SPC 4 - Minutes

Minutes of Strategic Policy Committee 4 (Climate Change) Meeting held on Wednesday 31st March 2021 in The Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo at 11 am


IN ATTENDANCE:

  • Councillor Sinéad Maguire (Chairperson)
  • Mr. Tom Kilfeather, A/Chief Executive, Sligo County Council
  • Ms Emer Concannon, A/Director of Services, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Martina Casey, A/Administrative Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Mr. Pete Murtagh, Environmental Awareness Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Councillor Donal Gilroy (Via Virtual Meeting Room)
  • Councillor Martin Connolly (Via Virtual Meeting Room)
  • Mr. Bernard Finan, PPN Agriculture/Farming Sector Representative (Via Virtual Meeting Room)
  • Ms. Yvonne Lang, PPN Environment/Conservation Sector Representative (Via Virtual Meeting Room)
  • Ms. Clodagh Quinn, Staff Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Jane Golden, Staff Officer, Sligo County Council

 

APOLOGIES:

  • Councillor Tom MacSharry
  • Councillor Dara Mulvey
  • Councillor Paul Taylor
  • Ms. Lisa Moore, PPN Community and Voluntary Representative

 

1.  Minutes of meeting held on 14th October 2020

The minutes of the SPC 4 meeting held on 14th October 2020 were proposed by Councillor Martin Connolly, seconded by Ms. Yvonne Lang and agreed.

 

2.  Matters Arising

None. 

 

3.  Update on Work Programme 2020/2021

Mr. Pete Murtagh, Environmental Awareness Officer, took committee members through the Draft Work Programme which had been circulated in advance of the meeting. A discussion on each Work Programme Item followed with the main points highlighted as follows:

1.  Climate Adaptation Strategy:

A steering group and working group have been formed to work on actions which arise from the Climate Adaptation Strategy.  This steering group is made up of the Senior Management Team and Heads of Sections, the Working Group has 14 council staff members involved from various departments.

2.  Energy:

A draft Energy Policy for Sligo County Council was circulated to all members prior to the meeting for consideration.  The policy was agreed in principle by the members with some small amendments as follows:

  • Aims, Objectives, Targets
    • In order to assess the success of the policy and its actions in time, it was suggested that 2019 levels of energy efficiency and carbon emission levels would be included as a point of reference
    • A more defined statement be included re: green procurement (this is to be completed later in the year)
  • Reporting, Communications and Review
    • It was clarified that membership of The Energy Team is fluid and is made up of staff members from Sligo County Council who work, and have expertise and interest in this area. Structures are currently being put in place and action plans will follow at a later date to inform the work
    • The Chair requested that these points be included in the policy

3.  Signing up to ‘Covenant of Mayors’:

Sligo County Council has formally signed up to the Covenant of Mayors which will involve commitments in terms of mitigation and adaptation measures. A Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP) outlining and detailing these commitments is to be drawn up within 18 months of the date of signing up (01/02/2021) to the Covenant of Mayors. This will complement the Climate Action Plan which is due in the next 12-18 months.

4.  Decarbonising Zone:

Mr. Pete Murtagh gave an update on decarbonising zones which every Local Authority has to have identified by the end of April 2021.  Biodiversity will be promoted and carbon will be removed from these designated areas.  Zones must be situated where there is a population of at least 5,000 people or in an area of 4 square kilometres in rural areas.

A number of potential zones have been identified through work already carried out and conversations held between Sligo County Council Climate Action Group, CARO and the Contract Research Unit (CRU) in IT Sligo.  Potential zones discussed were as follows:

  • Oakfield Park
  • Finisklin/Rathedmond Area
  • Abbeyquarter/Cleveragh
  • Ballinode/Ballytivnan
  • Sligo Town Centre
  • Strandhill

It was agreed by the members to take Oakfield Park and Finisklin/Rathedmond off the list as it was felt that these sites would be difficult to bring up to the required standards.

Ms. Emer Concannon stated that informed decisions would lead to best practice and achievable results which would in turn produce successful projects.  These projects would then act as a catalyst for others to get involved in similar projects.  The members stated that they would be happy to be guided and take recommendations from these experts who were being informed by IT Sligo’s Sustainable Energy Community Masterplan.

Councillor Donal Gilroy stated that any retrofit of houses that might be involved in the chosen decarbonising zone/s would have to achieve a B1 BER rating.  This was noted.

Mr. Pete Murtagh agreed to circulate the criteria for selection of these zones to all of the members.

