Proposed by Councillor Wolff, seconded by Councillor Simmons

Green member motion

Council :

1.  notes the officer’s report entitled Carbon-Related Issues (Climate Change and Fuel Poverty) which states that the Council is able to require all new homes to be zero carbon.  It reads :

It is Oxford City Council's view that the recently revised NPPF supports the ability of individual Councils to . . . [set] local targets that are in excess of national requirements. In the Oxford context . . . it is essential that such stretching targets are set and are supported by local policy.

2.  notes the Sustainability Appraisal of the Local Plan commissioned by the Council where it reads :

For a truly neutral impact on climate change, the housing would need to be built to standards that exceed the current Building Regulations, and would need to generate a significant amount of renewable energy  (Oxford Local Plan 2036 : Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment)

3.  notes with approval that in Policy RE1 of the draft Local Plan, we are ahead of the field in seizing the opportunity granted by government to require that new homes are, as a minimum, to be built significantly above the government minimum standard, but

4.  notes that we will not require them to be carbon neutral until 2030;

5.  notes that zero carbon homes are possible, feasible and typically cost (according to one recent study (https://eciu.net/assets/ECIU_Zero_Carbon_Homes_-compressed.pdf ) only 1-2% more to build, a cost which is paid back by lower energy bills within a few years;

6.  notes that under policy RE1, houses built from the date of the Local Plan adoption will, without expensive retrofitting which subsequent governments may require, continue to be carbon emitters to the end of the century and beyond;

7.  believes that the draft Local Plan to which we are now committed is inconsistent with the climate emergency declared by us on January 28th which recognised the need for early action.

Council therefore:

1.  asks those members and officers that are representing the Council in the developing of the Oxfordshire Plan (and our own five-year plan review) to give the highest priority to a drive for the earliest possible adoption of zero carbon building standards;

2.  asks those members and officers that are representing the Council in the Growth Board to adopt the same priority;

3.  asks the City Executive Board, as sole shareholder in our Housing Company, to give the highest priority to the construction of zero carbon social housing from now onwards;

4.  asks the City Executive Board, as sole shareholder in Oxford Direct Services, and recognising the national skill shortages in the building trades, to prioritise up-skilling of our workforce in zero carbon quality building and renewable energy systems.

This motion was not taken as the time allowed for debate had finished.

Proposed by Councillor Wolff, seconded by Councillor Simmons

Green member motion

Council :

1.         notes the officer’s report entitled Carbon-Related Issues (Climate Change and Fuel Poverty) which states that the Council is able to require all new homes to be zero carbon.  It reads :

It is Oxford City Council's view that the recently revised NPPF supports the ability of individual Councils to . . . [set] local targets that are in excess of national requirements. In the Oxford context . . . it is essential that such stretching targets are set and are supported by local policy.

2.         notes the Sustainability Appraisal of the Local Plan commissioned by the Council where it reads[1]  :

For a truly neutral impact on climate change, the housing would need to be built to standards that exceed the current Building Regulations, and would need to generate a significant amount of renewable energy

3.         notes with approval that in Policy RE1 of the draft Local Plan, we are ahead of the field in seizing the opportunity granted by government to require that new homes are, as a minimum, to be built significantly above the government minimum standard, but

4.         notes that we will not require them to be carbon neutral until 2030

5.         notes that zero carbon homes are possible, feasible and typically cost (according to one recent study[2] ) only 1-2% more to build, a cost which is paid back by lower energy bills within a few years;

6.         notes that under policy RE1, houses built from the date of the Local Plan adoption will, without expensive retrofitting which subsequent governments may require, continue to be carbon emitters to the end of the century and beyond;

7.         believes that the draft Local Plan to which we are now committed is inconsistent with the climate emergency declared by us on January 28th which recognised the need for early action.

Council therefore:

1.         asks those members and officers that are representing the Council in the developing of the Oxfordshire Plan (and our own five-year plan review) to give the highest priority to a drive for the earliest possible adoption of zero carbon building standards;

2.         asks those members and officers that are representing the Council in the Growth Board to adopt the same priority;

3.         asks the City Executive Board, as sole shareholder in our Housing Company, to give the highest priority to the construction of zero carbon social housing from now onwards;

4.         asks the City Executive Board, as sole shareholder in Oxford Direct Services, and recognising the national skill shortages in the building trades, to prioritise up-skilling of our workforce in zero carbon quality building and renewable energy systems.

This motion was not taken as the time allowed for debate had finished.