Agenda item

Report of Corporate Director (Business) and Assistant Chief Executive (Business Transformation), with attached draft Climate Change Strategy and Procurement Policy (enclosed).

Agreed

The Executive Cabinet received and considered a joint report of the Corporate Director (Business) and the Assistant Chief Executive (Business Transformation) seeking approval to the adoption of a draft Climate Change Strategy and associated Sustainable Procurement Policy.

The report and strategy highlighted the significance of climate change issues and the subsequent need for the Council to ensure that practices and initiatives aimed at adapting to and mitigating the impact of climate change are embedded in all areas of the Council’s work and activities.

The Climate Change Strategy brought together in a coherent and consistent manner current good practice by putting forward a number of potential actions aimed at reducing the Council’s carbon emissions and costs and promoting good practice.  The action plan would need to be examined, costed and developed further before submission to the Executive Cabinet.

The adoption of the associated Sustainable Procurement Policy and Action Plan aimed to recognise the Council’s vital role in furthering sustainable development through its procurement of building goods and services by good practice methods.

In response to a Members ’comment, the Chief Executive confirmed that the Local Strategic Partnership was also examining ways of assisting local businesses to reduce their carbon footprint.

Decisions made:

1.      That the Climate Change Strategy, as now presented, be approved and adopted and that the related programme of actions be approved in principle.

2.      That the associated Sustainable Procurement Policy be adopted to implement the actions contained in the Flexible Framework Action Plan to be contained as an appendix to the Climate Change Strategy.

Reason for decisions:

The Climate Change Strategy and associated actions represent Chorley Council’s responsibility and public commitment to adopt and mitigate the reports of climate change.  The actions will be undertaken by the Council through its role as an organisation, Community Leader and service provider.  The production of a Climate Change Strategy is a key project within the Corporate Plan.

The Sustainable Procurement Policy is vital for the Council to formalise good practice and to provide value for money in its procurement transactions, whilst taking account of environmental and socio-economic benefits and the national targets set out in the National Action Plan Flexible Framework.

Alternative option(s) considered and rejected:

None.