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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED: 1. To scrutinise the content of the report and the actions taken to date to assist the Council in delivering its decarbonisation commitments and support the Welsh Government's commitment to transition to a zero-carbon energy system by 2050; 2. To acknowledge the national and regional processes involved in the delivery of the LAEP for the wider County Borough of RCT and its inter-relation with the Cardiff Capital region Area Energy Plan and the proposed Welsh National Energy Plan; and, 3. To receive further updates on progress as and when deemed appropriate and observe examples of the work being undertaken to transition to a zero-carbon local area energy system by 2050.
RESOLVED: • To scrutinise the contents of the report in respect to; - progress with the ongoing implementation of the default 20mph speed limit. - Outcome of the ‘national listening phase’ conducted by the WG. - Overview of new guidance for ‘Setting 30mph speed limits on restricted roads - guidance for Highway Authorities’. - RCTCBC’s programme to conduct a review in accordance with the revised guidance. • To agree that officers come before the Climate Change, Frontline Services & Prosperity Scrutiny Committee upon completion of the review and consultation phase to report their findings.
RESOLVED to acknowledge the contents of the report.
The Chair welcomed Members and Officers to the virtual Climate Change, Frontline Services & Prosperity Scrutiny Committee.
The Scrutiny Officer referenced the research facilities that were available to Members within the Council Business Unit. Members were advised that if they have any specific queries to email them to the Council’s scrutiny team who would accommodate their requests.
In accordance with the code of conduct, Councillor W Treeby declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 6-“My son works for the Council’s Fleet Services”
The minutes of the virtual meeting held on the 18th December 2024 were approved as an accurate record.
Minute 23 (Recommendation 4) 18.12.24 The Scrutiny Officer advised that following a request by the Climate Change, Frontline Services & Prosperity Scrutiny Committee to undertake the Carbon Literacy training (or equivalent), all Members of the Council would be surveyed on the type of training they would like to undertake. A development session can then be tailored to suit Members’ needs. Minute 23 (Recommendation 5) 18.12.24 The Scrutiny Officer confirmed that correspondence had been sent by the Council’s Procurement Department to the Carbon Trust to the Carbon Trust to progress the necessary guidance regarding net zero accreditation. Minute 23 18.12.24 In respect of the EV charging points in two EVC locations in Beddau (at Beddau CC & Tynant Road Car Park) it was confirmed that this would be followed up and a response provided to the Member in due course.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: 1. To scrutinise the content of the report and the actions taken to date to assist the Council in delivering its decarbonisation commitments and support the Welsh Government's commitment to transition to a zero-carbon energy system by 2050; 2. To acknowledge the national and regional processes involved in the delivery of the LAEP for the wider County Borough of RCT and its inter-relation with the Cardiff Capital region Area Energy Plan and the proposed Welsh National Energy Plan; and, 3. To receive further updates on progress as and when deemed appropriate and observe examples of the work being undertaken to transition to a zero-carbon local area energy system by 2050.
The Council’s Carbon Reduction Officer presented the update report of the Director of Corporate Estates in respect of the Implementation of the Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) For Rhondda Cynon Taf County Boroughfollowing its endorsement by Cabinet in September 2024. The update outlined the key actions taken to date, governance arrangements and early funding success that are supporting the delivery of the key objectives. The Council’s Carbon Reduction Officer outlined section 4 of the report sets out background to the LAEP which details that it provides a strategic data driven road map for RCT to transition to a low carbon energy system. It also enables the Council to take an evidence based approach to energy planning that all local, regional and national priorities are aligned. She added that Appendix 1 of the report provides an executive summary of the LAEP, Appendix 2 provides the detail of the LAEP in its entirety. Section 5 of the report provides an update on the progress of the LAEP since its endorsement by Cabinet in September 2024 and since its endorsement work has progressed in several key areas: Ø The establishment of a dedicated officer led sub- group to oversee its implementation; Ø Close collaboration with the Cardiff Capital Region and the WG with RCT having a presence on both Regional steering group and the All Wales Local Authority Forum; Ø Securement of grants to accelerate renewable energy and transport decarbonisation initiatives In conclusion, the Council’s Carbon Reduction Officer advised that the report provides an update on the early implementation phase of the LAEP, highlighting the progress made in the governance, collaboration and in securing investment ensuring that RCT is well positioned to transition to a sustainable and net zero energy system by 2050. Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions. The Vice Chair queried how the Council intends on engaging with residents, schools, businesses and community leaders to raise awareness of the Council’s achievements, plans and ambitions and also make full use of social media. The Council’s Carbon Reduction Officer advised that there has been much engagement with the public through the Lets Talk Local Area Plan consultation page and through regular updates to local residents. She added that local community groups such as ‘Welcome to Our Woods’ have been invited to workshops which informed the development of the LAEP. A Member queried whether there is evidence to show how effective the 300 heat pumps identified in the RCT LAEP which are installed across the Borough have been since 2023and whether there are any cost savings compared to conventional heating. The Carbon Reduction Officer confirmed that information regarding the cost savings would be provided following the meeting but added that the figures within the LAEP are based on a theoretical capacity and would need to be investigated on a case by case basis. She added that much engagement has been undertaken with the Council’s Housing department to ensure that it does not contribute to fuel poverty. In response to a query regarding engagement with local businesses and how the Council educates local residents about the LAEP and its progress, the Carbon Reduction Officer confirmed that both community groups and local businesses have been engaged through their involvement during the development of the LAEP and will continue to be updated via sub-groups which will involve the county borough and the wider region. The Chair queried whether the Council has the relevant internal experience to deliver the plan and whether the Programme Manager is in post as yet. The Carbon Reduction Officer explained that the LAEP is a Welsh Government sponsored plan and will be integrated into the regional plan and therefore is supported well at that regional level by the Regional Programme Manager. On a local level, the local Area