Decision details

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport seeking approval in respect of a Corporate Carbon Reduction Policy to ensure the Council can meet its obligations under the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme and manage energy effectively within the buildings that it operates.

(i)  To adopt the Corporate Carbon Reduction Policy and Action Plan to ensure the Council can meet its obligations under the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme and manage energy effectively within Council operated buildings.

(ii)  That an annual report be brought back to Cabinet outlining the progress in delivery of the Action Plan against the targets, together with recommendations for further improvements

CRC is the UK mandatory cap and trade scheme concentrating on energy use, which will be introduced in April 2010 under an order published pursuant to the Climate Change Act 2008 to help meet the national target to reduce CO₂ emissions by 80% by 2050.  The Council will be required to participate in and meet its obligations under this mandatory carbon trading scheme.

Non compliance with the requirements of CRC may result in the imposition of civil sanctions, such as fines and / or treated as a criminal offence subject to appropriate enabling legislation being introduced.

Cabinet approved the recommendations with the following amendment to the report. 

Paragraph 6 (b) deleted from the report.

New paragraph 7 to read:

In addition, to build upon the good work done by the Council to reduce carbon emissions, the Council supports the aims of the 10:10 campaign which seeks to cut Green House Gas emissions in 2010 by 10%.