5.  Optimising Power at Work Scheme:

A staff awareness programme is due for delivery in County Hall, Riverside when Level 5 restrictions are lifted.

6.  Building Lighting Upgrades:

An eight-year contract with ESB SES through the Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme (EEOS) will see the replacement & upgrading of lights with energy efficient LED lighting in six of Sligo County Council’s buildings to include:

  • County Hall
  • City Hall
  • The Model
  • Sligo Sports Complex
  • Waterpoint Enniscrone
  • Teach Laighne, Tubbercurry

Fit out of these buildings will take 4/5 months to complete and work is expected to start in Quarter 2/3 of 2021.  Energy savings will be immediate.

7.  Community Engagement:

Sligo PPN hosted a Climate Conversations event in conjunction with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communication’s National Dialogue on Climate Action which will inform the development of its  2021 Climate Action Plan.  The virtual event was attended by 30 people from various community groups and interested parties.  Feedback from the event will be forwarded to the Department.

It was agreed that the PPN would be requested to circulate information about future such events to members in SPC 4 Climate Change.  The importance of involving young people at such events was highlighted and the possibility of having a youth representation on the SPC was suggested.  As the membership of the SPC cannot be altered, it was agreed that a link to any future public consultations would be made available on the Sligo County Council’s website and social media.  Mr. Pete Murtagh agreed to action this.

8.  Smarter Travel and Air Quality:

Ms. Emer Concannon highlighted a broad range of new initiatives which had just been announced the previous day.  These included:

  • Active Travel Strategy - €2.1 million funding received for roll out in 2021. Year 1 of a 5 year strategy in conjunction with Sligo and Environs Local Transportation Plan.  Procurement for consultants to be completed during 2021
  • Sligo City and County Cycling Strategy – countywide shared cycling/walking infrastructure
  • Safe to School Initiative – in conjunction with An Taisce Green Schools Project

Councillor Donal Gilroy requested a breakdown of the Transport Strategy which will be circulated to all members as soon as it is available.

9.  Woodland Creation on Public Lands Forestry Initiative:

This scheme is ongoing and a number of possible sites have been identified:

  • Forthill
  • Finisklin
  • Knox Park
  • Ballinafad
  • Strandhill

The Strandhill Biodiversity Group had been speaking to Mr. Pete Murtagh about identifying a potential site, it is intended to action this in Q1/Q2 of 2021.

It was agreed that information about the initiative would be made available to the community.  It was highlighted that to be included in the scheme, the proposed land had to be public property and owned by the Local Authority.  It was suggested that the land register would be a good starting point in identifying potential pieces of public land that might be suited to the scheme, with a view to community groups then contacting the council to discuss the matter.

10.  Electric Vehicles – Local Authority Fleet and Charging Points:

Sligo County Council area offices are considering the purchase of electric vehicles, however there is no suitable replacement for heavier vehicles.  A fleet energy audit is to be conducted.  The council is exploring with EIR, the possibility of putting rapid chargers in where old telephone boxes were located.

 

EU INTERREG VA FASTER Programme

This project will invest approximately €6.4m in a new vehicle charging project called ‘FASTER’ which will help reduce reliance on fossil fuels by encouraging increased use of more environmentally friendly forms of transport.  This project recognises that one of the main barriers to greater public uptake of electric vehicles is the perceived lack of rapid charging stations.

Delivered on a cross border basis, the project will be implemented by lead partner East Border Region, in conjunction with partners from Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland.  Discussions are ongoing between Sligo County Council and the FASTER Project working group to identify possible sites for the installation of rapid chargers which would be fully funded.  However, once the project is completed, the management and upkeep of the rapid charging points would have to be determined which is a consideration.

Mr. Tom Kilfeather, A/CE welcomed the opportunities this project could bring to the County and stated that it was a good starting point as there had always been a debate about the value of rapid chargers as opposed to top up points. 

Linking the project to sites along the Wild Atlantic Way was also considered and networking with all relevant players would be involved.

11.  Field Trip to Devenish Nutrition in Co. Meath:

This trip is currently on hold as a result of the ongoing Covid – 19 restrictions.

12.  Training – Staff and Councillor Training via CARO:

Climate Awareness Training has been delivered to the Senior Management Team, with plans to deliver this training to staff members ongoing.  Councillor Sinéad Maguire stated that she had attended the training and that it had been very informative.  CARO are also delivering training online which can be accessed by the SPC members on request.  Mr. Pete Murtagh will arrange this training for interested parties.

