Agenda item

That this Council:-

(a)       notes that, despite the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and expand the green economy,  the Energy Bill will not include a decarbonisation target for electricity production for 2030 and relies on gas power stations in the short to medium term;

(b)       recognises that the unreliable supply and high price of imported gas is likely to increase demand for UK shale gas despite the fact that the method of producing it (“fracking”) makes it one of the most  carbon-hungry and environmentally damaging fossil fuels, akin to tar sands and arctic drilling, which have all been described as "extreme extraction";

(c)        will lead the way in our  own region by declaring our opposition to “extreme extraction” methods which involve using disproportionate amounts of energy to extract the fuel, and which destabilise and pollute the ground, water and atmosphere; and

(d)       will instead work to attract all possible funding to the City for projects which increase energy efficiency, sustainability and self sufficiency and which create jobs in the green economy. 

ENERGY BILL

It was moved by Councillor Jillian Creasy, seconded by Councillor Robert Murphy, that this Council:-

(a)       notes that, despite the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and expand the green economy,  the Energy Bill will not include a decarbonisation target for electricity production for 2030 and relies on gas power stations in the short to medium term;

(b)       recognises that the unreliable supply and high price of imported gas is likely to increase demand for UK shale gas despite the fact that the method of producing it (“fracking”) makes it one of the most  carbon-hungry and environmentally damaging fossil fuels, akin to tar sands and arctic drilling, which have all been described as "extreme extraction";

(c)        will lead the way in our  own region by declaring our opposition to “extreme extraction” methods which involve using disproportionate amounts of energy to extract the fuel, and which destabilise and pollute the ground, water and atmosphere; and

(d)       will instead work to attract all possible funding to the City for projects which increase energy efficiency, sustainability and self sufficiency and which create jobs in the green economy. 

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor David Baker, seconded by Councillor Andrew Sangar, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraphs (b) to (d) and the addition of new paragraphs (b) to (f) as follows:-

(b)       nevertheless welcomes the Bill as a roadmap for the UK's switch to “a low-carbon economy” and believes the Bill is a victory for Liberal Democrats in Government;

(c)        hopes that whoever forms the next Government will legislate for an effective 2030 decarbonisation target in 2016;

(d)       welcomes comments from the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Davey MP, that “The right wing of the Tory party are trying to make out shale gas is the answer but I’m afraid the evidence does not bear it out”;

(e)       believes at a local level this Council should promote green and sustainable methods of energy production; and

(f)         reaffirms its commitment to become the country’s first decentralised energy city, entirely reliant on green energy produced within the City.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived.

It was then moved by Councillor Jack Scott, seconded by Councillor Jayne Dunn, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council“ and the substitution of the following words therefor:-

(a)       notes that the Energy Bill announced last week shows a complete lack of commitment by the Government to address environmental issues;

(b)       further notes that, despite the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and expand the green economy,  the Energy Bill will not include a decarbonisation target for electricity production for 2030 and relies on gas power stations in the short to medium term;

(c)        regrets that to encourage green energy, the Government is permitting an increase in energy bills of £20 a year reaching over £100 extra a year in 2020, and that this Government is putting the cost of infrastructure projects onto the already squeezed general public while energy companies make millions in profits;

(d)       further regrets that this has come at a time when energy bills have already increased on average by £200 in the last two years;

(e)       believes the energy companies should be investing in carbon reducing projects;

(f)         is disappointed that this Government refuses to address the issue of reducing our carbon footprint, leaving targets out of the report, and believes this omission of targets is proof that the Liberal Democrats in Government have no influence over their Coalition partners to affect a policy they have previously championed;

(g)       regrets that this Government’s short sighted economic approach was again demonstrated recently through their refusal to invest in proposals for a 650MW “clean coal” power station at Hatfield Colliery, near Doncaster, with public money and recalls that the scheme had previously been picked out by the EU as the most advanced Carbon Capture and Storage project in Europe, putting it in pole position for a grant of around £250m from Brussels;

(h)        further notes that this project would have put the Sheffield City Region and the Yorkshire and Humber Energy Intensive Industries on a more secure footing;

(i)         notes that by not setting targets it causes uncertainty for businesses and investors, and that the Emission Performance Standards (EPS) said the target needed to be set realistically to encourage investment;

(j)         is committed to reducing energy demand to reduce carbon emissions and reduce the burdens on family budgets;

(k)        has delivered a city-wide free insulation programme covering over 30,000 homes over the past four years and welcomes that the current Administration is now planning how to deliver even greater benefits by delivering the Green Deal and developing the City's heat networks;

(l)         welcomes the Administration’s plans to undertake England's largest energy switch next year, to help Sheffield people get better deals on their energy bills;

(m)      believes it is more important than ever that the country has a competitive energy market that delivers fair prices and works in the public interest, and notes that this is why the Labour Party has called for an overhaul to the energy market and the creation of a tough new watchdog with powers to force energy companies to pass on price cuts;

(n)        urges this Government to hold the energy companies to account instead of making policy that benefits them, noting that this Energy Bill doesn’t do enough to tackle the growing energy crisis that is taking hold of the country and that increasing the burden on family budgets is not fair when the energy companies are making millions in profit;

(o)       is committed to working towards the Green Deal to attract green industry to Sheffield and helping to tackle fuel poverty in the City; and

(p)       supports Ian Lavery MP who is bringing forward an Early Day Motion to debate this Bill further.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-