They’re doing it.  Nine months after Kate Chappell (the councillor in charge of Environment) promised it, and 4 months after they failed to report on last year’s Climate Plan, Manchester City Council is finally going to start putting up the quarterly progress reports on climate change.

Two weeks since we’ve started posting the results of our collectively performed “Freedom of Information Act” requests that revealed that the Council had;

• promised 5 “Climate Week” events and delivered 0
• promised 4 voltage optimised buildings, delivered 0
• promised a refreshed Sustainable Procurement policy, didn’t deliver
• promised to study the Aquatic Centre’s lighting, then didn’t
• promised 6 business cases following energy audits but didn’t do them
• promised to increase staff cycling by 12% but then didn’t even collect data
• promised a “Manchester Standard” for parks, but didn’t deliver
• promised to switch 5% of its taxi journeys to “car club” but then didn’t even collect data

we have just received an email (see below) from Councillor Jeff Smith.  The quarterly reports start at the end of the month.  What these reports will actually contain remains to be seen.  But it is a start.  It is a victory.  It is a victory to be celebrated.

THANK YOU to all the people who sent in Freedom of Information Act requests. THANK YOU to all the people who wrote to their councillors.   You’ve done more for scrutiny of the Council’s environmental “performance” than pretty much all of the councillors who are paid to do it.  Be proud of your efforts.

Please come along on Monday 17th to the next meeting of the People’s Environmental Scrutiny Team, to discuss next steps… 7pm, Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount St. No need to book.

Here is the email I have just received, from Councillor Jeff Smith, who is currently in charge of (some) environmental issues while Councillor Chappell is on maternity leave.

Dear Marc

Thank you for your email.

I would like to reassure you that the Council will be meeting its commitment to produce quarterly progress reports on the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan, and publishing these online.

These reports will be available online by the end of this month (November 2014). The exact page and url is to be determined but the reports will be part of the ‘Climate Change’ section of the Council’s website:http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500002/council_policies_and_strategies/3833/climate_change

The Council’s Environmental Strategy Programme Board is responsible for overseeing and driving the delivery of the Council’s three-year Climate Change Action Plans. Minutes from the meetings of the Board over the last 12 months are available online and may be of interest to you. The most recent meeting was held in October 2014 and minutes will be available online in November 2014 from: http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500002/council_policies_and_strategies/3833/climate_change/5

Other relevant reports that you may be interested in include:

The Council’s Climate Change Action Plan 2014/15 to 2016/17, which is available from:
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/downloads/download/6033/mcc_climate_change_action_plan_201415-201617

And the report showing the Council’s CO2 data for 2013/14, which is available from:
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/2223/neighbourhoods_scrutiny_committee

The Council’s next three-year Climate Change Action Plan for 2015/16 to 2017/18 and the progress report for 2014/15 is scheduled for Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee and the Executive in February 2015.

Regards

Councillor Jeff Smith
Executive Member for Housing & Regeneration
& Labour Member for Old Moat Ward
Executive Members’ Office, Manchester City Council