate change was widely considered to be one of the greatest challenges facing our society and it was recognised that the Partnership has a stronger voice and influence by working together.

The Council’s Climate Change and Environment Team worked across the three Councils to achieve environmental aims and objectives and had been responsible for implementing carbon foot-printing assessments and monitoring, delivery of environment projects such as community orchard planting, the establishment of a South and East Lincolnshire Climate Action Network and delivery of multi-million pound programmes of home energy advice and capital works to improve the energy-efficiency of residents’ homes.  Achieving the collective climate change and environment ambitions of the Partnership and meeting Net Zero targets however could not be delivered by one team in isolation. It required buy-in from all areas of Council operations from procurement through to service delivery and it was therefore important that guiding documents set out a clear plan for what considerations need to be part of decision-making activities.

The new SELCP Environment Policy (Appendix A) set out the key themes and priorities that underpinned the strategic aim of the Sub-regional Strategy and that simple approach was designed to provide the basis from which to link to wider initiatives and funding proposals, and also provide the framework under which more detailed plans and strategies sat e.g. the Carbon Reduction Plan, Sustainable Products Policy and Climate Change Strategy. Monitoring of the Environment Policy would be driven by the Performance Management Framework and Annual Delivery Plan as outlined in the Sub-regional Strategy given that the policy directly supported delivery of the Environment priority. 

A broader approach to quantifying how the Partnership was delivering against its Climate Change and Environment ambitions was also currently being developed to evaluate progress across service areas and to enable a level of benchmarking against other authorities and organisations. The Environment Policy would be embedded as part of any agreed monitoring process.

Member deliberation followed which included:

Several suggestions were tabled including the provision of recycling bins within the town allowing the public to dispense their rubbish in the correct receptacle, with the current bin provision being that of all disposals in one bin which was not supporting recycling.  It was noted that such bins were prevalent on the continent where the public used them correctly.

Another suggestion was that of the provision of water fountains, again used overseas to cut down on plastic water bottles. A further suggestion in respect of the disposal of bottles and cans was the provision of reserve vending machines enabling the public to recycling their used receptacle in the correct way and gain a payment for doing so.

A further suggestion in relation to protecting the environment was the cutting back of ivy at its roots, on trees where it was prevalent and could kill the trees or even fell them.

Members did agree the need for further education and that it was important that the schools be involved as pupils who understood the need, would recycle themselves and more importantly, educate their families including parents on how to recycle.

In response the portfolio holder stated that at one point, recycling bins had been installed within the town but had been abused in their use by the public, who disposed of all rubbish in any of the bins and not using them as designated.

The issue of providing water fountains had been considered within the PE21 project.

The cutting back of Ivy was something that could be raised with the grounds team.

Responding further to the suggestions, the Group Manager for Climate Change advised that the recycling bins were a challenge in balancing the managing of waste against the recycling side and linked to a wider programme of awareness raising. A scheme was due to be trialled on the coast with a dedicated bin for plastic bottles which would have signage around it, relating to the dangers of plastic within the marine environment.

Members were advised that any decision in respect of the cutting back of Ivy would need to be a careful balance, as its value to wildlife as a valuable food resource in winter would need to be considered.

RECOMMENDATION:

That Environment and Performance Committee recommends to Cabinet that the new Environment Policy be adopted.