Agenda item

The Cabinet is asked to note any announcements made by the Leader of the Council.

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Stock OBE) made the following announcements:-

 

Climate Emergency

 

“Many of you will recall that I put forward a motion in the Summer proposing that the Council declare a climate emergency.

 

On 7th August we did declare a climate emergency, making a commitment for the Council’s operations to be carbon neutral by 2030 and to provide community leadership to encourage our businesses and communities to aspire towards the same target.

 

As part of the declaration I agreed to set aside £150,000 in support of this work and to set up a cross-party climate change working group.

 

I am extremely pleased to say that a cross party working group was quickly established with Councillor Alan Coley as the chair. The group met for the first time on 12th September and has recently held its fourth meeting. I know that the discussions held by the group have been extremely positive and that party politics have not come into play. That is important as we must not let our politics get in the way of such an important issue.

 

So far, through the work of the group we have achieved the following:

 

  • A commitment to tree planting in the District. It has been reported that Tendring has only 4% tree coverage so we have a great opportunity here. 2400 trees were planted at Rush Green over the last weekend in November, bringing the total number of trees planted there this year to 5000.  On the recommendation of the group I have written to Councillor Finch, as leader of Essex County Council, to ask that they maximise the proportion of trees planted in Tendring as part of their commitment to a £1 million tree planting programme across Essex and I am sure that tree planting will be a feature of our Action Plan.

 

  • A recommendation that an energy efficiency assessment of all our general fund buildings be carried out so we can prioritise our planned investment and works to those buildings. I have just signed a decision committing us to this work which will be carried out in the New Year and funded from the £150,000 I mentioned earlier.

 

  • Linked to this we have set aside a budget of £1.13 Million towards future energy efficiency improvements to our buildings.

 

  • The appointment of a specialist consultancy to work with us to calculate our carbon footprint and prepare our action plan for becoming carbon neutral. The consultants we have chosen to work with are the Energy division of the Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE Energy). APSE, who are wholly owned by the local authorities who are their members, have a good knowledge of local councils and are very well placed to support us.  I am therefore confident they will help put us on the right footing. I want the public money we will spend on carbon reduction to be well spent and for us to focus our actions on those areas where we can have the biggest impact in the shortest time.

 

  • An assessment of how much single-use plastic we use as part of our operations. I would like to propose that we cease the use of single-use plastics across our business where it is possible to do so and will be asking officers to implement this. So no more plastic cups! By the end of 2020 I would like to be able to declare us single-use plastic free.

 

As you can hear we are moving in the right direction and have already taken some very significant and positive steps towards becoming carbon neutral.

 

This is just the beginning though, and if we are to make a meaningful difference for future generations we will need to take some tough decisions. The Action Plan, which I expect to be ready by the Spring, will set out what we need to do to make our operations carbon neutral, along with the associated costs. I will bring that plan to Cabinet and then Full Council to ensure we have the highest level of commitment to the work that will need to be done over the next ten years.”

 

Councillor Stock OBE then responded to matters raised by Councillors Allen, I J Henderson and Scott.

 

Corner Lodge Care Home, Jaywick Sands

 

“I’m delighted to report that Corner Lodge Care Home in Jaywick Sands has won the Activities and Wellbeing category at the Essex Care Sector Awards.  This local care home beat over 100 homes throughout Essex nominated in this category, and has been recognised for taking a proactive approach to improving the wellbeing of its residents through meaningful activities that are person centred, creating a compassionate environment where individuals are engaged, stimulated, and fulfilled.  My congratulations go to all the staff and residents at Corner Lodge.”

 

Armed Forces Covenant – Silver Award

 

“I am pleased to be able to be able to let Members know that Tendring District Council has been awarded the SILVER award under the Armed Forces Covenant.

 

The scheme publicly recognises employers’ efforts to support defence personnel issues, such as employing reservists and veterans, while encouraging others to do the same.

 

We are immensely proud of our relationship with the Armed Forces in Tendring, and to be recognised with this prestigious award is a real honour.”

 

Kindertransport

 

“Members may be aware of Kindertransport - a hugely significant movement which helped children of Jewish families flee the Nazi regime in Austria, Poland, Germany and Czechoslovakia ahead of the 2nd World War.

 

On 2 December 1938 the first Kindertransport took place with 196 children transported from Berlin, via the Hook of Holland, to Harwich by ferry. From Harwich port the children were taken on a train to Liverpool Street where they met their volunteer foster parents. Children without volunteer foster parents were placed in holding centres at holiday camps in Dovercourt, in Tendring, and further afield.

 

A second Kindertransport took place on 10 December 1938 with 500 children travelling from Vienna to Harwich and these children were largely accommodated in a Dovercourt holiday camp.

 

There is, of course loads more behind the story of Kindertransport than I can describe in a short statement but I am sure Members will agree that this is a hugely significant part of Tendring’s history, particularly Harwich’s.

 

Therefore in keeping with this Council’s commitment to recognising and promoting our heritage it is only right that we do more to formally recognise the role that Harwich and Dovercourt played in Kindertransport.

 

I have asked officers to engage with the Harwich Society, and any other interested local groups, to develop proposals for a public art installation which will both commemorate and tell the story of Kindertransport and its’ links with Tendring. This will provide a much deserved civic focus for Kindertransport and further add to the ongoing promotion of the history of Harwich and Dovercourt for residents and visitors alike.”

 

Councillor Stock OBE then responded to points made by Councillor I J Henderson.

 

Parliamentary General Election

 

Councillor Stock OBE congratulated the staff of both this Council and Colchester Borough Council for the very efficient way in which they had carried out the election and the election counts for the Clacton Parliamentary Constituency and the Harwich and North Essex Parliamentary Constituency.