North Yorkshire Council

 

Environment Executive Member

 

27 May 2026

 

York and North Yorkshire Strategy for a Sustainable Future Consultation Draft: North Yorkshire Council consultation response process

 

Report of the Corporate Director – Environment

 

1.0       PURPOSE OF REPORT

 

1.1       To request delegated authority to the Assistant Director Environment and Transport, in     consultation with the Executive Member for Managing our Environment, to respond to the Strategy for a Sustainable Future Consultation Draft by 10 June 2026

 

 

2.0       BACKGROUND

 

2.1       The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA) have developed the Strategy for a Sustainable Future over several months, with a strategic framework signed off by the YNYCA in November 2025. This document is a regional plan to tackle climate change and retains the ambition for York and North Yorkshire to be England’s first carbon negative region by 2040.

 

2.2       A ‘Task and Finish’ group has led the development of the Strategy. This has been co-chaired by the North Yorkshire Council (NYC) Climate Champion and a City of York Councillor.

 

2.3       Although NYC has been involved in the drafting of the Strategy, it is appropriate that the organisation also acts as a consultee, and this report outlines that process.

 

3.0       THE STRATEGY FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: CONSULTATION DRAFT

 

3.1       The Strategy builds on the previous YNY Local Enterprise Partnership climate change strategy for Y&NY, termed the ‘Routemap to Carbon Negative’. This utilised an evidence base and modelling to ascertain the potential for the region to become carbon negative by 2040 and the subsequent NYC Climate Change Strategy (adopted in July 2023) outlined NYC’s role in delivering this ambition.

 

3.2       The YNYCA has refreshed the evidence base and revisited the ‘Routemap’. Following extensive engagement sessions with public, private and voluntary sectors, the revised version, now termed the ‘Strategy for a Sustainable Future’ was approved by the Combined Authority for public consultation, which opened on April 15th 2026 with responses required by 10 June 2026.

 

3.3       The Executive Draft is appended in Appendix A. The full version is available on the YNYCA website on this link: YNY-Strategy-for-a-Sustainable-Future-Consultation-Draft.pdf It identifies the opportunities and activities to create a sustainable future that benefits communities and businesses through focus on 3 ‘pillars’:

·                Securing energy independence

·                Moving towards a circular economy

·                Enhancing our environment

3.4       It focuses on seven high impact sectors and identifies the ‘levers’ required to enable the ambition to be realised.

 

3.5       Due to the compressed consultation window and desire to engage with all NYC Directorates and services throughout the period, it is requested that approval of the final consultation response is delegated to the Assistant Director Environment and Transport in consultation with the Executive Member for Managing our Environment.

 

3.6       Officers across the most relevant services have been involved in workshops and responding to early drafts of the Strategy and it is therefore anticipated that the majority of the response will identify and support areas of alignment with existing NYC strategies. It does also present the opportunity to identify and flag potential areas of concern, objectives which aren’t deliverable or not realistic, or areas of the strategy that require further development and improvement from an NYC perspective.

 

4.0       CONSULTATION UNDERTAKEN AND RESPONSES

 

4.1       In order to prepare the final consultation response, engagement has taken place or is planned with:

·                External organisations have been advised regarding the consultation opportunity and support offered to facilitate engagement. This includes through the Parish Liaison function, Localities team and climate communications pathways.

·                All the Directorates have been alerted to the consultation opportunity and invited and supported to respond.

·                Key services that are particularly relevant have been engaged over a number of months during the drafting phase. This includes Housing and Transport for example.

·                The Beyond Carbon Board has received a presentation regarding the consultation.

·                The Leader, Deputy Leader and Executive Members at Cabinet have been briefed in relation to the consultation draft and the proposed NYC consultation approach. A follow up discussion will take place once the NYC consultation response is collated.

·                The consultation was outlined in the Transport Economy Environment and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny committee meeting on 29 April 2026 and a Members’ Seminar is planned for 03 June 2026.

 

5.0       CONTRIBUTION TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES

 

5.1       The Council has declared a Climate Emergency and pledged to play its part in tackling the causes and impacts of climate change. Climate change features on the Corporate Risk Register. 

 

5.2       The Strategy delivers and contributes to all Council Plan ambitions: 

·                Support thriving places and empowered communities. 

·                Develop more sustainable and connected places across North Yorkshire 

·                Ensure people of North Yorkshire and safe, health and living well 

·                Maximise the potential of North Yorkshire’s people and communities. 

 

6.0       ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED

 

6.1       There is an option not to respond to the consultation. This was rejected through discussions at Cabinet, as it was recognised to be an important opportunity for NYC to present an independent view of the Strategy, particularly as it represents the largest of the constituent authorities in the region in terms of geography, population and carbon emissions. The Strategy will support delivery of the NYC Climate Change Strategy and a vast range of services such as housing, transport and natural capital.

 

 

7.0       IMPACT ON OTHER SERVICES/ORGANISATIONS

 

7.1       The Strategy will influence many Council services and external partners. It is intended to be a regionally agreed approach to climate change and as such has reach into public, private and voluntary sector organisations, communities and residents.

 

8.0       FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

8.1       There are no financial implications arising specifically from responding to the Strategy and there are also no immediate financial implications from the Strategy. However, it will be utilised by the YNYCA to determine and direct future funding opportunities to achieve the overall ambition outlined and to influence Government policy and funding allocations.

 

9.0       LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

9.1       There are now a number of Acts which seek to deal with the implications of Climate Change. These include the Climate Change Act 2008 sets out a range of measures to deal with climate change including emission reduction targets which the UK must comply with and carbon budgeting and the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 Section 19 (1A) which requires local planning authorities to have policies in their Local Plans securing that development and land use contribute to the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. The Environment Act 2021 also contains further targets to protect the environment and to tackle the impacts of climate change.

 

10.0     EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

 

10.1     The Strategy presents many opportunities to support an equal transition to a low carbon economy, and this is outlined as a guiding principle of the Strategy, to ensure that every person, business, and community can take climate responsible actions. An Equalities Impact Assessment screening assessment is in appendix B. 

 

11.0     CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS

 

11.1     The report outlines the interventions and systems change that is required to secure our local and global future and meet locally derived ambitions and nationally required targets. The issues identified in the report have direct relevance to the activities we take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to prepare for climate change and to support nature to thrive. The Climate Change Impact Assessment is in appendix C.

 

12.0     REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION

 

12.1     NYC should respond to the YNYCA consultation draft and take the opportunity to identify and flag potential areas of concern, objectives which aren’t deliverable or not realistic, or areas of the strategy that require further development and improvement from an NYC perspective.

 

12.2     Due to the timescale involved, it is not possible to engage fully with and take feedback from all Directorates, Services and Members within the timescale without delegating authority to the AD in consultation with the Executive Member for Managing the Environment to approve the consolidated response.

 

13.0

RECOMMENDATION

 

13.1

That delegated authority is given to the Assistant Director Environment and Transport Services, in consultation with the Executive Member for Managing our Environment, to respond to the Strategy for a Sustainable Future Consultation Draft by 10 June 2026.

APPENDICES:

 

Appendix A – Strategy for a Sustainable Future: Consultation Draft Executive Summary

Appendix B – Equalities Impact Assessment

Appendix C – Climate Change Impact Assessment.

 

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:

None

 

Karl Battersby

Corporate Director – Environment

County Hall

Northallerton

12 May 2026

 

Report Author and presenter – Jos Holmes, Climate Change Strategy Manager