Decision Details

Motion I

Proposer: Cllr Nissen, Seconder: Cllr Rippingale

This Council notes:

1. 2023 was one of the hottest summers since records began in 1880, with heat records being broken and extreme weather across Europe. The climate emergency remains the biggest threat to Colchester, with impacts on all aspects of life including health and finances. 
2. The world is considered to be in climate breakdown by the United Nations, and efforts to reverse the 1.5°c rise have not been implemented. New fossil fuel exploration is contradictory to the Paris Agreement and an existential threat to our survival.
3. Poorly insulated homes comprise a very high percentage of Colchester’s housing emissions, with an additional economic impact on residents squeezed by the cost of living. 61.9% of homes have an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D or below, indicating a large proportion of homes in Colchester are poorly insulated, impacting on the ability for residents to pay bills in a cost of living crisis. Colchester City Council has had successes within our social housing portfolio, by raising 85% of our homes to C rating; showing our commitments to both supporting vulnerable residents with financial hardship and mitigating the climate emergency. 
4. Over 300 Councils have declared a climate emergency. To support them in delivering critical climate actions, central government needs to urgently increase funding to local authorities, under the National Adaptation Programme.  
5. Investment in Green energy would create jobs, tackle unemployment and reduce the cost of living. It would go a way to mitigating both extreme heat and flash flooding, for which Colchester is vulnerable. 
  
This Council calls on the UK Government to:

1. Implement necessary measures to ensure the UK meets its legally binding obligations to net zero by 2050; and consider committing to the internationally-recommended 2030 goal;
2. Provide enhanced funding from the Energy Profit Levy, to support a long-term investment programme on retrofitting poor insulated homes and local authority buildings;    
3. Re-commit to the ban on oil, Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) and new coal heating for off-gas-grid homes by 2026; 
4. Promote the deployment of low carbon electricity types including solar, wind, hydropower;  
5. Support 20 mph in highly urban areas, assisting councils to actively improve air quality;  
6. Promote and fund Active Travel schemes which work in collaboration with existing infrastructure; including long-term support for successful initiatives including £2 bus travel.  

As the motion relates to a non-executive matter, it will be debated and determined at the meeting.