Issue - meetings

Council notes:

1.         Climate impact is the Council’s highest strategic risk.

2.         The Oxfordshire Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (2024) identifies flooding and extreme heat as significant, growing climate risks; driven by warmer, wetter winters, more intense rainfall, prolonged summer heatwaves and increased built-up areas.

3.         Impacts of climate and Nature collapse are acknowledged to be even greater than thought in 2024. They pose an existential threat to humanity. Serious adaptation must become standard operating practice similar to the fiduciary duty to council tax-payers.

The assessment illustrates the need for large-scale space for water storage upstream, to decrease flooding impacts downstream. Urban design is also key - to both prevent localised surface-water flooding, and build temperature resilience, preventing human-made “heat islands” which drive excess residents’ deaths, especially amongst the most vulnerable.

Council notes the success of adaptation measures depends on multi-year, multi-stakeholder and community-based collaborations at appropriate, impactful scale.  Partners (e.g. Environment Agency) have 6-year funding cycles, allowing capacity and capability to develop appropriately – starkly contrasting to the Council’s annual budget-setting process.

Council requests that Cabinet considers:

• Significantly increased investment through the Council’s remaining years’ budget process to accelerate Oxfordshire’s capacity and capability to convene and work at impactful scale, in multi-stakeholder action groups, embedding climate adaptation as standard operational procedure.
• Multiple new councillor-supported, location-specific initiatives, convening, alongside officers and partners, to build resilience capability through collaborative action in:
• Locations to mitigate or adapt to river, groundwater, urban and flash flooding
• Urban neighbourhoods to mitigate heat islands.

Note: The motion, if passed, would constitute the exercise of an executive function in which case it will be referred to the Cabinet together with any advice the Council may wish to give, in accordance with Rule 13.5.1 (i) of the Council Procedure Rules in the Constitution.

The motion was proposed by Councillor Barlow and seconded by Councillor Jones.  An amendment, set out in Annex 5 of the Schedule of Business, was proposed by Councillor Henwood.  The amendment was accepted by the proposer and seconder.  Council agreed to accept the amendment so that the following amended motion was considered.

“Council notes:

1.       Climate impact is the Council’s highest strategic risk.

2.       The Oxfordshire Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (2024) identifies flooding and extreme heat as significant, growing climate risks; driven by warmer, wetter winters, more intense rainfall, prolonged summer heatwaves and increased built-up areas.

3.       Impacts of climate and Nature collapse are acknowledged to be even greater than thought in 2024. They pose an existential threat to humanity and all ecosystems. Serious adaptation must become standard operating practice similar to the fiduciary duty to council tax-payers.

The assessment illustrates large-scale space for water storage and retention is vital, slowing water flow and decreasing flooding. Urban design is also key - to prevent localised surface-water flooding, and build temperature resilience, preventing human-made “heat islands” which drive excess residents’ deaths, especially the most vulnerable.

Adaptation measures’ success depends on multi-year, multi-stakeholder, community-based collaborations at impactful scale.  Partners’ (e.g. Environment Agency) 6-year funding cycles allow capacity to develop – starkly contrasting to the council’s annual budget-setting process.

Council requests that cabinet considers:

• Significantly increased investment through the Council’s remaining years’ budget process to accelerate Oxfordshire’s capacity and capability to convene and work at impactful scale, in multi-stakeholder action groups, embedding climate adaptation as standard operational procedure.
• Supporting multiple location-specific initiatives, working with councillors, officers, partner organisations and local communities, to build resilience through collaborative action to:
• Reduce the risks associated with river, groundwater, surface water and flash flooding
• Improve resilience to extreme heat and mitigate urban heat island effects.”

Following discussion, an electronic vote was taken. The motion was carried with 55 votes in favour, none against and no abstentions.

The motion was referred to Cabinet.