Action Plan

	Action	Impact	Timescale	Cost	Co-Benefit	Constraint	Influence
BUILDINGS	Produce a retrofit strategy that sets out an approach to improving council and non-council housing across the city, including skills and training provision		I		●●●		Deliver
	Deliver 600 new homes across the city on council-owned land to Passivhaus standards in accordance with the council Design Manual		L		●●●		Deliver
	Explore new commercial mechanisms and delivery programmes for achieving domestic retrofit at scale, including GIB, regional loans and “comfort as a service”		M		●●		Enable
	Providing climate change advice and sign-off of planning conditions. Issuing guidance to developers on sustainability measures in a conservation context
	Delivery of existing funding programmes under Home Upgrade Grant programme
	Identify new funding opportunities (e.g. Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2) to expand the work of HUG and HRA
	Use of Parity Projects Portfolio energy modelling analytics to produce archetype specific plans for council homes and identify the range of works needed for the pathway from current level to EPC C and on to net zero carbon
	Identification of “business as usual” retrofit opportunities in planned capital works, voids and vulnerable tenant support
	Determine target for all properties to reach EPC C minimum as part of pathway to whole-stock net zero ambition
	Work with partners towards a “one stop shop” energy advice centre service
BUILDINGS	Proactive engagement with landlords around current and future regulatory obligations
	Consider green accreditation schemes for private landlords (including access to finance, suppliers, installers and discounted EPC surveys) to improve the energy efficiency of their stock
	Support and enforcement of minimum energy efficiency standards for the private rented sector
	Provide planning guidance and supporting documents for retrofit on existing buildings (including listed and historic retrofit)
	Produce a Supplementary Planning Guide to raise overall sustainability standards of new developments across the city
	Engage with businesses to minimise energy use eg retailers shutting doors and turning off air conditioning
	Guildhall refurbishment - Low carbon measures including water source heat-pump and triple-glazing as part of wider renovation work
	Signpost and promote retrofit opportunities and funding (initially targeting business sectors/domestic housing areas with the most need)
	Provide forums for stakeholder collaboration and showcasing of best practice
	Deliver local pilots and demonstrators that showcase low carbon heating solutions
	Annual energy audits of all public sector buildings
	Develop a decarbonisation plan for all council owned buildings (including Schools) to identify the most viable solutions to achieving net zero by 2030
	Energy audit & decarbonisation plans for non-council buildings
BUILDINGS	Support business decarbonisation - Promote ReBIZ: a resource efficient business support programme for SMEs, offering a free energy audits and potential grant funding
	Ongoing skills programme for Building Services staff to build capacity
	Develop a retrofit skills pathway whether in Further Education or new decarbonisation competencies of existing suppliers and workers, also supporting apprenticeships
	Carry out energy audits of all industrial buildings
	Workshops for business, developers, facility managers etc, report on signups
	Update Local Plan to require all new commercial developments to achieve highest environmental standards (BREEAM Outstanding or similar)
	Require post-completion emissions monitoring and annual reporting for all new developments
	Collecting developer contributions to deliver net zero projects as part of a Climate Change Action Plan Fund
	Include biodiversity requirements for all new developments
	Explore procurement/direct labour opportunities to build consumer/provider market through council programmes
	Establish an approach to new strategic delivery partner procurement
TRANSPORT	Update the Local Transport Plan, which will be required to deliver carbon savings from transport and will set targets for reductions through behaviour change, modal shift, investing in sustainable transport.
	Active travel programme - Various infrastructure and access improvements to increase pedestrian and cycling provision across the city
	Develop a Travel Demand Management Plan
	Equip any drivers of council vehicles with the necessary knowledge to more appropriately plan journeys in order to minimise disruption and maximise carbon savings
	Encourage car sharing scheme in the city to reduce number of individual car journeys
	Engage with school bus route operators to carry out route optimisation and minimise multi-stop journeys
	Identify and facilitate the provision of widespread Wi-Fi and high-speed internet to less-well connected areas across the city to facilitate agile/remote working
	Business travel plans - Support businesses to develop travel plans that promote active and zero carbon transport solutions
	Provide guidance and support to businesses/ large employers to maintain recent behaviour change on working from home and reduced business travel whilst minimising the impact on business effectiveness