Energy Plan Sub-Group is established with a Chair and Vice Chair now elected. In the future the support will derive from the National Steering Group and the National Forum. A Member queried the link between the LAEP and Planning, particularly in areas such as building in solar panels into developments. The Carbon Reduction Officer responded that one of the actions within the plan is to undertake a renewable energy assessment which will be used as an evidence base for the RLDP demonstrating the close link with planning colleagues who will be kept informed as appropriate. A Member referred to a recent event hosted by the Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council which involved 50-60 local businesses and local colleges to discuss zero carbon issues, he asked whether a similar series of programmes and events could be held in RCT? The Carbon Reduction Officer concurred with the importance of engagement events and stressed the importance of tapping into existing networks and use these as often as possible. The Director of Corporate Estates acknowledged that Bridgend Council are a little further ahead than RCT in terms of their LAEP being one of the first council to work alongside Welsh Government to trial their plan. He added that RCT intends to work closely with the Director of Frontline Services & Prosperity with events planned over the coming months. He also responded to a query regarding the former ‘Business Club’ which has since been dissolved and added that similar work is being undertaken with community groups such as assisting with a hydro scheme and also generating grant funding for other initiatives. Following discussion it was RESOLVED: 1. To scrutinise the content of the report and the actions taken to date to assist the Council in delivering its decarbonisation commitments and support the Welsh Government's commitment to transition to a zero-carbon energy system by 2050; 2. To acknowledge the national and regional processes involved in the delivery of the LAEP for the wider County Borough of RCT and its inter-relation with the Cardiff Capital region Area Energy Plan and the proposed Welsh National Energy Plan; and, 3. To receive further updates on progress as and when deemed appropriate and observe examples of the work being undertaken to transition to a zero-carbon local area energy system by 2050.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: • To scrutinise the contents of the report in respect to; - progress with the ongoing implementation of the default 20mph speed limit. - Outcome of the ‘national listening phase’ conducted by the WG. - Overview of new guidance for ‘Setting 30mph speed limits on restricted roads - guidance for Highway Authorities’. - RCTCBC’s programme to conduct a review in accordance with the revised guidance. • To agree that officers come before the Climate Change, Frontline Services & Prosperity Scrutiny Committee upon completion of the review and consultation phase to report their findings.
In addition to the report of the Director of Highways, Streetcare & Transportation Services, the Temporary Head of Traffic and Transportation presented a Power Point presentation providing Members with an update on the following headings: Ø Brief Recap Ø Rationale for change=why 20mph? Ø Exceptions-where 20mph is not appropriate Ø two main elements to exception criteria Ø implementation – the role of the la Ø implementation – signing & lining Ø signing at school sites Ø public response post implementation Ø response from welsh government Ø national listening programme-summer 2024 Ø review process – proposed way forward Ø timetable for delivery Ø revised guidance-setting 30mph speed limits on restricted roads Ø weighing up the benefits and disbenefits of speed Ø achieving the right balance Ø financial implications Ø conclusions Following the power point presentation the Temporary Head of Traffic and Transportation advised that updated collision and casualty data had been received from Welsh Government which he was able to share with Members. It demonstrated that there has been a decrease in collision and casualties by 15% and that the 20mph implementation has had a positive impact on the networks across Wales. The Chair thanked the Temporary Head of Traffic and Transportation for his detailed presentation and asked if the RCT figures for collision and casualty figures could be provided for the Scrutiny Committee in the future. A Member asked if a social media post demonstrating the benefits of the 20mph initiative can be published as soon as possible for the residents of RCT and she also raised a concern regarding the opportunity to contribute to the consultation suggesting appropriate roads to be changed to 30mph and whether it was now too late for residents to have their say. The Temporary Head of Traffic and Transportation welcomed any further contributions from local residents to the consultation via the Traffic Services inbox and confirmed that collaboration with Elected Members would take place regarding any proposals within specific wards. He added that certain wards were clustered for the last engagement sessions and the same will be done again shortly so that Members can be kept up to date with developments across their wards. A Member queried whether this work would impact on the Service Area in terms of its capacity to address other work whilst dealing with the 20mph workload. The Temporary Head of Traffic and Transportation agreed that it does have an impact on workloads, however he added that support would be sought if there are a significant number of changes to be made and that would be monitored. In response to a question around how residents’ requests are responded to and how are they kept up to date with progress, the Temporary Head of Traffic and Transportation confirmed that the timetable for delivery and other key information is available on the Council’s website and queries have been logged and acknowledged although further information won’t be provided until the review is conducted. The Chair asked if a summary of the requests can be made available to the local Members also so they are aware of the submitted requests. Another Member sought clarity on the engagement process and the importance of publicising the difference the 20mph has made to the local residents and RCT. The Temporary Head of Traffic and Transportation commented that the Welsh Government guidance is quite restrictive to enable local authorities to revert back to 30mph taking into consideration the criteria, for example where there are health facilities in close proximity to a highway and on that basis the thinking is that there will be few changes where the highways will revert back to 30mph. He added that there will be areas where the 20mph is clearly not working but in the majority of cases and within residential areas, the changes will be minimal. Following discussion, it was RESOLVED: • To scrutinise the contents of the report in respect to; - progress with the ongoing implementation of the default 20mph speed limit. - Outcome of the ‘national listening phase’ conducted by the WG. - Overview of new guidance for ‘Setting 30mph speed limits on restricted roads - guidance for Highway Authorities’. - RCTCBC’s programme to conduct a review in accordance with the revised guidance. • To agree that officers come before the Climate Change, Frontline Services & Prosperity Scrutiny Committee upon completion of the review and consultation phase to report their findings.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED to acknowledge the contents of the report.
