City Of Cockburn Minutes – SMRC RRRC WCF Odour Issue – 10 May 2007
7. (OCM 10/05/2007) – PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
ITEM 16.1 – SMRC PROJECT PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT – REGIONAL COMMUNITY GREENHOUSE PROJECT
Q1 Will Council amend line 6 of the Background section of the agenda to more correctly read “manage the greenhouse emissions that ARE CURRENTLY BELIEVED TO BE THE cause of global warming?
A1 No. There is much research which supports the view that greenhouse emissions directly influence climate change and global warming.
Q2 How many of the Council’s fleet of vehicles currently run on alternative fuels? What plans are there about future vehicle purchases?
A2 Since November last year the Council’s entire diesel fleet has been running on Bio-diesel (B20) as a trial. Through our Regional participation in the Alternative Fuels Committee with the SMRC, the City is considering other alternative fuels initiatives.
Q3 Can you provide more information about how Council intends to “reduce energy consumption from street light and traffic lights in the region”?
A3 The City has signed a letter of support for the Sustainable Public Lighting Project offered by ICLEI. A Sustainable Public Lighting Action Plan is currently in draft form and has not been considered or endorsed by Council. A street lighting team has been formed to progress the development of a lighting strategy. Our Environmental and Sustainability staff would be more than happy to discuss the topics in greater detail during business hours.
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16. ENGINEERING AND WORKS DIVISION ISSUES
16.1 (MINUTE NO 3461) (OCM 10/05/2007) – SMRC PROJECT PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT – REGIONAL COMMUNITY GREENHOUSE PROJECT (4904) (TW) (ATTACH)
RECOMMENDATION
That Council:
(1) endorses the Regional Community Greenhouse Project Action Plan “Forging a Re-Newed Regional Partnership to Tackle Global Warming”, as prepared by the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council in consultation with the Regional Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Officers Committee; and
(2) note that funding is for a period of 5 years with the possibility of an extension subject to the agreement of the participants.
COUNCIL DECISION
MOVED Clr L Goncalves SECONDED Clr S Limbert that Council adopt the recommendation.
Background
Council is a part of Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Australia, which is a program run by International Councils for Local Environmental Initiatives – Local Governments for Sustainability – Australia/New Zealand (ICLEI-A/NZ), which works with local governments to manage the greenhouse emissions that cause global warming. Through the CCP milestone framework, councils analyse the local sources of greenhouse gas emissions and strategically implement projects to reduce these emissions. The Program identifies both the corporate and the community sectors for greenhouse abatement.
In October 2001 Council joined the Regional Community Greenhouse Gases Project and the Regional Community Greenhouse Strategic Plan. It was considered that a regional approach through the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council (SMRC) was the best way of implementing the community component of the CCP Program Milestone 3 – Local Action plan.
Council at its meeting held in December 2001 considered a report on the draft Project Participants Agreement for the Regional Community Greenhouse Gases Project through the SMRC and resolved the following:-
(1) confirm its agreement to contribute $18,000 per annum towards the cost of employing a Regional Coordinator, to administer the Regional Greenhouse Project through the Southern Regional Metropolitan Council;
(2) agree to the terms and conditions as outlined in the Project Participants’ Agreement for the Regional Community Greenhouse Gases Project of the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council;
(3) note that funding is for a period of 2 years with the possibility of an extension subject to the agreement of the participants; and
(4) authorise the Chief Executive Officer to approve any minor variations as required to the Draft Project Participants’ Agreement and arrange for the document to be executed.
In late September 2002 the SMRC Regional Greenhouse Gas Project commenced with the appointment of a Regional Greenhouse Coordinator on a two year contract in accordance with the Project Agreement signed by the member Councils. The project work has been steered by the CCP Officers Committee and the Regional Community Greenhouse Strategic Plan approved by the SMRC in March 2003 and subsequently, by member Councils.
At the August 2004 Council meeting, the Council was provided with a report outlining the achievements of the project to date and a recommendation to endorse a three-year extension of the project. Council agreed to the recommendation and endorsed the revised Regional Community Project Action Plan 2004-2007, three-year extension. It further acknowledged Melville’s withdrawal and the addition of South Perth for 2004-2005.
The agreement is due to expire June 2007 and therefore Council needs to consider continuing the partnership with the Southern Regional Metropolitan Council, and the other participating Councils as outlined in the attached letter.