	Encourage active commuting for all council staff & all staff across the council geography
	Decarbonise public transport - Various actions delivering improvements to the city's bus network through an enhanced partnership with providers and increased fleet electrification
	Significant new investment in cycling, walking and public transport infrastructure
	Reduce the need to own and use a car by requiring that the location and design of new developments be accessible by safe cycling, walking routes and good quality public transport.
	Use the York COVID-19 Economic Recovery Strategy and Local Transport Plan to identify a long-term Cycling Network Plan and key Core Walking Zones (CWZs)
	Trial e-mobility solutions - Working with the Department for Transport and Tier, trial the introduction of e-scooter and e-bikes in the city
	Continuous delivery of a behaviour change program on cycling and walking to encourage non-car modes as the best choice for short journeys
	Encourage uptake in active travel through accelerating the development of strategic high-quality walking and cycling routes across the city
	Work with schools and academies in the city to set up walking buses and provide cycle workshops
	Develop a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan
	Engage with communities to understand the appetite for expansion of the provision of Low and Slow Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs & STNs), time restricted street closures or speed limits
	York Car club - Work with Enterprise to decarbonise and expand the city’s car club
	Enforce restrictions on idling whilst running an anti-idling campaign
	Ensure the delivery of an efficient bus rail interchange at York Station Front
	Conduct regular surveys of council staff commuting and business travel with targeted actions and guidance on sustainable travel
	Expand work with employers to encourage staff to travel to work sustainably
	Provide cycle training for staff and residents
	Co-ordinate public transport services with the local tourism sector
	Smart Travel Evolution Programme (STEP) monitoring and analysing real-time journey information to improve transport planning and traffic management in the city. STEP is improving the connectivity and data collection of York’s transport technology assets in order to future-proof how the City deals with changing levels of demand
	York Outer Ring Road - Produce a Carbon Impact Assessment for York Outer Ring Road expansion. Identify mitigation measures during the construction phase and maximising the sustainable transport opportunities during design and delivery
	Decarbonise council fleet - Four year fleet electrification programme for all our vehicles under 3.5t and replacement of HGVs to Euro 6 standard engines
	Decarbonise refuse vehicles - Acquisition of 2 fully electric refuse vehicles
	Increase access to EV charging infrastructure - Deliver the rollout of new charging points across York to provide 184 Fast charging spaces and 7 Rapid chargers. Create new EV hyperhubs at Park & Ride locations across the city (first sites are Monks Cross and Poppleton Bar)
	Enable a rapid shift to electric vehicles by installing significant new charging infrastructure
	Mandate low/zero emissions requirements into taxi licensing
	Implement EV-ready building codes and establish preferred EV parking policy
	Identify sites for new EV infrastructure through consultation and strategic assessment
	Strengthen procurement policies for Council suppliers who provide services using low-carbon freight vehicles
	Trial low carbon last mile logistics - Feasibility study and subsequent pilot scheme to reduce emissions relating to deliveries travelling in to and out of York
	Initiate a pilot scheme for local deliveries using e-cargo bike trial
	Assess the feasibility of local distribution hubs for home deliveries in York which utilise low-carbon "Last Mile" deliveries following the pilot
WASTE & CIRCULAR ECONOMY	Create forums & groups for businesses to explore consolidating journeys, e.g. restaurants based near each other could utilise the same supplier
	Deliver a communications and behavioural food waste campaign using community growing projects and education in schools across all of CYC residents & businesses
	Produce a Food waste strategy, once the Govt White Paper is released
	Support growth in the circular economy - Develop a circular economy roadmap for the city, which maps material flows to identify opportunities for circularity and co-location. Bring stakeholders together and create the conditions for a circular economy to flourish
	Communication and behavioural campaign on minimising water use to residents
	Waste reduction, reuse & recycle initiatives - Reuse of household goods; Removal of organic waste from household waste collection; Trial collection of bikes from HWRCs in New Earswick for refurbishment and reuse; Recycle old bin stock.
	Corporate waste audits - Understand the causes and quantities of waste generated by corporate activity. Develop and deliver actions to reduce waste and increase recycling
