Report by Chair of Climate Change Working Group
Argyll and Bute Council · 14 February 2023
Back to Helensburgh and Lomond Area Community Planning Group — 14 February 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: 20 January 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. 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. 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.
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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 also recently received funding from NatureScot to the tune of £7,000 for this financial year, and have submitted a further bid for funds from next year’s budget of £15,000. 2.3 Progress The Climate Change working Group decided to start the project with the budget we currently have. We have decided that we would advertise the Project Manager post with options for: i) 0.75 Full Time Equivalent for two years, or ii) 1.0 Full Time Equivalent for 18 months …depending on the preferences of the successful candidate. In any case we would need to continue searching for funding for either a continuation of the project timeline, or to provide additional assistance for the part time set- up. However, it was felt that finding £30,000 in year two would be achievable. 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 before the end of the financial year. Stan Phillips, Chair, CPP Climate Change Working Group For more information, please contact: Stan Phillips, Operations Manager, NatureScot stan.phillips@nature.scot