NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL

21 MAY 2025

STATEMENT OF CHAIR OF TRANSPORT, ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT AND ENTERPRISE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

At our most recent meeting on Thursday 24 April, the committee discussed:

Climate Change Delivery Pathway Performance Report

The report presented the second update of the year on progress with the Climate Change Delivery Pathway, the implementation of the overall Climate Change Strategy.

Some of the key points highlighted in the introduction to the report included:

• The public and private sector housing programmes have made significant progress, with a large number of retrofits either in delivery or programmed in across the Harrogate, Selby and Richmond housing stock following a successful bid to the Social Housing Delivery Fund.

• Work on an Adaptation strategy is ongoing, as it has become clear that it needs to be done at scale on a broad scale. Officers are working with the Combined Authority, City of York Council and representatives from the protected landscapes to produce a comprehensive Climate Risk and Vulnerability report, which will conclude in early summer. A session for town and parish councils is also planned for later in the year to improve knowledge and understanding.

• Work to deliver an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Rollout Strategy back in 2023 has led to a successful grant to the LEVI capital fund from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, and this work is now coming to fruition to deliver a much more comprehensive programme of EVCPs.

• Leisure facilities decarbonisation audits have now been completed, utilising Beyond Carbon funding. This has helped to inform bids for funding from the Combined Authority for renewable energy improvements.

• Work to build a number of new care and support hubs across North Yorkshire, to provide care for 250 people, will include energy efficient and low carbon measures built into the developments.

Questions and comments from committee members included: the provision of electric vehicle charging points in coastal areas, signage and promotion of local cycling and walking routes, grass verges and hedges encroaching on footpaths, access to alternative fuels, smart meter difficulties, timelines for the delivery of the overall Climate Change strategy, link with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, outcomes from the decarbonisation audits, the climate performance of the North Yorkshire Teckal group companies, plans for schools-based climate action plans and future opportunities for small scale hydro-electric community energy schemes (such as an Archimedes screw turbine or water source heat pumps).

The committee made a recommendation resulting from the report, for officers to examine the viability of providing carbon literacy training for elected members.

Report of the Climate Change Member Champion

Councillor David Hugill presented his annual report to the committee, setting out the activities he has undertaken in his role as Member Champion. As part of his report, he highlighted the new initiatives from North Yorkshire Council to ensure tackling climate change is at the heart of everything we do. As an example, the proposed new care and support hubs project was emphasised for the net zero opportunities that had been identified in the design phase of the programme. Councillor Hugill also listed the impressive variety of events he has attended in the last nine months, from a recent North Yorkshire Climate Coalition event to the Women’s Institute in Great Broughton and Kirby.

Questions and comments from committee members included: collation of environmental material in an easily accessible format and ways of increasing and improving engagement with interested parties.

Update on Lane Rental Scheme for North Yorkshire

We were joined by Alex Hollifield, Team Leader for Network Information and Compliance to provide an update on implementing a Lane Rental Scheme in North Yorkshire.

Lane Rental is a scheme allowing Highway Authorities to charge utilities and other third -party contractors for occupying road space on the busiest roads at the busiest times. This should incentivise Undertakers to carry out works outside disruptive times leading to overall minimised disruption on the network.

Assessment by the Department for Transport will take place between May-July 2025. If successful, the Council will look to implement the scheme across North Yorkshire at the end of 2025.

Questions and comments from committee members included: queries about the criteria for making a highway traffic sensitive and subject to Lane Rental charges, the charges that would be applied in particular situations and the staffing requirements for delivering the scheme.

The committee were keen to keep track of the development of the proposed Lane Rental Scheme if approved.

Next Meeting

The next committee meeting is taking place on Friday 11 July, 10am start at County Hall.

COUNCILLOR DAVID STAVELEY