Agenda item

The Executive Member for Environment and Transport gave their Annual Update and presented the Q2 Performance report (2023/24) to the committee.

The presentation acknowledged the hard work of various teams, including street sweepers, refuse and recycling crews, and highway and traffic workers, for their contributions in maintaining the quality of life in Islington. Special recognition was also extended to less visible teams such as mechanics and animal welfare workers.

The Executive Member highlighted emerging themes, particularly the increasing challenges posed by climate change, such as extreme heat and intensive rainfall. Climate adaptation efforts were emphasised, including discussions on how to integrate climate resilience into housing and infrastructure projects. Public health considerations were also brought into focus, with climate adaptation being recognised as a growing public health issue. Efforts to embed climate adaptation into routine practices, such as implementing larger gutters on buildings to manage intense rainfall, were mentioned.

Collaboration across teams, especially with public health, to promote health and wellbeing through climate-conscious initiatives. The Executive Member expressed pride in the council's efforts to prioritize these issues and praised the dedication of officers across departments.

Lastly, the presentation touched upon initiatives to promote active travel, including partnerships with organisations like Power Up and efforts to raise awareness about cycling groups like Wheel Sisters. Overall, the presentation highlighted ongoing efforts to address environmental and transportation challenges while expanding the scope of community engagement and support.

During the discussion, various points were raised regarding the impact of climate change on public health, particularly concerning the vulnerability of older residents to heat-related illnesses. There was a consensus on the necessity of integrating climate adaptation measures into housing design, with a specific focus on ensuring adequate ventilation to mitigate the effects of rising temperatures.

Furthermore, the importance of implementing energy efficiency measures in housing to reduce both environmental impact and utility costs for residents was highlighted. Questions were posed regarding the availability of future funding opportunities to support such initiatives.

Regarding electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, inquiries were made about the strategic placement of charging points and the potential for residents to contribute to funding. The challenges involved in determining optimal locations for charging points while considering factors such as demand, technical feasibility, and access for residents were discussed.

The backlog of requests for bike storage allocation and efforts to improve communication with residents regarding available spaces. While there had been a significant reduction in the backlog, operational challenges remained, prompting consideration of potential improvements in communication methods.

There was a discussion about promoting green burial practices and eco-friendly initiatives in cemeteries. While proactive measures were not explicitly confirmed, it was noted that spaces for green burials were being made available, and ongoing efforts were underway in this regard. The biodiversity of cemeteries was highlighted.

Queries were raised by members of the public, one member of the public expressed scepticism about the existence of man-made climate change. They proposed that policies derived from the assumption of climate change should be reconsidered, particularly regarding taxation and other measures aimed at mitigating environmental damage. The member of the public suggested transforming the upcoming climate emergency meeting on March 11th into a discussion involving experts from both sides of the debate to examine the existence of man-made climate change and its associated policy implications. Another member of the public raised queries on the supplementary planning document and when the draft of this would be completed by. The Chair explained the SPD would be coming to a future meeting to be discussed.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.