Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Director of Communities and Reform which sought approval of the Oldham Green New Deal Strategy for adoption by the Council.

At full Council in July 2019, the Council announced its intention to develop an “Oldham Green New Deal Strategy” to replace the Climate Change Strategy 2013-2020. At the same meeting, a new carbon neutrality target was declared for the Council as an organisation by 2025. The Oldham Green New Deal approach reflected the national Labour Party Green New Deal target in setting a target for carbon neutrality by 2030 for the borough. These commitments were in the wider context of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) target for carbon neutrality for the city region by 2038, with a programme of delivery set out in the GMCA five-year Environment Plan.

These targets were extremely challenging and would require a step change in activity in Oldham and across the rest of GMCA. Success would also depend on the national policy landscape for this area, set by central government.

The Cabinet was informed that there may be a significant opportunity to harness Oldham’s potential to be a major player in the key growth Green Technology and Services economic sector. Oldham had the assets that could potentially make this a success – a solid engineering base, connectivity and proximity to Manchester, high-quality green infrastructure and a strong tourism offer, as well as affordable residential and business premises.

Oldham’s five-year Green New Deal Strategy focused on how investment in projects and programmes to meet these targets could generate economic and social value for Oldham residents and businesses, as well as the Council and its strategic partners, whilst cementing Oldham’s reputation a destination for green business and tourism.

The programme of delivery aimed to harness investment from the Council and the public, private and community sectors to create a thriving local economy which delivered both environmental excellence (and hence quality of life) and a rising standard of living in the borough.

The Green New Deal approach brought opportunities both for Oldham to lead the way, as it had done in several areas over the past few years, and also gain extra capacity and economies of scale by taking advantage of GMCA-level initiatives and external funding streams to secure extra capacity to deliver the Oldham Green New Deal programme.

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option 1: Agree the Oldham Green New Deal Strategy.

Option 2: Do not agree the draft Oldham Green New Deal Strategy.

RESOLVED – That:

1.    The challenge and ambition of the two new carbon neutrality targets for 2025 and 2030 be noted.

2.    The Oldham Green New Deal Strategy be recommended to the Council for adoption.

3.    The Oldham Green New Deal programme of delivery to be developed over the coming months, with workshops for individual service areas and engagement with Cabinet Members, managers and officers be noted.