Recommendations & Conclusions
26 items
1
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
Given how significant is local government’s influence over greenhouse gas emissions, it is clear the UK will struggle to reach net zero by 2050 unless central and local government work together to deliver solutions tailored to meet local circumstances.
Government response. Throughout the UK, there are brilliant examples of local action, innovation, and excellence, all of which are helping to deliver our net zero ambitions. Government is committed to working ever more closely with local areas to ensure that we are …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
2
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
Local authorities will be particularly important in ensuring a just transition to net zero, since no layer of government is closer to people or better able to tailor climate action to meet the needs of local communities. Only by harnessing local government can central government deliver a just transition that …
Government response. The Local Climate Action Chapter of the Net Zero Strategy sets out our commitments to enable local areas to deliver net zero. This includes setting clearer expectations on how central and local government interact in the delivery of net zero. …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
3
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
We welcome the ambitious targets set by many local authorities, and we are pleased the Government has now committed in its Net Zero Strategy to clarifying the relationship between central and local government in the delivery of net zero and to improving co-ordination between different layers of government. It remains …
Government response. The Local Climate Action Chapter of the Net Zero Strategy sets out our commitments to enable local areas to deliver net zero. This includes setting clearer expectations on how central and local government interact in the delivery of net zero. …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
4
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
We note that the Net Zero Strategy assigns responsibility for co-ordinating with local government to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and that the role of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities remains undefined.
Government response. As outlined in the Net Zero Strategy, BEIS has overall responsibility for achieving net zero and for coordinating with local authorities and other local actors on designing effective policies, including the local delivery of net zero. The Department for Levelling …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
5
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
On funding, we welcome the commitment in the Net Zero Strategy to explore ways to simplify and consolidate the number of local net zero funding streams, but we note it included no clear commitment to increasing the level of long-term funding specifically for local authority climate action.
Government response. Local authorities already have significant spending power for net zero. The National Audit Office Report into Local Government and Net Zero identified £1.2 billion in specific grant funding available in 2020-2021 for local authorities to act on climate change, and …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
6
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
In line with the recommendation from the Climate Change Committee, and seemingly in line with its own commitment in the Net Zero Strategy, we urge the Government to immediately begin consulting local government on the contents of a draft net zero delivery framework setting out the relative roles and responsibilities …
Government response. The Local Climate Action Chapter of the Net Zero Strategy sets out our commitments to enable local areas to deliver net zero. This includes setting clearer expectations on how central and local government interact in the delivery of net zero. …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
7
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
Either in that framework, or elsewhere, the Government should also clarify what role, if any, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will play in supporting local authority climate action, given that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is now responsible for co-ordinating with local government in …
Government response. As outlined in the Net Zero Strategy, BEIS has overall responsibility for achieving net zero and for coordinating with local authorities and other local actors on designing effective policies, including the local delivery of net zero. The Department for Levelling …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
8
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
We also recommend that the Government come up with a plan for funding local authority climate action in a way that gives councils the confidence and ability to plan for the long term, including by making good on its commitment in the Net Zero Strategy to simplify and consolidate the …
Government response. Local authorities already have significant spending power for net zero. The National Audit Office Report into Local Government and Net Zero identified £1.2 billion in specific grant funding available in 2020-2021 for local authorities to act on climate change, and …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
9
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
Reaching net zero requires ensuring that new homes are designed and built in a way that will avoid subsequent retrofitting and are built to net zero standards. This will also avoid the cost of ensuring higher standards being borne by the people living in the property, rather than being met …
Government response. From 2025, the Future Homes Standard will ensure that new homes produce at least 75% lower CO2 emissions compared to those built to current standards. This represents a considerable improvement in energy efficiency standards for new homes. Homes built under …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
10
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
The Government anticipates that only 200,000 heat pumps a year will be fitted into new homes by 2028. As the Government’s target is to build 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s, it should explain where the additional heat pumps and other low- carbon heating systems will come from to …
Government response. The Government has undertaken extensive analysis of the supply chain to determine its readiness to scale up production to meet the expected demand for heat pumps. For example, in November 2020, we published the Heat Pump Manufacturing Supply Chain Research …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
11
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
The public need to have confidence that homes stated to be net zero are as promised. Therefore, the Government should review the metrics used to measure energy efficiency in homes. This should include considering how energy performance certificates are calculated, how embedded carbon could be better incorporated into the calculations …
Government response. The Government recognises that the accuracy of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) must be improved and has published an Action Plan setting out a series of 35 actions to do this, following an earlier Call for Evidence on EPCs. Since the …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
12
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities should ensure that future reforms to the planning system give a larger role to sustainability than is the case in the current planning system. We welcome the Government’s commitment to reviewing the National Planning Policy Framework to ensure it contributes to climate …
Government response. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that the planning system should support the transition to a low-carbon future in a changing climate, taking full account of flood risk and coastal change. It should help to shape places in …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
13
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
The retrofitting of existing homes is essential for ensuring the UK reaches net zero by 2050. Retrofitting will come at substantial cost and can only be achieved through a mix of both public and private funding. We welcome the additional £3.9 billion of funding being provided for retrofitting as outlined …
Government response. As outlined in the Net Zero Strategy, Government committed to consult on phasing in higher minimum standards to ensure all homes meet EPC Band C by 2035, where practical, affordable, and cost effective. In order to meet these standards, we …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
14
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