	Provide guidance and information to support businesses to report on their waste - increase waste charges
	Report annually on the Council's own waste
	Ensure emissions reduction and waste reduction is a key priority in the council's waste strategies, decisions and investments
	Ban single use plastics within the Council's buildings and events and develop a Plastic Free Strategy across the organisation
	Develop education and communication campaigns for residents to raise awareness of what can be recycled
	Support community groups to develop the local sharing/circular economy e.g. repair café, library of things, community fridge, food redistribution centres
	Deliver pedestrian and cycle access to Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) so all residents can safely access the site and dispose of their household waste and recycling
	Champion zero waste cafes and plastic free business to residents to encourage behaviour change to low waste services
	Work with other local authorities to share case studies from businesses on circular economy practices to maximise environmental and economic opportunities
	Expand networks facilitating the donation of edible surplus food to food banks across the city
	No single use plastic at the Christmas market
	Engage with suppliers to adopt circular economy principles through procurement policies
	Pilot recycled road surfaces - Trial a new lower carbon solution of ‘crumb’ recycled rubber tyres for resurfacing roads in Wheldrake.
COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL	Skills & Training - Increase green jobs and green skills across the city and region; providing new employment, training and increasing capacity in the supply chain
	Sustainable procurement - Update the council procurement policy to include consideration of carbon emissions
	Encourage businesses across the city to use procurement policies to favour local suppliers e.g. local produce if providing food
	Mapping local businesses operating in the low carbon goods and services sector. Acting as a reference for anyone requiring low carbon goods and services and a tool for monitoring activity and growth in the sector
	Support SMEs to access funding and collaborate on energy projects through a shared platform
	Provide direct business support for reducing carbon emissions and accessing green finance
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT	Protect existing local green spaces, the green belt and locally designated nature sites
	Pollinator strategy - Conserving the UK’s pollinators by ensuring the council will consider the needs of pollinators in the delivery of its duties and work
	Weed pilot - Pilot heat treatment as an alternative weed control method to glyphosate
	Manage council-owned land and road verges to increase biodiversity and carbon sequestration
	Biodiversity net gain - Carry out a mapping exercise to assess which areas of the city could be designated, protected and enhanced as green space for biodiversity net gain.
	Green & Blue infrastructure strategy - Assess the carbon sequestration potential of current council land and identify opportunities to increase sequestration, looking into different natural carbon capture options
	Develop a long-term strategy to protect and manage existing urban trees and woodland in the city
	York Community Woodland - New 78 hectare community woodland providing outdoor leisure opportunities, areas for physical activity, walking and cycling, new educational opportunities and biodiversity. Consisting of over 210,000 trees and sequestering 29,000 tonnes of carbon over its lifetime
	Green streets - plant trees, woodland or hedgerows on council-owned land (where appropriate) including strategic land and along grass verges or highways
	Tree Canopy Expansion - Set an ambition for increasing York's tree canopy cover from 10.76% to 13% by 2050, equating to around 22-27 ha per annum. This target would result in an annual carbon sequestration rate at 2050 of circa 9,000tCO2 per year
	Urban Tree Planting - Opportunity mapping to assess urban and rural areas of the city which could be converted to small-scale woodland or are available for tree planting
	Tree Giveaway - 500 households across the city each season
	Ensure tree cover is considered for all new developments through the new Local Plan and explore incentives for developers to retain trees to achieve the 13% city-wide tree canopy target
	Castle Mills - Riverside Park and new pedestrian riverside bridge, increasing biodiversity and active travel
	Engage with community groups (e.g. friends of parks groups) and schools to carry out tree planting
	Prioritise tree planting initiatives in more deprived and less green wards of the city, where the opportunities for, and benefits of, action are greatest
	Increase the number of Green Flag status parks across the city
	Signpost information for farmers to take up more sustainable practices and a renewable energy supply
	Develop an offsetting/Insetting strategy to address residual emissions not tackled by direct actions in the city with a validated offsetting method
