NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL
TRANSPORT, ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT AND ENTERPRISE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
24 April 2025
Report of the Climate Change Member Champion – Councillor David Hugill
1. Purpose of Report
To provide an annual update to the Transport, Economy, Environment and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee of the activities carried out by the Climate Change Member Champion.
2. Introduction
First of all, I would like to thank Councillor Paul Haslam as the previous Member Champion for his support over the past 9 months as I come to terms with my new role. I have tried to continue the good work in a number of areas of interest that he started.
I make no excuses for repeating Councillor Haslam’s opening statement from last year’s report, as it serves as a reminder of the key principles of the role:
“Championing mitigation of climate change is not purely about the planet, but about the people, their health, wellbeing, ability to work and play. It’s about social justice and “levelling up”, not just across the country but across society. We know climate impacts on different sectors of the population in different way.”
3. Job Description of the Climate Change Member Champion
I see the key responsibilities of the Climate Change Member Champion role as:
· To remind all Councillors that they are all climate champions now and that we can each make a difference.
· To champion local Environment and Climate Action Groups. I see myself as an important link between the Council and the North Yorkshire Climate Coalition (a collection of interested climate groups) and consider this a key component of the role.
· To support Scrutiny Chairs to lead scrutiny of policies to ensure it is in line with the Councils climate change goals.
· Be inquisitive
· To engage in policy formulation, particularly around the emerging Local Plan.
· Effectively engage with the public to get more feedback
· To focus on the ability of the Council to convene meetings of the appropriate parties to solve climate change issues.
· To get involved in air quality as part of the role
· To support the Climate Change Portfolio Holder (Executive Member for Managing our Environment) in their role as decision maker for this area.
4. Celebrating new initiatives to combat Climate Change
One example of a new initiative from North Yorkshire Council to put tackling climate change at the heart of everything we do is the proposed new adult care hubs project and our consideration of net zero opportunities within the design phase of the programme.
As a result, the external envelope of each building will be super insulated to meet and exceed that required by building regulations, in order to reduce the energy requirements of the building and consequently the energy bills.
In the private sector, it is great to see the work done by venues such as Ripon Racecourse to reduce its carbon footprint with initiatives such as:
· Running a shuttle bus from Harrogate to the racecourse to encourage visitors to leave their cars at home.
· A treatment plant incorporated into the irrigation of the course, resulting in a massive saving of the water used.
· The lighting in the function rooms has been upgraded to be energy efficient
· The manure from the stables is composted to replace inorganic fertiliser on the vast array of plants which the course known as ‘Yorkshire’s Garden Racecourse’ is famous for.
5. Influencing and networking
I have attended many events related to my Member Champion role in the past 9 months. For example, at the recent North Yorkshire Climate Coalition Event, I gave a presentation on regenerative grazing as practised on my own farm.
It was encouraging to note the attendance of fellow Councillors White, Gostlow, Mason and Haslam at this event, underlining my initial comment that we are all climate champions!
In January 2025 I gave a talk to Great Broughton and Kirby WI. When diary commitments allow, I attend my local Climate Action Group in Stokesley.
In November 2024, I attended a NYC Nature Recovery workshop at Thirsk Auction Mart and used the event to be part of ‘Countryside COP4’, a week-long event putting rural sustainability in the spotlight ahead of COP29, which was held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Further afield (at no expense to the Council) visits have been made to The Real Oxford Farming Conference and the Low Carbon Agriculture Event at Stoneleigh, Coventry. At both these events, I saw examples of best practice that could make a real difference in North Yorkshire. I am looking forward to a busy summer of events around the UK that I plan to visit.
6. Education
In January 2025, I spent 2 days on a LGA Carbon Literacy online course. I am pleased to report that after submitting a report post-course I have received a Certificate in Carbon Literacy. This recognises my efforts to enhance my understanding of Climate Change and my role in creating a more sustainable future.
7. Working with Officers
I meet regularly with Michael Leah, Assistant Director for Environment and Transport and Shaun Berry, Head of Environment and Sustainability. I am grateful for their help and support since taking over the role.
8. Refresh of York and North Yorkshire’s ‘Route Map to Carbon Negative’ Task and Finish Group
The route map sets out an ambitious pathway for local authorities, businesses, charities, academia and communities to come together to deliver carbon reduction at the necessary pace and scale to reach net zero by 2034 and net negative by 2040.
Since the launch of the strategy in 2022, the former York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership Team and now the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Team have been working with partners to start delivering the strategic actions set out in the roadmap. With the transition to the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and changes in national policy, it is an opportune time to review delivery to date and refresh the ‘Route Map to Carbon Negative’. I have put my name forward to co-chair this group alongside Councillor Kent, the representative Member from City of York Council. It is a good opportunity to shape the regional plan and how the Mayor sees this important agenda.
9. Nature Recovery
At the time of my appointment to the Climate Change Member Champion role, I pledged to use my farming connections to get our farmland delivering more in terms of nature.
While the loss of the Sustainable Farming Incentive is a major blow, all is not lost. Working with the Environmental Farmers Group, who work with clusters of farms around river catchments, I co-chair a scoping group looking at setting up a cluster group in the North of the County. We have received funding from ‘Farming in Protected Landscapes’ to carry out this work. This usually restricts membership of the scoping group to those farming within the North York Moors National Park. However, due to it being catchment-based, we are able to expand out from the National Park and follow the rivers that flow out of the Park, should a farmer group be formed.
Having had two very successful meetings which attracted 120 farmers, we now have a call out for expressions of interest in putting land forward to be involved in Nature Recovery, Biodiversity Net Gain and Nutrient Neutrality projects. The response has been amazing. The next step is to find funding for a project officer role and hopefully get a group off the ground. There is a similar but more advanced project covering the upper catchments of the Rivers Swale and Ure covering 85,000ha. For more information, please see the Swaledale & Wensleydale Environmental Farmers website: www.swef.org.uk
10. Active Travel
I was encouraged by the recent pledge made by the Mayor of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority when he visited NYC Area Committees regarding the appointment of an Active Travel Commissioner. I look forward to championing the need for active travel in North Yorkshire with whoever takes on the new Commissioner role.
11. Previous Feedback
I note that consideration of equalities matters with regards to climate change was highlighted by members of the Transport, Economy, Environment and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee when considering the annual report last year. This is an area I continue to keep in mind and highlight when needed.
12. Recommendation
It is recommended that members of the Transport, Economy, Environment and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee note the annual report of the Climate Change Member Champion for 2024/25.
Report Author: Councillor David Hugill
Climate Change Member Champion
Councillor for Hutton Rudby & Osmotherley division