Council to hear call for environmental action from Lib Dems

3.20.38pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 1st Dec 2005

Liberal Democrats want the Council to tackle climate change

Sheffield City Councils Liberal Democrat Group have put forward a motion to next weeks Council meeting calling for environmental action. The motion, to be moved by Cllr Sylvia Dunkley, will call for new planning policies which directs new commercial buildings to include a requirement for renewable energy and for the creation of a 'champion' for climate change in the Council.

If accepted the Council will adopt a 10% renewable energy requirement for all new commercial developments. A total of 87 other Councils across the country have already made this commitment, Lib Dems want to bring Sheffield up to speed with green initiatives and contribute towards the mitigation of climate change.

Liberal Democrats believe that 'green' buildings will be beneficial to both business and the environment. They point to a study by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors that found green buildings could earn higher rents and prices, attract tenants and buyers more quickly, cut tenant turnover and cost less to operate and maintain.

If accepted the Council will also be required to single out a senior politician to become the authorities 'champion for climate change'. The champion's role will be to promote pro-active measures to combat climate change within the council and to consider how the Councils decisions affect the climate change agenda. Lid Dems are also calling for the champion to produce an annual report to Council.

Cllr Sylvia Dunkley, Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet member for Transport and the Environment, said: -

"Both of these measures will help Sheffield and the Council to become more environmentally friendly. I very much hope that the whole Council can get behind this motion and support our proposals"

"Its essential that Sheffield is a leader in promoting environmental measures. Adopting a 10% renewable energy requirement for all new commercial developments will not only help to sustain our environment, but it could also benefit business in the long term. Many other Councils already operate this policy, it's about time that Sheffield caught up and contributed to the mitigation of climate change"

"If accepted our proposals will also see a Cabinet member designated as a 'champion' for climate change. This should help provide the political leadership to ensure that climate change is at the heart of the Councils thinking"

Notes to editor: -

Please see NoM to be moved at the 7thy December Sheffield City Council meeting below

Moved by Cllr Sylvia Dunkley seconded by Cllr Mohammad Azim

That this Council:

(a) is alarmed that the Prime Minister appears to be moving away from a target-based approach to reducing carbon dioxide emissions to one of reliance on new technology and agrees with the World Wildlife Fund that his approach is becoming indistinguishable from that of the President of the United States;

(b) regrets the imminent end of the Clear Skies and the Solar PV Major Demonstration programmes and the fact that their successor, the low carbon buildings programme, is not expected to begin giving grants until next summer at the earliest and that these grants are expected to be far less generous than the current schemes;

(c) applauds those developers such as BT with their new data centre at Tinsley who are incorporating renewable and energy efficiency measures in the design of their new development;

(d) notes that a study by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors found that green buildings can earn higher rents and prices, attract tenants and buyers more quickly, cut tenant turnover and cost less to operate and maintain;

(e) further applauds the London Borough of Merton and the 87 other councils across the country who have brought in a requirement for new commercial developments to generate at least 10 per cent of their energy needs from renewable sources;

(f) believes that Sheffield City Council should not be lagging behind other local authorities in contributing to the mitigation of climate change in this way;

(g) resolves therefore that this Council adopts a figure of a 10% renewables requirement for commercial developments as soon as possible;

(h) resolves that a Cabinet member is designated as a 'champion for climate change' who will produce an annual report and whose role will be to promote pro-active measures to combat climate change within the council and to consider how the Councils decisions affect the climate change agenda.