13.  Agree Work Programme for 2022:

This will be considered in Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 of 2021.

 

4.  Climate Action Plan 2021- Community Climate Conversations

This item has been covered in 3.7.  Findings are to be circulated to the SPC members.

 

5.  Discussion Item – Identification of a Decarbonisation Zone

Already covered in item 3.4.

 

6.  Item submitted by SPC 4 Chair, Councillor Sinéad Maguire

“That Sligo County Council recognises the overwhelming evidence that a global climate and biodiversity crisis exists and that society at all levels must take responsibility in responding effectively to the challenges facing the future of our planet. Having adopted a Climate Adaptation Policy in 2019 to inform its efforts in adapting to climate change, Sligo County Council now acknowledges the need to assume a more visible leadership role by immediately implementing the following steps:

  • Declare a Climate Emergency for County Sligo
  • Declare a Biodiversity Emergency for County Sligo
  • Commit to implementation of the County Sligo Biodiversity Plan
  • Commit to providing Climate and Biodiversity Action Plan Report updates at every Council meeting
  • Commit to establishing a Climate Action Committee to meet within three months and whose remit would include prioritising transport, energy and flood protection measures consistent with a sustainable approach to the Climate Emergency. Membership would include representatives from local government, public bodies, community, social, environmental and economic sectors”.

Councillor Sinéad Maguire stated that she had been encouraged by groups to submit the motion initially to the first SPC meeting, for ratification at a full council meeting.

In response, Mr. Tom Kilfeather, A/CE Sligo County Council stated that environmental items are flagged and updated at council meetings and that not every council has a Climate Change SPC or dedicated Climate Change staff.  Interviews for a Climate Action Officer are in train and there should be someone in the position by late summer.  He felt that the Climate Change SPC was sufficient in capturing all the work being actioned in relation to the environment.

Amendments

The item was agreed to be amended as follows, before being brought to a full council meeting for ratification:

“That Sligo County Council recognises the overwhelming evidence that a global climate and biodiversity crisis exists and that society at all levels must take responsibility in responding effectively to the challenges facing the future of our planet.  Having adopted a Climate Adaptation Policy in 2019 to inform its efforts in adapting to climate change, Sligo County Council now acknowledges the need to assume a more visible leadership role by immediately implementing the following steps:

  • Declare a Climate Emergency for County Sligo
  • Declare a Biodiversity Emergency for County Sligo
  • Commit to implementation of the County Sligo Biodiversity Plan
  • Sligo County Council signs up to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan
  • Commit to providing regular updates, as required, on Climate & Biodiversity related issues, and on our performance with regard to the various goals and objectives that we are committed to delivering on

 

It was agreed that the Climate Change SPC would double up as the Climate Action Committee.

 

7.  Item submitted by Sligo PPN – Climate/Biodiversity Emergency Declaration

This is as per No 6.

 

8.  Item submitted by Sligo PPN – Green Spaces and Rewilding Projects

Sligo County Council are doing as much as they can with regard to parklands and the environment, particularly during Covid 19 restrictions.  It was seen as important to promote best practice and success stories from community groups in order to encourage other members of the community to get involved.  Ms. Yvonne Lang requested that the success of the project in Tonaphubble be used as an example of best practice.  Mr. Pete Murtagh is to arrange the promotion of this project with Ms. Lucy Brennan, Parks Department, Sligo County Council.

Councillor Donal Gilroy suggested that it would also be beneficial to promote the use of biodiversity products to Tidy Towns Groups.

Councillor Sinéad Maguire suggested the planting of wildflowers along the new Western Development Road and felt that there was an opportunity there to promote biodiversity.

Mr. Pete Murtagh told the members about the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan which he felt would be a good means to bring communities together.

 

9.  Date of the next Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled for 30th June 2021.

 

10.  Any Other Business

The issue of non-attendance at SPC meetings was flagged by the Chair Councillor Sinéad Maguire and the importance of meetings being able to proceed as scheduled with a full quorum.

It was suggested to contact Sligo PPN representatives and elected members of SPC 4 Climate Change to see if alternative representatives could be considered in light of committee members not being in a position to attend meetings.

Following discussion, it was agreed that a letter, signed by the SPC Chair and Sligo County Council’s A/Chief Executive would be sent to all SPC members encouraging them to attend meetings prior to the next meeting. 

 

The Chair thanked everyone for their attendance.

 

The business of the meeting concluded at 12.50 p.m.

 


Meeting Date 31/03/2021