To receive any requests for Deputations, Presentation of Petitions or Public Questions.
Minutes:
(i) The Council received the following Public Questions from Ms Clearkin which were responded to by Councillor Keogh, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport:
Question 1 - Does the Council have a cost benefit analysis for its net zero plans?
Answer - As part of the delivery process, actions to achieve net zero will be subject to a project management and decision-making process and include an assessment of costs, benefits and funding to ensure they are affordable, deliverable and achievable.
Question 2 - Will the funding for their implementation come from a local or national source, or a combination of both, in which case how much money will Southampton have to find or borrow?
Answer - This assessment will occur on a case-by-case basis because funding comes from a variety of sources, both national, regional and local as well as business-as-usual across some SCC service areas. In addition to delivering net zero, the Council will need to explore and develop funding mechanisms to invest and retain benefits locally, especially where a proposal's business case is less strong.
Question 3 - How will the implementation of net zero policies in Southampton enable the city to recover its finances, converting them from the red into the black?
Answer - Many of the actions to achieve net zero present opportunities to introduce efficiencies, reduce future risks and costs. The measures being pursued often lead to potential financial benefits for both the Council and the city. For example, phase 1 of the Council’s corporate property decarbonisation scheme reduced annual energy costs by £0.33M whilst reducing carbon emissions by 255 tonnes per year.
Carbon dioxide is essential for human life; plants breathe it in, as it were, then produce oxygen, without which humans can’t live. An objective of the Council seems to be to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Question 1 - Can you give us the scientific data that show how much of this gas is currently in the atmosphere and the data that show by how much it should be reduced, and why?
Answer - Scientific evidence (summarised here in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group Report) shows that the planet is warming, and that human activity is likely the main contributor to this warming. Carbon dioxide levels have increased by about 45% since before the industrial revolution. At the UN Climate Change conference (COP21) in December 2015, 195 countries adopted the first-ever universal global climate deal. The agreement sets out a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts towards limiting to 1.5°C. To do this we need to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 globally to have chance at limiting temperature increase and avoiding the worst effects of climate change. The UK government was the first nation to set a legally binding target to be net zero by 2050. The UK Climate Change Committee has a useful summary with information on the evidence.
Question 2 - Can you define the terms ‘net’ and ‘zero’, as quoted by the Council? Please also give us the scientific data supporting the statement made in the May meeting that ‘Southampton will be under water’ at some point?
Answer - Net zero means reducing emissions as close to zero as possible and to balance any remaining emissions by removing them from the atmosphere, and ‘offsetting’ emissions with carbon sequestration nature-based actions such as planting trees, or technology-based actions such as carbon capture. The UK Government has adopted a carbon budget approach which sets out the level of emission reduction we need to avoid the worst effects of climate change and reach the legally binding target in the Climate Change Act to be net zero by 2050. Modelling suggests that without mitigation and adaption to climate change, some areas of Southampton may be subject to flooding due to sea level rise. Modelling work completed by Climate Central illustrates this scenario.
I would refer all Councillors to the lecture entitled ‘Carbon and Climate Catastrophe’ given by Patrick Moore, a co-founder of Greenpeace, at the Steamboat Institute’s Conference and Festival in August 2021. Link available on request.
(iii) The Council received the following Public Questions from Ms Sandhu which were responded to by Councillor Fielker, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adults, Housing and Health:
Question 1 - Much concern continues with regards to the use of the Dolphin Hotel to house foreign newcomers. In light several negative news articles regarding activities directly linked to such hotel residents across the UK in the last 18 months, there are many Southampton residents who are concerned. Can you confirm under what circumstances these people are here? (How did they arrive and why?)
Answer - People who have claimed asylum and are otherwise destitute and have applied for asylum support which is provided by the Home Office and not the Local Authority.
Question 2 - Are they all male?
Answer - The Local Authority is not able to confirm the breakdown of residents in the hotel as this information is not publicly available.
Question 3 - How much has the average Southampton resident paid to accommodate these people?
Answer - The accommodation and support is provided by the Home Office and their sub-contractor.
Question 4 - What are the next Council actions regarding this issue?
Answer - The Home Office and their sub-contractors regularly liaise with local authorities, we will continue to engage in dialogue with partners as required.
(iv) The Council received and noted a deputation from Ms Kate Stirling regarding retail crime.
(v) The Council received and noted a deputation from Ms Horne and Mr Michael Stonehouse regarding the closure of Potters Court restaurant.
(vi) The Council received and noted a deputation from Mr Fletcher regarding nutrition and best options for residents of Erskine Court.