Climate Change Working Group Highlight Report
Argyll and Bute Council · 16 August 2023
Back to Oban Lorn & the Isles Area Community Planning Group — 16 August 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Climate Change Working Group Date: 2 August 2023 Climate Change Working Group Highlight Report Argyll and Bute Climate Action 1.0 Executive Summary This CPP sub-group, known as the Climate Change Working Group are planning the production of a Climate Change Action Plan for Argyll and Bute. The Action Plan is proposed to be produced by employing a Climate Change Project Manager to lead the process. The Climate Change Working Group recently agreed to start the project by recruiting a Project Manager this financial year. The project has been delayed due to underestimating the time taken to conclude a Memorandum of Agreement. 2.0 Highlight Report 2.1 Action Plan background The purpose of the Action Plan is to establish a region-wide climate risk assessment and to develop an integrated set of adaptation, mitigation and engagement actions. The proposed post of Climate Change Project Manager will bring organisations, businesses and communities together to develop a shared vision and understanding of climate change risks and opportunities across the Argyll and Bute region. It will identify priorities for communities, areas and sectors that will establish where (both spatially and thematically) and how the region can increase resilience and adapt, mitigate and engage on climate change issues. It will identify, but not reproduce, climate change work either already happening or part of an organisation or business’s own responsibilities. 2.2 Funding The Climate Change Working Group are currently pulling together a funding package to support the post of the Climate Change Project Manager.
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The cost of a Project Manager post is estimated to be in the region of £120,000 over two years, which would include the salary of an appropriately qualified climate leader, associated employer costs, T&S costs, etc. Subsequent to previous calls for funding contributions, we had two firm contributions from partners: £20,000 NHS Highland - Argyll & Bute Health and Social Care Partnership £50,000 Argyll and Bute Council We have also the following bids in with the following organisations and are awaiting news on the success or otherwise of these bids: £15,000 NatureScot Argyll and Bute Third Sector Interface (TSI) are also supportive of the proposal in principle and are exploring funding opportunities. 2.3 Progress The Climate Change working Group decided to start the project with the budget we currently have. The finalisation of the Memorandum of Agreement between the CPP and the hosting body (Argyll Countryside Trust) is now complete, which was required to establish the governance arrangements. The Project Manager post is now advertised and can be viewed here: https://www.act-now.org.uk/news/new-climate-change-action-project-manager-vacancy We’d appreciate it if this opportunity was circulated widely amongst your contacts. 3.0 Summary 1. We propose producing a strategic Action Plan process as the best, and most thorough, way to address the climate emergency in Argyll and Bute. 2. We have an approved governance arrangement for the Climate Change Project Manager post. 3. We are actively pursuing the recruitment of a Project Manager to start this Action Plan work and hope to have someone in post shortly, once we have completed the recruitment processes. Stan Phillips, Chair, CPP Climate Change Working Group
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For more information, please contact: Stan Phillips, Operations Manager, NatureScot stan.phillips@nature.scot