Question from Steve Ringham, a local resident:

‘I recently surveyed residents in Addlestone for their views on local issues. The number one issue, reported by 60%+ of respondents in the School Lane area, was actually a raft of issues caused by parents dropping off, and collecting their children around the Jubilee High School in School Lane. Complaints include

·                     Inconsiderate/problem parking - blocking junctions creating hazards to pedestrians and nuisance to residents from blocked private drives

·                     Excessive engine idling - creating air quality and environmental issues

·                     Bad/inconsiderate driving - causing congestion and excessive emissions

·                     Litter

What power does the Council have to address these issues to improve the situation for residents, in terms of safety, air quality, neighbourhood quality of life and respect to property?’

As Steve Ringham was unable to attend the meeting, Cllr Prescot, Leader of the Council would arrange for a written answer to be sent to him after the meeting.

Question from Deb Long, a local resident:

‘Runnymede council recently issued for tender a contract for £5.8m to "replace existing aged gas fired central heating boilers and to upgrade existing central heating systems to tenanted domestic properties within its ownership in the Borough of Runnymede, Surrey". But UK housing stock is the least energy-efficient in Europe so that better boilers are only part of the solution to reducing housing emissions as well as costs. A third of Runnymede's own social housing stock is rated E or F.

So many council tenants in Runnymede, as well as private residents in the borough and elsewhere in much of the country, are experiencing rapidly rising energy costs on top of general cost-of-living inflation. Given that more efficient heating is only part of the solution to lower bills and lower emissions, what else is the council doing to improve the energy efficiency of its housing stock?’

The Leader of the Council responded as follows and this would be forwarded in writing after the meeting:

‘We have made a commitment to ensuring all our Council owned homes have achieved a C energy efficiency rating as a minimum by 2030. With the help of government grants and some financial commitment from Runnymede Borough Council we are spending £1.5m on upgrading the energy performance of our worse performing homes this winter.

We have also developed a Runnymede Investment Standard which sets out the additional measures we are putting in place as part of our normal upgrade programme to improve the energy performance of our properties – triple glazed windows, additional loft and cavity insultation etc.

We are conscious that we need to look beyond gas heating in the medium term. Our existing plans are designed to future proof our stock to enable them to perform well when alternative affordable heating systems become available.

Our newly built Council owned homes will benefit from air/ground source heat pumps as they will be highly energy efficient they can run these forms of heating without incurring significant financial cost to the residents. ‘

Question from Aileen Owen Davies, a local resident:

‘I would like to know what changes you are making to the council procedures and protocols which will enable you to make better progress in combatting climate change.  We are now in a Climate Crisis situation caused in large part by the lack of action during the past years.  The urgency is becoming greater as Global Warming accelerates faster’.

The Leader of the Council responded as follows and this would be forwarded in writing after the meeting:

‘The Council is currently compiling the Runnymede Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.

This forms one of four themes supporting the integrated Corporate Business Plan.  The Climate Change Strategy will be brought to Council for amendment and approval in February/March 2022.

The Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan will be embedded within the function of every business unit of the Council’s Operations.

In keeping with the Council’s initiative of empowering our communities – it will include measures to both inform and consult with our residents and businesses, as well as encourage and facilitate behavioural change in those areas beyond the Council’s control and influence.

This does not mean that there will be no action in 2022.

The Council has an established record of action on Climate Change Avoidance and Mitigation:

River Thames Scheme:

·                     Circa £0.75b Flood alleviation scheme

·                     Development Consent Order Pre-Application Consultation starts January ‘22’

·                     Protection for 11,000 homes and 1,600 businesses

Local Plan:     The Runnymede Local Plan 2020 – 30 incorporates our planning policies including:

·                     Flood Resilience

·                     Greenhouse Gas Emissions

·                     Water Efficiency

·                     Renewable Low Energy Carbon

·                     Protection of Soil, Mineral & Groundwater Resources, Water & Water Quality

·                     Protection & enhancement of Biodiversity, Habitats & Species, contributing to Net Biodiversity Gains

·                     Support to projects improving integration of road and rail to reduce congestion and improve accessibility to a range of accessible & active travel choices

Housing:

·                     Environmental Sustainability is an integral part of the Asset Management Plan 2021–26

·                     Minimum energy performance of RBC stock at C Energy Efficiency Rating by 2030

·                     Delivery of 125 additional housing units built to A Energy Efficiency Rating by 2026

·                     Investment in ‘refuse areas’ at blocks of flats to promote recycling and waste reduction

Energy:

·                     RBC Energy Supply Decarbonisation 58% of 2009 base level

·                     LAD 1B: Fuel Poverty £2.4m

·                     LAD 1B Additional Grant £1.2m

·                     LAD 2: £215K

Council Developments:

·                     Magna Square & Addlestone 1: Central Heat Networks & LED Lighting

Office Corporate:

·                     Hybrid Mail Internal Roll Out 2021 – wider application rolls out 2022

·                     E-invoicing

·                     Modern.gov: - move towards paper light/paperless meeting administration during this year

Agile Working Policy:

Implementation of Agile Working throughout the Council.  Colleagues who can work from            home are requested to do so two days of the working week, significantly reducing the           number of colleague journeys to work.’