Councillor Briars-Delve (Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change) introduced the item and highlighted the following:

a)    The NZAP (Net Zero Action Plan) 2025-28 built upon the successes made during 2024;

b)    The e-bike network expansion had been completed, reaching 26,000 registered users;

c)    Free access to e-bikes through social prescribing;

d)    40 rapid electric charging points had been constructed and £2.4 million had been received to install further points for those without access to off-street car parking;

e)    Decarbonisation of the Council’s estate;

f)     Retrofitting of 207 social homes;

g)    Climate connections events reach of over 2,700 and social media post reach of over 40,000;

h)    Worked to produce a city-wide climate action plan, inviting them to publically share their plans, and over 110 business had taken part;

i)     Importance that every department within the Council felt they were actively playing a part in the Net Zero Action Plan;

j)     The new NZAP was more strategic and data-led;

k)    Three focuses were in areas where there was potential for the greatest impact for decarbonisation: Transport, Buildings and Behaviour Change;

l)     Important to enable and encourage sustainable travel options;

m)  Exploration of possibility of emissions-based parking charges;

n)    Application for an E-scooter trial;

o)    Expansion of the EV (Electric Vehicle) car club;

p)    50 electric double decker buses in Plymouth;

q)    Delivery of the 400 million externally funded heat networks would begin shortly and Plymouth had been shortlisted nationally as one of six towns and cities to form the first heat network zones;

r)    Innovative data centre to heat the swimming pool at the Life Centre;

s)     Retrofitting for more social homes;

t)     Employment of recycling officers;

u)    Recycling plant of electric vehicle batteries;

v)    Thanks to Councillors Lugger, Bridgeman and McLay for cross party working on the preparation of the NZAP;

w)   Having restored the Climate Emergency Investment Fund ratchet in last year’s budget, this had been increased as part of the review process for budget setting to support future Net Zero projects and initiatives.

In response to questions, supported by Paul Barnard (Service Director for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure), John Green (Net Zero Delivery Manager) and Emmanuelle Marshall (Net Zero Delivery Officer) the following was discussed:

x)    Food waste collection was expected to roll out in Spring 2026, external change funding and the importance to raise awareness of the benefits;

y)    Funding to stimulate demand for jobs within the green economy through the allocation of levelling up funding was listed as ‘at risk’ because the funding had been secured but was not yet with the Council, once received this rating would be removed;

z)    Net Zero changes such retrofitting might cost but came with financial benefits;

aa)  Net Zero would be difficult to achieve for the city and for the Council. But was important in reaction to the climate emergency declared by the Council years earlier;

bb)The plan was developed on a rolling three year basis, receiving a refresh each year allowing flexibility and time to achieve goals;

cc)  Development of a citywide Net Zero Route Map with clear milestones;

dd)Polling on co-benefits of net zero showed there was public support;

ee)Improvement and increase in available data for modelling which aligned with what was being done nationally and internationally;

ff)    Mileage claimed by officers through HR system and mileage of the Council’s fleet could be used for modelling;

gg)  Income from renewable energy sales and building efficiencies made savings for the Council;

hh)There would not be a car parking charge hike, there would be an exploration of possibility of emissions-based parking charges to encourage behaviour change;

ii)    Data centres required significant volumes of water as coolant, and Council’s were struggling to heat swimming pools, so building a data centre next to the Life Centre was a mutually beneficial opportunity, which would reduce gas consumption;

jj)    Promoting the benefits of net zero action to the public was more effective;

kk)The team were using funding to look into ways of reducing the challenges of some communities being able to have electric vehicles;

ll)    Recent launch of the youth climate ambassadors program and engaging young people with net zero work in the city;

mm)  Climate Connections website gave a user friendly summary of what the     Council and businesses across the city were doing;

nn) Pavement channel connecting homes to EV charging points on-street;

oo) Carbon assessments;

pp) Climate Impact Assessments.

The Panel agreed to:

1.    Support and endorse the Plymouth City Council Net Zero Action Plan 2025-2028;

2.    Recommend that the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change develop a Climate Communications Plan to include making information more accessible via the Plymouth City Council Website;

3.    Recommend that the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change seek to secure ratchet funding in future years and to ask Finance to review any future caps to ensure the money was set aside and could be added to.

For (10)

Councillors Bannerman, Darcy, Holloway, McCarty, McLay, Moore, Noble, Raynsford, Smith and Sproston.

Abstain (1)

Councillor Ricketts.

Against (0)

(At the conclusion of this item, the Panel took a five minute break)