The Fleet Services Manager presented the report of the Director of Highways, Streetcare and Transportation Services which sought to update Members of the Climate Change, Frontline Services and Prosperity Scrutiny Committee on the Council’s progress with transitioning from an Internal Combustion Engine, (ICE), fleet to an Ultra-low Emissions Vehicles, (ULEV), fleet. The Fleet Services Manager referred to the Council strategy; Making Rhondda Cynon Taf Carbon Neutral by 2030, which sets out the Council’s commitments to reduce carbon including: procuring a vehicle fleet that is fit for purpose yet has a limited impact on the environment. He also referenced the Council’s Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy 2021-2030, which seeks ‘to identify suitable locations for ‘Workplace Charging’ across all RCT sites and work with other sectors, where applicable, to increase workplace charging, to meet demand as appropriate and transforming our fleet towards more sustainable methods of transportation, in a planned and practical way’. The Fleet Services Manager advised that the Council accesses grant funding and seeks every opportunity to identify grant funding as often as possible towards the cost of replacement ULEVs and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure. Members were apprised of the process of vehicle replacement and of the Council’s current fleet profile which is a mix of HGV’s and LGV’s with a combination of both owned and leased vehicles. The Fleet Services Manager advised that 8.5% of the fleet profile is ULEV which operate across numerous services of the Council. Currently there are no HGV vehicles transitioning but the Council is currently in the process of discussing funding with WG to transition two nappy collection vehicles to ULEV. Following presentation of the report, Members had the opportunity to ask questions of the Fleet Services Manager. A Member asked whether it was practical for the whole fleet to transition by 2030 with a small amount of infrastructure in place and wondered if it made more sense to transition to hybrid vehicles in the first instance. The Fleet Services Manager advised that as Welsh Government don’t recognise hybrid vehicles as a green alternative and therefore they can’t be included in the data. He added that the infrastructure can currently be an issue for staff for example in Llwydcoed where there is a complete lack of infrastructure. The Chair queried whether Welsh Government has liaised with the local authorities about the target date? The Fleet Services Manager responded that there had not been any discussion around the date albeit there is regular collaboration with local authorities on general matters. Another Member raised a query regarding the availability of ‘back up’ vehicles for the ULEV fleet in case of break downs, particularly for service areas such as social services where vehicles are heavily relied upon. The Fleet Services Manager commented that the Council does have back up vehicles and as with the recent flooding events where officers, who were out on call through the night undertaking crucial work, had access to diesel cars to ensure they were able to carry out their work without the added concern of charging their vehicles. In response to a query regarding how the Council compares to other local authorities in transitioning its fleet, the Fleet Services Manager advised that Cardiff and Swansea Councils are currently leading the way. As part of a Regional Fleet Managers Group who meet regularly the Fleet Services Manager added that the forum discuss many aspects of the transitioning procedure, the pros and cons of the process. The Chair added that the topography of RCT is very different to that of Swansea and Cardiff and needs to be given consideration. It was RESOLVED to acknowledge the contents of the report.
The Chair once again thanked Members for their contribution to the meeting. He commented and thanked Officers for providing Scrutiny with a wealth of information on the ambitious Local Area Energy Plan (Laep) for Rhondda Cynon Taf, the Welsh Governments (WG) requirement for local authorities to review 20mph speed limits in response to the recent National Listening Exercise and the publication of revised assessment criteria and lastly, information presented to Scrutiny relating to the Council’s fleet transition from an Internal Combustion Engine, (ICE), fleet to an Ultra-low Emissions Vehicles, (ULEV), fleet. He advised Members that the next meeting will be held on the 26th March 2025, when the Cabinet Member for Environment & Leisure would be attending as part of the Cabinet Member engagement session.
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