Council abandons 2030 Net Zero plans

Elgan Hearn Local Democracy Reporter

A Welsh council has given up any hope of becoming a Net Zero Council by 2030, with council chiefs explaining that it could take another 20 years to get there.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Economic Development and Environmental Management scrutiny committee on Tuesday, November 10, councillors received the annual Net Zero report for 2025/2026.

The 2030 Net Zero target is a Welsh Government expectation of local authorities.

But at a time when councils are struggling with their finances, funding the move to becoming a carbon-neutral council is seen as prohibitive in county halls across Wales.

Corporate services director Rhian Hayden said: “The annual net zero report provides a summary of our progress in responding to the climate emergency over the last year.

“Our direct organisational carbon emissions have fallen to 10,680 tonnes, which is a six per cent fall compared to the previous year and a cumulative 28 per cent reduction over the six years since the baseline in 2019/2020.

“It represents significant improvement based primarily on reductions in energy use, which have also realised financial savings for the council – however, there are significant challenges in terms of further replacement of council assets with ultra-low carbon alternatives that will require significant investment.”

Cllr Keith Chaplin (Labour – Abertillery and Six Bells) asked how long it would now take for the council to become Net Zero.

Cllr Chaplin said: “Is there a rough guide – would it be 2040 or 2050?”

Policy officer Daniel Wheelock said: “We have had a pretty consistent pace over the first six years of this policy and there’s no reason why we can’t at least maintain that level of reduction.”

He explained that there were “very big barriers” due to cost and technology, such as replacing the recycling and bin lorry fleet with electric vehicles and replacing heating systems in buildings with heat pumps.

Mr Wheelock explained that most of these assets would need to be replaced naturally over the next “10 to 20 years”.

Mr Wheelock said: “That might be a realistic timescale but it’s difficult to say as we haven’t done a detailed study.”

Cllr Chaplin pointed out that the report suggested that the council needs £52 million to decarbonise the council’s estate.

Cllr Chaplin said: “Given the council’s financial position, what proportion of this funding has been identified and how confident are officers that it can be secured?”

Mr Wheelock said: “We would be replacing those assets anyway.

“So it’s not £52 million in new spending, as if we didn’t replace boilers with heat pumps, we’d just be replacing them with new boilers.”

He explained that the calculation had not been done to find out how much extra it would cost to replace assets with carbon-neutral alternatives.

Councillors went on to agree the report.

Headache

Blaenau Gwent councillors have asserted that they want to see the council become Net Zero as soon as possible, however.

And by doing this, councillors have given council chiefs a headache, as it shows the issues of running effectively one council workforce with two sets of councillors who may pull in different directions.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Economic Development and Environmental Management scrutiny committee on Tuesday, November 10, councillors received a draft joint Climate and Nature Plan with Torfaen Council for the next 15 years.

The report explains that the strategy is to provide a framework for reducing emissions from council operations and enabling reductions in territorial emissions across Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen, while strengthening climate resilience, restoring nature and creating healthier, more sustainable communities.

This effectively replaces the 2030 Net Zero ambition for the councils.

Corporate services director Rhian Hayden asked councillors to approve a “revised net zero ambition” wording which forms part of the strategy.

Ms Hayden read out the replacement ambition wording, which means that Blaenau Gwent becomes a: “Smart energy council, playing our part in achieving the Welsh Public Sector Net Zero ambition through the phased replacement of direct emission sources with cleaner, more efficient and cost-effective ultra-low emission alternatives as assets are renewed or replaced, prioritising practical and deliverable solutions.”

The statement was supposed to set out a more realistic approach to Net Zero ambitions, but Cllr Keith Chaplin wanted to change it.

His suggestion came just before the committee went on to vote on a whole raft of recommendations covering the 2025/2026 Net Zero report, Net Zero commitments, Climate and Nature Strategy 2027-2042 and a Gwent-wide climate change risk assessment.

The wording amendment formed part of the recommendations they were to vote upon.

Cllr Chaplin (Labour – Abertillery and Six Bells) said: “I’ve looked at the wording.

“I understand the ethos behind it, and that it’s a journey and a lot of it’s not under our direct control, but I do think we need to take ownership of that statement.”

Cllr Chaplin believed a “lay person would be lost” and not understand what the statement was trying to say.

Cllr Chaplin continued: “I’m going to suggest an alternative that I think remains with the ethos of what we’re proposing, which is: Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council remains committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions at the earliest practical date. We will maximise the emissions reduction within our direct control while working with partners and governments to address emissions that depend on wider technological, infrastructure and policy developments.”

The move was seconded by Cllr Lisa Winnett (Labour – Blaina).

Then council officers pointed out problems with this change of wording.

Policy officer Daniel Wheelock said that a scrutiny committee over the border in Torfaen had looked at the wording and policy at a meeting earlier this week and had made its own change of wording suggestions.

Ms Hayden said: “I suggest I and other colleagues take that away and consider it alongside any suggestions from Torfaen to see if they are similar, come to common ground and bring that back to you for consideration.

“As we move forwards, we may have more joint reports coming forward which will need joint scrutiny.”

She stressed that it was the “wording, not the strategy” that councillors had taken issue with.

The committee went ahead and voted to support Cllr Chaplin’s proposal.