Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Bray and Councillor Lynch.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2023.

It was moved by Councillor MT Mullaney, seconded by Councillor Crooks and

                        RESOLVED – the minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2023 be                         confirmed and signed by the chairman.

To receive verbally from members any disclosures which they are required to make in accordance with the Council’s code of conduct or in pursuance of Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.  This is in addition to the need for such disclosure to be also given when the relevant matter is reached on the agenda.

To advise members of the opportunity to expand hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) use across the light fleet and to recommend adoption of this fuel as a cost-effective way to reduce the council’s carbon emissions.

Members received a report advising of the opportunity to expand hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) use across the light fleet and adoption of this fuel as a cost-effective way to reduce the councils carbon emissions.

Current excise rules classify HVO the same as fossil road diesel with  20% fuel duty,  despite the fact that it had lower carbon emissions. Members requested that a letter be sent to government raising their concerns requesting a review of the fuel duty level on HVO.

Members welcomed the change for the fleet from diesel to a responsibly sourced bio diesel and the 90% reduction in emissions this achieved.

It was moved by Councillor Hodgkins, seconded by Councillor Cartwright and

                        RESOLVED –

(i)            Members endorsed and agreed the use of HVO in the light fleet (vans an cars) to reduce carbon emissions;

(ii)          Approved the supplementary budget set out in 5.1 of the report for the current financial year and future years; and

(iii)         Requested that the chief executive wrote to government ministers requesting a review of the fuel duty level on HVO to incentivise its use given the important role that this fuel had in reducing vehicle emissions in the short term, particularly from HGV’s where battery and hydrogen technology was still developing.