Issue - meetings

John Kinderman introduced the report which was circulated in advance of the meeting providing Committee with information on the carbon impact of Derbyshire’s schools, current UK Government strategy and support relating to the decarbonisation of schools; the progress that schools and relevant supporting Council service areas were making to reduce the carbon impact of Derbyshire’s schools and the proposed next steps to explore what further action the Council could take to support the decarbonisation of schools.  The report was supplemented by a comprehensive slide presentation.

The report focussed on Derbyshire maintained schools where the Council had budgetary control of the school estate and school transport. Emissions from school buildings formed the largest part of a school’s carbon impact through heating and power and this was detailed in the report.  The Council had a statutory duty to provide transport to and from schools and this was the next main contributor to the carbon impact.  

The decarbonisation of individual schools was not the responsibility of one particular organisation or individual and the Council’s involvement depended on the aspect of decarbonisation being undertaken.  Overall progress was being made with actions being delivered and emissions being reduced.  The report summarised the main areas of Council activity.

Members of the Committee were given the opportunity to make comment and ask questions on the presentation.  As well as central government funding, charities and the Council’s Children’s Services were being considered as other sources of financial support.  There were also a number of schemes in place to build awareness plus initiatives such as the installation of solar panels – the Chairman requested figures on the return on these investments.

RESOLVED to note:

1)   The carbon impact of Derbyshire’s schools and current UK Government strategy and support related to the decarbonisation of schools;

2)   The progress that schools and relevant supporting Council service areas were making to reduce the carbon impact of Derbyshire’s schools; and

3)   The proposed next steps to explore what further action the Council could take to support the decarbonisation of schools.