To receive any requests for Deputations, Presentation of Petitions or Public Questions.
Minutes:
(i) The Council received the following Public Question from Mrs Lindsi Bluemel which was responded to by Councillor Rayment, Cabinet Member for Place and Environment:
Question 1 – Living under the flight path of aircraft
I live under the flight path of aircraft leaving and approaching Southampton Airport and I am very aware of and concerned about the impact of low-flying aricraft on the lives of residents in Bitterne Park and Townhill Park and the education of pupils attending Bitterne Park School. As an airport expansion consultee, will the Council take account of the increased damage to the lives of Southampton residents that will be caused by noise pollution from larger and heavier aircraft when it draws up its response? Will the Council inform us as to what measures will be put in place, if expansion takes place, to minimise the potential harm to the lives of residents of this city?
Answer
The issues you raise will be considered in due course by the Local Panning Authority, which is Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) in this case. Southampton City Council will be a consultee to this process and will ensure the issues raised are properly considered and communicated.
(ii) The Council received the following Public Questions from Mrs Angela Cotton which were responded to by Councillor Leggett, Cabinet Member for Green City and Environment:
Question 2 – Green City Charter – Expansion of Southampton Airport
The Council has set itself the laudable vision of creating a "cleaner, green, healthier and more sustainable city" in order to make the city a "better place for present and future generations that is prepared for the challenges presented by climate change". The specific goals include several that would be compromised by expansion of Southampton Airport, a founding signatory to the Green City Charter, including: 2: "We will take actions that will improve the quality of life in our city. We want the Healthy Life Expectancy Indicator to be the best amongst our peers and to remove the difference cities like Southampton experience with rural areas in terms of deaths attributed to air pollution." Air and noise pollution resulting from airport activities impact significantly on the quality of life of people who live near it. And 6: "We will encourage, promote and incentivise the use of sustainable and active travel." Air travel is neither sustainable nor active. Given this, does the Council agree that expansion of Southampton Airport would undermine the Green City Charter goals and if not, why not?
Answer
The airport provided an opportunity for all stakeholders to comment on its Master Plan last year and we welcomed their willingness to proactively engage with all parties that could be affected by their activities. Their Master Plan proposed a period of growth and although we did not oppose this we did provide detailed and specific feedback stressing the need for that growth to be conducted in a sustainable manner on all fronts.
We accept the impacts that air travel and its ancillary activities can have on local communities and the wider environment and will continue to work with the airport and their Local Planning Authority (Eastleigh Borough Council) to mitigate these. We very pleased that the airport has signed up to the Green City Charter.
Question 3 – Climate Change – Planting Trees
What plans does SCC have for preserving and planting trees in order to help combat climate change.
Answer
There is an annual tree planting programme which seeks to replace any trees lost during the year at a ratio of 2 to 1. So the tree population in Southampton should continue to increase. We currently have over 250,000 trees in the city, over 100 different species giving us 18.5% tree cover in the city. Tree schemes such as the Council’s “Trees For Life” annual planting puts shelterbelts into schools helping to mitigate climate change. Further programmes to increase our urban forests will be considered as part of the Green City Charter Action Plan.
Question 4 – Increase in aviation CO2
What reassurances has SCC received that expansion of Southampton airport from 2 million passengers per year to 4 million by 2027 (and 5 million by 2037) will not lead to increased aviation CO2/greenhouse-gas emissions (excluding any carbon offset programmes)?
Answer
See answer to question 2 above.
(iii) The Council received the following Public Questions from Mr Izaak Watson (facilitated by the Mayor) which were responded to by Councillor Leggett, Cabinet Member for Green City and Environment:
Question 5
Why is there still no declaration of a climate emergency by Southampton City Council? We have a petition with over 1500 signatures asking the full council to design a new motion on the climate emergency to coincide with the Green City Charter action plan launch in September, it is very clear the citizens of Southampton want the crisis to be recognised by their local council.
Answer
The Council debated and passed a motion on 15th March 2017.
For information only:
(c) Reduction of City Wide CO2 Emissions
Councillor Shields moved and Councillor Hammond seconded.
The City Council recognises that the world faces an environmental crisis resulting from man-made climate change for which we all have a responsibility.
The City Council wants to set ambitious targets for making Southampton 100% clean by 2040 in line with the commitments made by the UK government and several other national governments at the 2015 Paris World Leaders’ Summit.
The City Council therefore commits to a shift to 100% clean energy by 2040, building on our existing targets in the Council’s 2011 Low Carbon City Strategy to reduce City-wide CO2 emissions by 2020 and in line with our commitments as a signatory to the European Covenant of Mayors for Climate Change and Energy in 2012.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED CARRIED.
Question 6
How is the planned Southampton airport expansion going to be offset on the road to carbon neutrality by the council's own target of 2030?
By adopting the Green City Charter Southampton City Council has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 with regard to its own activities and will endeavour to work with stakeholders and communities to extend this across the city.
Answer
Southampton Airport is situated in Eastleigh Borough Council, we will look to support and collaborate with both to deliver improvements. We are pleased that Southampton Airport has signed up to the Green City Charter.
The Council received and noted a deputation from Mrs Vicky-Lee Egerton.