Agenda item

Deputations/Petitions/Presentations/Questions

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, Paragraph 29 of the Council’s Constitution.

Minutes:

The Panel received a deputation from a group of local residents in relation to what action was being taken by the Council following the declaration of a climate emergency in March 2019. The deputation party was made up of Norman Beddington, Helen Mayer and Chris Barker. The deputation party raised concerns about a perceived lack of progress by Haringey Council on appropriate measures to meet the climate emergency. The deputation party highlighted a number of progressive initiatives which were underway; such as the Haringey Pension Fund’s divestment from fossil fuels, a new Local Planning Framework supporting the zero carbon borough aspiration and the planting of 740 new street trees.

 

The deputation party advised that they were aware that there was also an intention to present a stage 2 zero carbon action plan to Cabinet in February, but advised they were concerned about a lack of publicity for all of these schemes. The deputation party requested that procedures and processes be developed to strengthen the Haringey Climate Forum and that this forum be used as a key link to the voluntary and community sector. The Panel were asked to consider whether the Council was working across the organisation to develop a response and suggested  Haringey People could be better utilised to communicate with residents on what was being done in response to the climate emergency. The deputation party also raised concerns about the use of glyphosate in parks and green spaces and questioned whether other suitable alternatives had been trialled instead, given the potential harmful effects of the substance.

 

The following was noted in response to the deputation:

a.    The Chair acknowledged the need for the Panel to consider how the Council communicated with its residents and how the Council could improve this.

b.    In response to a question around the level of engagement to date with the Cabinet Member, the deputation party advised that they were thankful for the support and engagement of the Cabinet Member and advised that Cllr Hearn had come along to meetings of the Haringey Climate Action Group. Mr Beddington advised that they would like to see the group develop greater role and influence, becoming a key community engagement tool. The deputees advised that the response to the climate emergency needed to be community based and community led.

c.    In response to comments around the Council’s stated goal of becoming carbon neutral  by 2050, the Panel was advised that it was important that action was taken now and that year on year progress was made in response to this issue.

d.    In response to a question around what other groups had been engaged with, the deputation party advised that there were a number of different groups such as Extinction Rebellion, Friends of the Earth and the Muswell Hill Sustainability Group. In response to a follow-up question, officers acknowledged that they had also been closely involved with Friends of Parks groups.

e.    The Panel queried what the alternatives to glyphosate were and sought their opinion about viable alternatives. In response, the deputation party advised that they would like to see a number of alternatives trailed and tested and suggested that some other authorities, such as LB Hammersmith and Fulham had already moved to alternatives.

f.     A Panel Member acknowledged the difficulties with cultivating community engagement and involvement, and suggested that she had been actively trying to elicit the support of Friends of Earth around tree planting. The Panel Member advised that greater funding sources were required around tackling the climate emergency and suggested that this work needed to be a priority for the Council.

 

The Cabinet Member thanked the delegation for their contribution and assured them that she was similarly concerned about the climate emergency and that she was working closely with officers to deliver schemes. The Cabinet Member advised that the Zero Carbon Plan was due to go to the climate change and sustainability subgroup of CAB in January and then Cabinet in February. The Cabinet Member commented that this was a wide ranging and ambitious plan but that she also wanted to deliver something that was realistic. The Cabinet Member advised that she agreed with the call for greater publicity and engagement activity and advised that she was currently developing  communication plans with officers across her portfolio. In response to a question, the Cabinet Member agreed to relaunching the Haringey Climate Forum in some guise and acknowledged its key role with community groups. The Cabinet Member set out that she was happy to meet with the deputation party in the new year to discuss this further.

 

The Chair thanked the delegation for their contribution. Cllr Blake also thanked the deputation party and extended an invitation for them to visit the work that was being done in Markfield Park around tree planting.