Our Action Plan
Integration, Communication and Behaviours
PCC has adopted a corporate approach to drafting this Action Plan, with the member-led cross-party ‘Net Zero Carbon 2030 Working Group’ meetings chaired by Cllr Joshua Beynon and attended by various officers and interested parties to explore decarbonisation actions.
It is recognised that staff, and member, awareness and buy-in will be required to enable the Council to successfully deliver significant carbon reductions. This may require specific training and communications skills.
In partnership with Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum and Cardiff University (using funding from their Coastal Communities Acting Together [CCAT] project), a staff climate-change-awareness baselining survey has been undertaken. A total of 86% of respondents rated the issue of climate change as important or very important. The Council is awaiting the detailed report and outcomes, and it is proposed to follow up this baselining survey with further staff engagement. A staff survey could identify how individuals can contribute to PCC’s commitment to become a net zero-carbon local authority. The Council needs to consider how to engage with staff who work outside of its fixed office locations, as currently surveys generally only capture those ‘desk based’ staff connected to the Authority’s email system.
Potentially, PCC could add a requirement in staff performance reviews for each member of staff to volunteer to undertake an action each year to contribute to decarbonisation – whether in their personal or work environments. These actions could be anything from swapping to low-energy light bulbs to eating less meat, buying an ULEV car, using the electric pool cars, taking one less flight per year, switching to a renewable-energy tariff at home or using public transport. This helps everyone in the organisation to take ownership of the decarbonisation issue, which is needed in order to make substantial progress.
Consideration should be given to incentivising more sustainable forms of travel when staff take a short-haul holiday. This might involve, for example, agreeing to provide one day’s additional annual leave should staff elect to take the train to Europe rather than fly, or when staff choose to holiday in the UK rather than take a flight abroad.
Once the Council’s migration from Skype to MS Teams is complete, it is proposed that the Conversation Cafe forum is used for a staff discussion on the net zero-carbon 2030 work.
PCC has been implementing agile and smarter working since 2018. For desk-based staff, this resulted in a relatively simple migration to home working when the COVID-19 pandemic commenced. The Council should consolidate smarter working practices in order to create further decarbonisation efficiencies – specifically around the smarter use of workplaces, home working and reduced commuting mileages. The well-being and working conditions of employees must be paramount in this consideration. Consideration should be given to equipping staff with suitable office furniture and energy-efficient equipment, making an allowance for the increased energy costs of home working and incentivising staff to upgrade to superfast broadband internet where it is available.
In 2019, the Council constructively engaged with local environmental campaign groups – for example, hosting a climate youth forum and meeting with representatives of Extinction Rebellion at County Hall. Consideration should be given to continuing to engage with residents of Pembrokeshire, potentially through the Council’s new Engagement HQ online system.
PCC runs the successful Sustainable Schools Award Scheme (SSAS). The scheme was set up in 2003 to help schools embed Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship (ESDGC), in both teaching and learning and the sustainable management of Pembrokeshire’s schools. The Council should ensure that the SSAS aligns with the objective in WG’s 'Prosperity for All: A Low Carbon Wales' (opens in a new tab) for ‘working with partners to include more about sustainability and decarbonisation in the new curriculum’.
An Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) of Council proposals and decisions will need to be completed before the implementation of the Action Plan in 2020/21. An IIA will include requirements to assess impacts as stipulated in the following legislation:
- Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (opens in a new tab)
- Public Sector Equality Duty and the Equality Act 2010 (opens in a new tab)
- Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 and Welsh Language Standards (opens in a new tab)
- United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (opens in a new tab), and Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011 (opens in a new tab)
- General Data Protection Regulation 2016 (opens in a new tab)
- The inclusion of Environment (Wales) Act 2016 (opens in a new tab) impact-assessment requirements will help to write climate change/carbon reduction ‘into the DNA’ of the Council.
Performance on progress towards becoming a net zero-carbon local authority by 2030 will be reported annually, together with annual reviews of the Action Plan.
Actions to be undertaken
Ref: NZC - 29
- Action: Undertake staff survey to identify how individuals can contribute to PCC’s commitment to become a net zero-carbon local authority. The Council is to consider how to engage with staff who work outside of its fixed office locations.
- Lead officer: Marketing Manager
- By when: Mar 2021
Ref: NZC - 30
- Action: Consider adding a requirement in staff performance reviews for each member of staff to volunteer to take an action each year to contribute to decarbonisation – whether in their personal or work environments.
- Lead officer: Head of Human Resources
- By when: Mar 2021
Ref: NZC - 31
- Action: Consider incentivising more sustainable forms of travel when staff take a short-haul holiday – for example, agreeing to provide one day’s additional annual leave should staff elect to take the train to Europe rather than fly, or when staff choose to holiday in the UK rather than take a flight abroad.
- Lead officer: Head of Human Resources
- By when: Mar 2021
Ref: NZC - 32
- Action: Use the Conversation Cafe forum for a staff discussion on the net zero-carbon 2030 work and the Action Plan.
- Lead officer: Transformation and IT Team
- By when: Mar 2021
Ref: NZC - 33
- Action: Consolidate smarter working practices to create further decarbonisation efficiencies – e.g. smarter use of workplaces, home working and reduced commuting mileages. The well-being and working conditions of employees must be paramount in this consideration – including equipping staff with suitable office furniture and energy-efficient equipment, making an allowance for the increased energy costs of home working and incentivising staff to upgrade to superfast broadband internet where it is available.
- Lead officer: Transformation and IT Team
- By when: Mar 2021
Ref: NZC - 34
- Action: Consideration should be given to continuing to engage with the residents of Pembrokeshire, potentially through the Council’s new Engagement HQ online system.
- Lead officer: Marketing Manager
- By when: Mar 2021
Ref: NZC - 35
- Action: Ensure that the Sustainable Schools Award Scheme aligns with the objective in WG’s ‘Prosperity for All: A Low Carbon Wales’ of ‘working with partners to include more about sustainability and decarbonisation in the new curriculum’.
- Lead officer: Sustainable Schools Officer
- By when: Mar 2021
Ref: NZC - 36
- Action: Carry out an Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) on Council net zero 2030 Action Plan proposals.
- Lead officer: Corporate Policy & Partnership Manager
- By when: Mar 2021
Ref: NZC - 37
- Action: Review Action Plan following publication of Welsh Government guidance regarding new national carbon-reporting framework.
- Lead officer: Sustainable Development & Energy Manager
- By when: Mar 2021
Ref: NZC - 38
- Action: Publish annual performance reports on progress towards becoming a net zero-carbon local authority by 2030.
- Lead officer: Sustainable Development & Energy Manager
- By when: Annually