Submission
The SMRC submitted a proposed Business Plan for a 5-year extension of the Regional Greenhouse Program. The document titled “Forging a Re-Newed Regional Partnership to Tackle Global Warming” is a review of the past 3-year Action Plan achievements and proposes an Action Plan and Budget for a New 5-Year Project Partnership commencing in July 2007.
Report
The current project participation agreement for the Community Greenhouse Abatement Project ends on 30 June 2007. The Project has been in operation now for 5 years and during that time the SMRC has been working in close consultation with the six member Councils in developing and delivering leading programs for greenhouse abatement in the community sector.
The Plan identified six areas of focus for greenhouse gas abatement:
• Improve residential energy efficiency
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the business sector
• Explore opportunities and facilitate renewable energy applications across SMRC region
• Increase levels of awareness in the general community (as well as within council) through education
• Reduce emissions from the transport sector, including alternative fuels in the Council fleet
• Reduce energy consumption from street lighting and traffic lights in the region, in addition to regional information sharing and co-operation on climate change.
The achievements of the Project are outlined in detail in the document “Forging a Renewed Regional Partnership to Tackle Global Warming” as attached however the key achievements of the program are outlined below:
• Regional greenhouse gas reduction achieved for the period 2004-06 – 903 tCO2e
• SMRC community surveys clearly demonstrate the importance of global warming as an issue for our community with concern increasing from 67% to 80.2% in a one year period. (Refer attachments page 4)
• Distribution of tCO2e demonstrating success of community education programs and the opportunities to expand programs into the other sectors:
The partnership has also produced two award winning programs:
• Living Smart – Eureka Award for Sustainability Education
• Greenhouses – SGIO WA Environment Award for Energy Efficiency
Over the 3-year agreement, 3,400 households now have an understanding of global warming and how these impacts can be mitigated through lifestyle and household changes and over 90 small businesses have participated in energy saving activities achieving an estimated reduction of 1,350 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore the Regional Greenhouse Project has made significant achievement through increasing the greenhouse gas emission awareness among the community, motivating residences and small businesses toward reducing energy use and waste generation, and as a whole contributing to greenhouse gas emission reduction.
Continuation of the Regional Community Greenhouse Project
The extended program proposes to implement several greenhouse programs in the region of a larger scale, will involve more communities and will introduce new initiatives e.g. Renewable Energy. The program will use the experiences and networking that have been built over the past 5 years and will continue to deliver tangible benefits to the member council and the community.
Cockburn’s participation is critical to our ability to deliver sustainability initiatives at both a local and regional level. Our membership provides a vital networking opportunity and increases our knowledge of the many initiatives and subsequent funding opportunities that are available through the different state and federal government avenues.
There are many advantages and opportunities to be obtained in working together as a region to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as:
• Opportunities in resource sharing and economies of scale;
• The programs provide multiple avenues for council to engage with the community through newsletters, courses and services and the council is profiled on all information and publicity materials prepared;
• Financial opportunities from government grants and community partnerships;
• A collective voice will provide a stronger advocacy;
• Improving energy efficiency in the region;
• Enhanced reputation in the eyes of the community, government and other local governments;
• Action rather than talk in the abatement of greenhouse gases.
Table 5: Proposed Activities (2007-12) and Expected Outcome
| Activities | Expected outcome |
| Climate Actions (Local Centers combined with households) | Involve 120 businesses and 2,300 households. Reduce 7,500 tCO2e |
| Living Smart Courses | 16 courses (3 per year), involve 400 households. Reduce 1,450 tCO2e |
| Light Industry | Involve 75 light industries. High potential of greenhouse gas reduction. Amount to be assessed. |
| Energy Actions (in homes) | Involve 2,500 households. Reduce 10,500 tCO2e |
| Renewable Energy Initiatives | Involve all member councils. Feasibility study of roof-top PV on icon buildings and assessment of RE application potential across SMRC region. |
| Climate Education in Schools | Involve 4 schools in trial and material delivery to SMRC schools. Increase in climate change knowledge. |
| Energy Efficient Streetlighting | Involve all member councils. Councils introduce EE streetlight. Greenhouse gas reduction to be assessed. |
| Alternative Fuel in Fleet | Involve all member councils and RRRC. Councils introduce bio-diesel in councils’ fleet. |
| Greenhouse Meter Piloting | Involve 60 households, evaluate its effectiveness. Reduce electricity use, amount to be assessed. |
Strategic Plan/Policy Implications
Natural Environmental Management
• To conserve, preserve and where required remediate the quality, extent and uniqueness of the natural environment that exists within the district.
