Governance & Finance
how Lancaster City Council is tackling climate change
How the Council's plan tackling climate emergency?
The Council's plan includes a net-zero target and make tackling the climate emergency one of its main priorities and reports on its own greenhouse gas emissions which have reduced since 2019. More details can be found below and in the 'Building & Heating' section on the Council webpage .
The LGA Corporate Peer Challenge Report published at Cabinet 9 July 2024, stated 'Peers were impressed at how the approach to climate policy is being embedded across the Council'.
The Medium Term Financial Plan 2022/23 to 2027/28 is a combination of numerous documents and includes the Council's net zero target. These are reviewed each year, the latest approved version of these documents on 28 February 2024 . These will be considered again by Full Council in February 2025:
- Budget & Policy Framework – General Fund / Reserves Policy (Item no 119)
- Capital Strategy & Capital Programme (Item no 120)
- Housing Revenue Account Budget & Budget & Policy Framework (Item no 121)
- Treasury Management Strategy (Item no 122)
- Medium Term Strategy Update (Item no 123)
Every 3 months Cabinet receive a 'Medium Term Financial Strategy Update'. These can be view on this webpage link .
The Capital Programmes includes schemes such as Burrow Beck solar and other Council assets in tackling climate emergency.
How the council monitor risks around the climate?
The Council produces a Strategic Risk Register which is delivered to the Audit Committee for oversight. , 'SR06 The Council fails to reduce its direct Co2 emissions to ‘net zero’ by 2030' are considered by Audit Committee.
All risks are reviewed and presented to Cabinet on a quarterly basis, the latest presented 10 September 2024 . Only risks which are unrestricted are shown. The numbers shown on the risk map relate to those on the next page in the first column, not the Strategic Risk (SR) numbers.
How the councils' procurement policy require tenders to take action to reduce waste, carbon emissions or other environmental actions?
The Council has Contract Procedure Rules (CPRs) (embedded in the Council's Constitution ) which are intended to promote good procurement practice, public accountability and to deter corruption. Social Value for the purpose of these contract procedure rules is taken to include Community Wealth-Building, Environmental and Economic benefits.
How the Council's area wide carbon emissions decreased, according to UK Government data?
Every year, the UK produces a breakdown of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by Local Authority area. The dataset covers CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions and is broken down into sectors and subsectors. We use the data to help identify the key sources of GHG emissions; monitor how GHG emissions are changing over time and understand where mitigation actions need to be targeted. It helps us understand as well how well we are staying on track to reach net zero.
In 2020 there were 535,460 metric tonnes of CO2 emitted in the District. How big is a ton of CO2? One ton of CO2 weighs a literal tonne! And takes up about the same space as two average UK three-bed houses. If you planted a UK native broadleaf tree, it would take about its whole lifetime (100years) to take up one tonne of carbon.
We are a long way off from net zero but emissions are coming down. Since record keeping began in 2005, CO2 emissions in Lancaster District have decreased across sectors by close to 40%. Between 2017 and 2020, CO2 emissions decreased 11%. You might be wondering why the data only goes to 2020. It takes a long time for the data to be collected so it is published two years behind. Lancaster District's Area Wide CO2 emissions that are within the local authorities scope of influence are available in our District Wide Emissions by Sector Comparison Tool.
If you feel like digging through the data, view the full green house gas dataset .
How the climate emergency at the heart of every council decision made?
The councils decision making process puts tackling the climate emergency impact assessment.at the heart of every council decision, An example of this can be viewed in the Budget & Policy Framework Update 2023/24 to 2027/28 report presented to Council 28 February 2024.
Your Council is committed to meeting the challenges of the Climate Emergency. The Cabinet Member with particular responsibility for Climate Action is Councillor Gina Dowding .
How the Council provides funding for community climate action
You can view all the projects we have funded from UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF)
How the Council is delivering Carbon Literacy Training
All senior management have received Carbon Literacy Project accredited training delivered by APSE before 15th August 2024. Those sitting on Cabinet in July 2023 were all offered Carbon Literacy Project accredited training delivered by APSE. Nine members of Cabinet were able to attend. All councillors were offered inhouse Biodiversity Net Gain Training (attended by 15) in November 2023 and Tackling Climate Change at Lancaster City Council Training (attended by 9) in May 2024. Both sessions were recorded for those who could not make it.