Initial Climate Change Impact Assessment

The intention of this document is to help the council to gain an initial understanding of the impact of a project or decision on the environment. This document should be completed in consultation with the supporting guidance. Dependent on this initial assessment you may need to go on to complete a full Climate Change Impact Assessment. The final document will be published as part of the decision-making process.

If you have any additional queries, which are not covered by the guidance please email climatechange@northyorks.gov.uk

Title of proposal	Development of Community Transfer Policy
Brief description of proposal	This unified policy will provide a consistent and transparent framework for assessing, approving, and managing transfers to community groups, parish councils, and other local not-for-profit organisations. The new policy replaces the interim processes currently in use, which were based on legacy North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) documentation and procedures as the continuing authority at the point of local government reorganisation. By consolidating and updating these arrangements, the Council aims to ensure a coherent, county‑wide approach that reflects the needs of the Council, provides clarity for applicants, and supports effective decision‑making.
Directorate	North Yorkshire Council is developing a new Community Transfer Policy that brings together and formalises the approach to both community asset transfers (CAT) and community service transfers (CST).
Service area	Resources – Property Services and Local Engagement (Parish Liaison, Devolution & Community Rights)
Lead officer	Jonathan Dunk (Strategic Asset Manager, Property Services), Kerry Metcalfe (Assistant Director Property, Procurement & Commercial), Rachel Joyce (Assistant CEX Local Engagement)
Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the impact assessment	Claire Wilson (Devolution & Community Rights Officer, Localities), Fiona Protheroe (Climate Change Business Partner, Environment)

The chart below contains the main environmental factors to consider in your initial assessment – choose the appropriate option from the drop-down list for each one.

Remember to think about the following;

· Travel

· Construction

· Data storage

· Use of buildings

· Change of land use

· Opportunities for recycling and reuse

Environmental factor to consider	For the council	For the county	Overall
Greenhouse gas emissions	No effect on emissions	No Effect on emissions	No effect on emissions
Waste	Decreases waste	Decreases waste	Decreases waste
Water use	No effect on water usage	No effect on water usage	No effect on water usage
Pollution (air, land, water, noise, light)	No effect on pollution	No effect on pollution	No effect on pollution
Resilience to adverse weather/climate events (flooding, drought etc)	No effect on resilience	No effect on resilience	No effect on resilience
Ecological effects (biodiversity, loss of habitat etc)	Positive impact on ecology	Positive impact on ecology	Positive impact on ecology
Heritage and landscape	Increases protection of heritage and landscape	Increases protection of heritage and landscape	Increases protection of heritage and landscape

If any of these factors are likely to result in a negative or positive environmental impact then a full climate change impact assessment will be required. It is important that we capture information about both positive and negative impacts to aid the council in calculating its carbon footprint and environmental impact.

Decision (Please tick one option)	Full CCIA not relevant or proportionate:	X	Continue to full CCIA:
Reason for decision	A full Climate Change Impact Assessment is not required because the policy itself has no direct negative environmental effects and is expected to have neutral or positive impacts across all assessed factors, including reduced waste, enhanced ecological outcomes, and increased protection of heritage and landscape. This screening was reviewed by NYC’s Climate Change Business Partner; the outcomes of this review were: · An enhancement of the sustainability references within the policy. The policy now explicitly recognises the importance of climate change mitigation and adaptation. · Acknowledgment that successful CATs will support the council in achieving its net zero targets, either by reducing the number of buildings the council must maintain and decarbonise, or by transferring parks and open spaces that already contribute positively to climate outcomes (e.g., carbon sequestration, biodiversity, flood resilience). As assets transfer to communities, the council’s operational estate becomes smaller and easier to manage from a carbon‑reduction perspective. · However, it is noted that the corresponding responsibilities will transfer to community groups taking on sites or buildings. Where buildings are transferred, these organisations will need to plan for decarbonisation and climate‑resilience improvements. In contrast, where parks or open spaces are transferred, community groups will be taking responsibility for assets that already offer environmental benefits and will need to ensure these benefits are maintained or enhanced. While it is assumed that community groups may have access to more diverse funding sources to support this work, it nonetheless represents a significant responsibility that must be fully considered as part of the transfer process. · The following amendments were made to the draft Policy as a result of undertaking this CCIA screening: o References to sustainability were updated to include climate change mitigation and adaption o List of potential benefits to the council updated to include “Opportunities to contribute to net zero targets (as less property to decarbonise)”
Signed (Assistant Director or equivalent)	Kerry Metcalfe (Assistant Director Property, Procurement & Commercial)
Date	27/04/2026