Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0   Purpose of Report

1.1     To seek committee approval for Belfast City Council to accept an invitation to join the UK100 Resilient Recovery Taskforce, and agree that the Chair of Strategic Policy & Resources Committee should represent Council on the Taskforce, with officer support from the Commissioner for Resilience. 

2.0     Recommendations

2.1     The Committee is asked to

·         Approve BCC membership of the Resilient Recovery Taskforce, and that the Chair of the Strategic Policy & Resources Committee represents Council.

3.0        Main Report

            Key points to note

3.1     UK100 is the network for UK local authorities, urban, suburban and rural, focused on climate and clean energy policy. It connects local leaders to each other, to business and to national government, enabling them to showcase their achievements, learn from each other and speak collectively to accelerate the transition to clean energy.  It works closely with elected representatives, policy experts and grassroots campaigners to make the clean energy transition a reality. This involves developing solutions to challenges faced by each and all of our local leaders, whatever their geography, history or makeup, so as to influence national government and building public support for clean energy solutions.  It has a close working relationship to ‘Core Cities’ of which Belfast is an active member. 

3.2     UK 100 has written to Belfast City Council to invite it to join a newly formed Resilient Recovery Taskforce.  The Taskforce is ‘designed to bring the expertise and experience of local leaders to bear on how to rebuild our economy in a way that meets the challenges of climate change.’  It follows guidance written to government from the.  UK.  Committee on Climate Change on a resilient recovery, which highlighted the importance of accelerating action on de-carbonisation and adaptation, given the lessons learned from Covid. - 19. 

3.3     While the specific actions will be agreed by the Taskforce over the coming months, it is expected that it’s programme of work will include, action to:

·         Communicate the opportunities of placing the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change at the heart of resilient recovery, by using our collective voices and individual actions to ensure that the UK Government supports local government and the investments needed locally.

·         Establish a process of engagement with national government that enables local leaders to help develop constructively the design, format, content and delivery of an economic recovery package, or packages that create resilience in our communities and reduce carbon emissions. This should be complementary to any existing engagement that exists currently.

·         Agree a shared set of broad priorities, in the form of a declaration, that reflects how we want to achieve collective goals and that helps Task Force members in securing support for specific projects and programmes for their local areas.

3.4     In the first instance UK100 have agreed to perform the necessary secretariat duties, with the support of Core Cities, and there is no expectation of a financial contribution for participation.

3.5     Belfast City Council has already undertaken to support and shape a potential future ‘green stimulus’ as part of our broader work on ‘Response, Rebuild and Recovery’ from Covid-19.  The UK100 Resilient Recovery Task Force is a useful opportunity to make the case for investment in this area, alongside other cities. 

3.6     Resource & Resource Implications

         Membership of the Taskforce does not involve a financial contribution- other than officer time, no other financial resource are expected to be required. 

3.7     Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

         None arising from this paper.”

            Proposal

Moved by Councillor Murphy,

Seconded by Councillor Beattie,

            That the Council does not accept the invitation to join the UK100 Resilient Recovery Taskforce.

            On a vote by show of hands, seven Members voted for the proposal and twelve against and it was declared lost.

            The Committee approved the Council’s membership of the Resilient Recovery Taskforce, and agreed that the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee would represent the Council.  It was further agreed that the Council would also explore climate change on an all Island basis.