• To ensure development of the district is undertaken in such a way that the balance between the natural and human environment is maintained.
Budget/Financial Implications
2007/08 – 2012 Proposed Five Year Budget
Table 6: Proposed Budget For 2007-08 and Estimates Over The Following 4 Years
Following 4 Years
| 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 20010-11 | 20011-12 | |
| Income | ||||||
| Contributions from Member Councils | 108,613 | 126,259 | 143,935 | 164,086 | 187,058 | 213,247 |
| Canning | 30,466 | 35,415 | 33,597 | 38,300 | 43,662 | 49,775 |
| Cockburn | 27,444 | 31,904 | 39,748 | 45,314 | 51,658 | 58,890 |
| East Fremantle | 2,638 | 3,066 | 2,788 | 3,178 | 3,623 | 4,130 |
| Fremantle | 10,413 | 12,105 | 11,006 | 12,547 | 14,303 | 16,306 |
| Kwinana | 8,600 | 9,997 | 17,608 | 20,073 | 22,883 | 26,087 |
| Rockingham | 29,052 | 33,772 | 39,188 | 44,674 | 50,929 | 58,059 |
| Contributions from non-member councils | 15,753 | 10,000 | 15,000 | 20,000 | 22,000 | 20,000 |
| Grants | 95,680 | 65,767 | 75,000 | 80,000 | 80,000 | 70,000 |
| Others (Internal transfer) | 20,000 | 21,000 | 22,050 | 23,152 | 24,310 | |
| Total Income | 220,046 | 222,026 | 254,935 | 286,136 | 312,210 | 327,557 |
| Expenses | ||||||
| Fixed Employment Costs | 105,621 | 110,549 | 116,076 | 121,880 | 127,974 | 134,373 |
| Project Costs | 114,425 | 111,477 | 138,859 | 164,256 | 184,236 | 193,184 |
| Local Centres (ClimateActions) | 33,580 | 85,123 | 38,319 | 35,450 | 26,760 | 24,680 |
| Living Smart | 7,206 | 12,150 | 15,300 | 17,500 | 20,458 | 26,181 |
| EnergyActions | 33,865 | 5,635 | 43,640 | 44,586 | 45,867 | 40,900 |
| Energy Efficient Streetlighting | 3,123 | 11,500 | 8,800 | 7,264 | 7,581 | |
| Alternative Fuel | 1,000 | 5,446 | 7,000 | 7,600 | 5,624 | 14,780 |
| ClimateActions in Light Industry | 9,150 | 17,300 | 46,200 | 41,430 | ||
| Renewable Energy | 4,200 | 6,900 | 7,400 | 17,480 | ||
| Greenhouse Meter | 3,500 | 18,600 | 5,813 | 5,600 | ||
| Climate Education in Schools | 6,250 | 7,520 | 18,850 | 14,552 | ||
| Greenhouses | 2,523 | |||||
| Business partnership | 5,216 | |||||
| Target Action Campaign | 31,035 | |||||
| Total Expenses | 220,046 | 222,026 | 254,935 | 286,136 | 312,210 | 327,557 |
The budget allocation over the next 5 years has been derived using the formula outlined in the Project Participants Agreement. The budget allocations are based on population as a proportion of the total participating Council’s population. New census data will be available in 2008 and it is projected that Cockburn’s population will increase considerably as a proportion. The budget allocations reflect this.
In more detail, the budget increase will enable:
• All participating councils will receive greenhouse initiatives for all three sectors – residential, business and transport over the full year.
• Renewable energy applications will be considered across the SMRC region.
• 80-100 businesses will be engaged through the DEH grant.
• Council’s part-funding of business projects officer position.
• 1,600 households are expected to be engaged through the Local Centers initiative and Living Smart in 2007-08.
Legal Implications
The City’s involvement will be subject to the Project Participant’s Agreement.
Community Consultation
N/A
Attachment(s)
(1) Letter from the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council.
(2) Report on Regional Greenhouse Gas Program
(3) Regional Community Greenhouse Project – Forging a Re-Newed Regional Partnership to Tackle Global Warming
Advice to Proponent(s)/Submissioners
The Proponent has been advised that this matter is to be considered at the 10 May 2007 Council Meeting.