	Flood Alleviation - Upgrade and renewal of the cities flood defences to better protect more than 2000 homes and businesses
	Flood Risk Resilience - Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme - incentivise the uptake of natural flood risk management measures across the River Swale, Ure and Nidd catchments
ENERGY	100% of electricity purchased by the council is from renewable generation
	Conduct a renewable energy feasibility study to evaluate the opportunities for renewable generation across the city
	Heat mapping - Identification of opportunities for decarbonised heating solutions across the city, using the proposed heat network zoning policy as a potential tool for delivery
	Use policy to prioritise key strategic Rrenewable sites
	Local Area Energy Plan - A whole system approach, integrating heat, power and transport, with local stakeholder knowledge to deliver a comprehensive, data-driven and cost-effective plan for decarbonising York's energy system
	Increase solar capacity - Installation of PV at locations across the city, including Union Terrace
	Install solar panels on council-owned buildings or ground mounted on council owned land where feasible
	Solar for Schools - Supporting SfS and York Community Energy to increase solar capacity on schools across York. Carbon Reduction Team will promote the scheme, support schools to provide energy data and act as council point of contact for queries
	Green Energy Park - Opportunity assessment for future Green Energy Park in York
	Collaborate with local training colleges and educational centres to ensure skills to install solar panels are within the local workforce
	Consult with residents on the benefits of installing solar panels and the potential opportunities from initiatives like solar streets
	Work with York and North Yorkshire LEP to shape the development of the Local Area Energy Plans to include renewable energy pilots and schemes
	Develop large-scale renewable energy projects through collaboration and public/private partnerships
	Switch street lighting to well-designed and well-directed LED lights.
	Replace 'life expired' columns with solar lights, where appropriate
	Reduce energy used by the council in our own estate.
	Support the development of renewable energy and energy storage, including by supporting skills-training for local workers and encouraging applications for new installations.
	Encourage residents to consider "miles travelled" in their purchasing decisions and buy locally where possible
	Increase climate change communication - Provision of climate change information for residents and city partners through the council website, press releases, social media and monthly e-newsletter
ENGAGEMENT	Provide climate change information through the council website, press releases, social media and newsletter
	Create stakeholder networks - Manage existing stakeholder networks, developing new relationships with city partners and provide forums for the exchange of ideas
	Carbon Reduction Training - Ensure all staff receive sufficient training to understand the carbon impact of their work and are confident to identify ways to reduce emissions
	Engage on Climate Change Strategy - Deliver the Climate Change Engagement plan, consisting of consultation, focus groups, round-tables, public attitude surveys, 'climate corner' and other events
GOVERNANCE	Produce a City of York Climate Change Strategy that sets the vision and outline for a net-zero carbon and climate resilient city by 2030; providing a clear costed route map of the changes required
	Incorporate carbon assessments into council decision making framework
	Review and improve how we involve citizens in our existing decision-making processes.
	Report annually on citywide carbon emissions
	Report annually on the council's corporate emissions and recommended actions for decarbonisation; publish on the York Open Data Platform
	Publish an annual action update on progress in meeting the city's climate change ambition
	Require the climate commission for York, to create a partnership to collaborate, drive, support and track climate change progress across the city
	Align all council strategies, policies and plans with our climate change ambition
	Explore green financing options for large scale climate change projects (including community bonds and UK Green Investment Bank)
	Divest all investments from fossil fuels, including any pension funds
	Use legal and planning mechanisms such as Section 106 agreements, the Community Infrastructure Levy, and other mechanisms to fund climate actions and nature restoration projects.
	Work with the York & North Yorkshire LEP to deliver the Clean Growth Grand Challenge
	Shape the new Economic Strategy to put York and the region on the map for investors and investment in low carbon technologies and industries
	Embed requirements for green building/green energy upskilling/apprenticeships into the Council's procurement process
	Council opt, where possible, for local suppliers e.g. local produce if providing food

ANNEX DRAFT CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN

Introduction

Impact

Timescale

Cost

Co-benefits

Constraints

Council Influence

Stage

Action Plan