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the Environment Act became law – it would be driven by new legally binding environmental targets and enforced by a new independent Office for Environmental Protection (known as the OEP) to hold Government and other public bodies to account on their environmental obligations;

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the Department for Education had produced new guidance on the Education Act 2021 requiring schools to make uniforms affordable to all and for parents to get the best value for money;

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the Chancellor announced new requirements for businesses to set out their green credentials to potential investors and the roadmap to sustainable investing included rules which would apply to pension schemes, investment products, asset managers and were part of the Government’s reforms to create a greener financial system;

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there were new duties for Council’s to provide support and safe accommodation for victims of domestic abuse and this new regulation and guidance set out the support Councils were required to provide together with a requirement to work with partners such as the Police, local domestic abuse charities and published strategies on how they would provide support to victims by January 2022;

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the budget was announced in October 2021 and the core spending power for Councils was estimated to increase by approximately 3% in real terms – the Chancellor was providing Councils with £4.8b of new grant funding around social care and other services, and some headline announcements for Plymouth included £19.9m expansion of the George Park and Ride site through the levelling up fund, up to £50k to develop early stage proposals to reinstate passenger rail links between Tavistock and Plymouth through the restoring your railway ideas fund, and up to £90m for the new community forest in Plymouth and South Devon;

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in relation to housing and homelessness, a further £11m has been allocated to support 23 re-development schemes across 15 councils and Plymouth has been awarded £600,000 for five sites;

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in relation to the community renewal fund, the Government announced two successful bids for Plymouth: Plymouth Sound National Marine Park (£655,000), and Stonehouse Union (£552,000);

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Plymouth was awarded £165,000 to help support rough sleepers over winter;

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a consultation that came out following the publication of the Policy Brief regarding enhanced legal support for those facing eviction and repossession; it would close on 20 January 2022;

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there was a series of free workshops for elected members on investing in walking and cycling infrastructure projects; the Department for Transport was offering a programme between November and January  - the link was provided in the brief.

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if Plymouth had the correct type of accommodation to support the victims of domestic abuse? Previously bed and breakfast accommodation was relied upon and this was not considered appropriate therefore was the Council in a position to adequately support those in need?

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in relation to the £65m support for vulnerable renters contained within the Policy Brief, how could the Council claim money for vulnerable renters? How would low income earners claim that money?

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with regards to the new standard for environmental reporting and the importance of green investments, would this affect the Council’s procurement policies too? It was responded that officers were working with officers to develop and enhance the procurement approach as a result of this;

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had there been an update on what might be happening with green waste and environmental issues going through Government; it was responded that an update would be provided later in the meeting.