The Green Homes Grant voucher scheme proved a disappointing failure, and it is important that the reasons for its failure–that it was created too quickly, had high management and administration costs, and did not last long enough–should shape future schemes. Above all both the voucher scheme and the previous Green …
Government response. The Green Homes Grant voucher scheme proved a disappointing failure, and it is important that the reasons for its failure–that it was created too quickly, had high management and administration costs, and did not last long enough–should shape future schemes. …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
15
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
Future retrofitting schemes will be needed to incentivise the public to switch to low carbon heating. Such schemes should be put in place after a thorough consultation with stakeholders, including with the public. We believe the following five principles would provide a solid foundation for future schemes: • local authorities …
Government response. The Government has allocated a total of £1.1 billion to the Home Upgrade Grant, with delivery taking place from early 2022 to March 2025. The Home Upgrade Grant will provide energy efficiency upgrades and low-carbon heating to low-income households living …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
16
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
The Government is proposing that certain properties with low EPC Bands and using electricity and LPG gas will need to choose a low-carbon heating system when replacing their existing one from 2026. This contrasts with the same requirement on replacing heating systems only applying to homes that are on the …
Government response. The Government is consulting on new regulations to phase out the installation of heating systems using high-carbon fossil fuels in homes, businesses and public buildings in England off the gas grid during the 2020s. As outlined in our response to …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
17
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
The Climate Assembly UK emphasised the importance of giving the public choice over how retrofitting takes place, including over which technologies are installed. Choice is important in securing public support for retrofitting. Local authorities can play an important role in supporting retrofitting in their local area, by assisting with organisation, …
Government response. The government believes that access to accurate and up-to-date information tailored to occupants and owners is a key part of improving the energy performance of homes effectively. Our Simple Energy Advice (SEA) service has already had over 1.5 million users, …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
18
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
We were told that local government needs additional resources to enforce minimum energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector. Resources should be made available for this purpose. Enforcement would also be aided by the introduction of a register of landlords, as already undertaken in certain local authorities, and we …
Government response. To date, BEIS has made available a total amount of £6,442,728 for compliance and enforcement of the minimum energy efficiency standard (MEES) Regulations. To support local authorities, we conducted a Private Rented Sector Enforcement Pilot Study over two years. 19 …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
19
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
As previously stated, we welcome the Government’s commitment to reviewing the National Planning Policy Framework to make sure it contributes to climate mitigation, but we are concerned that in the meantime some councils will continue to grant planning permission to development that locks people into car dependency. In the short …
Government response. The Government’s ambition is to deliver high-quality sustainable transport, accessibility, and inclusiveness through the planning system so we can drive sustainable patterns of development and enable walking, cycling and public transport to be the first choice for journeys. This is …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
20
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
We welcome the ambition in the recent national bus strategy to increase bus usage and ensure cheaper and more reliable bus services across the country. In particular, we welcome its promise to give local authorities more control over bus services, either by agreeing Enhanced Partnerships with bus operators or by …
Government response. Our National Bus Strategy sets out how we will deliver better bus services for passengers, through ambitious and far-reaching reform of how services are planned and delivered. We asked all English Local Transport Authorities outside London to publish Bus Service …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
21
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
We urge the Government to make good on the welcome promises set out in the national bus strategy, in particular to give local authorities more control over bus services, and to explain as soon as possible how it plans to make sure local authorities have the necessary funding to provide …
Government response. Our National Bus Strategy sets out how we will deliver better bus services for passengers, through ambitious and far-reaching reform of how services are planned and delivered. We asked all English Local Transport Authorities outside London to publish Bus Service …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
22
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
We are pleased the Government has promised to empower local authorities to take bold decisions in this area and to publish a toolkit of guidance and information to help local authorities develop innovative and sustainable transport policies. We also welcome its commitment to investing £2 billion over five years in …
Government response. In Summer 2020, the Prime Minister launched ambitious plans to boost walking and cycling in England, with a vision for half of all journeys in towns and cities to be cycled or walked by 2030. The commitment was backed with …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
23
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
Local authorities are well placed to support the decarbonisation of energy generation and supply through the delivery of smart local energy systems, owing to their role as planning authority and knowledge of their local areas. It is also clear that many councils are taking advantage of their position to deliver …
Government response. We recognise that local authorities have a key role to play in delivering smart local energy systems by combining energy into their wider statutory work on housing, transport, waste and planning, making delivery more cost-effective and preparing for a net …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
24
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
In line with its commitment in the Heat and Buildings Strategy, we urge the Government to immediately consult local authorities on how it can better support them to take advantage of the funding available for other types of low-carbon smart local energy systems.
Government response. We recognise that local authorities have a key role to play in delivering smart local energy systems by combining energy into their wider statutory work on housing, transport, waste and planning, making delivery more cost-effective and preparing for a net …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
25
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
Besides buildings, transport and energy, there are many areas where local government can make a profound contribution to the UK meeting its net-zero target. We have highlighted waste management, procurement and local leadership, but there are many more besides. It is the responsibility of central government, in partnership with local …
Government response. The diverse nature of local authorities’ roles as place shapers, planners and trusted leaders means they have influence across a range of carbon emitting sectors, including transport. Local Government is responsible for planning, designing, delivering and maintaining transport infrastructure such …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
26
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Local government and the…
As already recommended, the Government must immediately consult local government on the contents of a draft net zero delivery framework setting out the relative roles and responsibilities of local and central government. It must also commit to properly funding local authority climate action and provide assurance that the UK Shared …
Government response. We have already outlined the funding available for local authority climate action in response to recommendation 3. The Budget and Spending Review announced that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), worth over £2.6 billion, will help people in disadvantaged groups …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government