THEME 3 – OUR PEOPLE

THEME 4 – OUR LAND,Group brainstorm outline

THEME 5 – OUR BUILDINGS

THEME 6 – OUR COMMUNITIES

PERFORMANCE UPDATES AGAINST REPORTING MEASURES

Theme 1: Our ways of working – performance updates against reporting measures
CAP ID	Actions	Reporting Measure	Delivery Timescale	Cabinet Lead	Officer Lead	Performance Update	RAG rate progress against each measure	Comments on AMBER or RED ratings
WOW1	Update the Corporate Delivery Framework to include considerations for climate impact and carbon emissions	Report on the climate impact and carbon emission considerations included in the Corporate Delivery Framework providing examples	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Policy and Programmes	Action WOW1 is complete.
WOW2	Implement internal governance to progress and monitor the Climate Action Plan	Update on the internal governance including its structure and approach to progressing and monitoring the Climate Action Plan	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Policy and Programmes	Action WOW2 is complete.
WOW3	Publish an internal toolkit with guidance for staff on how to assess the climate implications of projects and proposals	Update on the content of the toolkit and examples of projects and proposal that have used learning from the toolkit for the climate implications section of reports	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Policy and Programmes	In Q3 the climate and biodiversity team launched a new climate impact assessment tool for a six month introductory period, after which use of the tool will be mandatory for most, if not all, council decisions. The tool will help the council consistently assess the climate and ecological impacts so that decisions can be taken with full acknowledgement of the impacts. The output of the tool is a colour-coded wheel highlighting the positive and negative impacts of the work. Guidance on using the tool has been added to Jarvis, along with some video demonstrations. An online lunch and learn session was held for staff to introduce the tool and how to use it.
WOW4	Develop and implement measures for monitoring procurement contracts based on carbon emissions and climate action	Update on monitoring of procurement contracts based on carbon emissions and climate action, providing examples of relevant contracts	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Pieter-Paul Barker	Head of Finance	As work on this matter progressed this quarter it became apparent that, despite earlier advice from the supplier, the identified product isn't available from the Government's G-Cloud platform. Officers are now considering the procurement options.		Once procurement options are considered officers will discuss way forward with the Head of Finance
WOW5	Update the contract evaluation quality scoring procedure to include carbon reduction criteria	Report on how the contract evaluation quality scoring criteria has been updated to include carbon reduction criteria, providing examples of relevant awarded contracts	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Pieter-Paul Barker	Head of Finance	Action WOW5 is complete.
WOW6	Deliver staff training on the Procurement Strategy which includes understanding of carbon reduction objectives and criterion	Percentage of staff who completed the procurement training quarterly / report on how the training has impacted procurement contracts, providing relevant examples	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Pieter-Paul Barker	Head of Finance	All training on the procurement strategy was completed in Q2 2023/24. This action is complete. Examples of where carbon reduction objectives have been included in procurements will be captured for ongoing monitoring purposes.
WOW7	Conduct a review of all report writing templates, adding a climate implications section where missing	Percentage of report writing templates that include a climate implications section / narrative on the updates to report writing templates	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Kate Gregory	Head of Legal and Democratic	Action WOW7 is complete.
WOW8	Divest direct investments from environmentally harmful activities where possible, whilst protecting the security of tax-payer funds	Narrative update detailing changes which have included climate elements into financial decision making	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Pieter-Paul Barker	Head of Finance	Action WOW8 is complete.
WOW9	Incorporate a policy statement on environment/social/governance factors in the financial implications section of reports	Update on the statement included in Council templates under financial implications	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Pieter-Paul Barker	Head of Finance	Action WOW9 is complete.
WOW10	Engage with the council's investment portfolio to ask for and review their carbon reduction plans as part of decision making for the treasury management strategy	Number of investment portfolios reviewed for their carbon reduction plans / narrative on any changes in investments based on investment portfolio carbon reduction plans / percentage of Council portfolio in Paris Agreement aligned companies	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Pieter-Paul Barker	Head of Finance	Action WOW10 is complete.
WOW11	Review internal audit processes and where appropriate include risk considerations for the climate emergency	Report on how the internal audit processes have been updated to include carbon emission considerations	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Pieter-Paul Barker	Head of Finance	Action WOW11 is complete.
WOW12	Refine criteria for community infrastructure levy (CIL) funding to maximise opportunities for including carbon reduction measures in projects and supporting climate action projects	Narrative update about work in this area to include detail of new CIL spending strategy, communication with parishes Quantitative elements - CIL Spend broken down by type, by parish	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Anne-Marie Simpson	Head of Policy and Programmes / Head of Finance	Requests for projects seeking CIL funding for 2024/25 have been collated and reviewed by the CIL Member Working Group. A final review of the eligible projects will take place in January (Q4) and recommendations will be made for inclusion as part of budget setting next quarter. For the shortlisted projects, environmental impacts will be considered as part of the decision making process. Four of the shortlisted projects are considered to be climate action projects, with 'action on the climate emergency' as their main theme. The combined value of CIL requested for these four projects is £1,718,553.
WOW13	Promote community infrastructure levy (CIL) criteria to all relevant staff to ensure they maximise carbon emission reductions in all CIL projects	Percentage of CIL projects that include carbon emission reduction considerations/ relevant project proposals, providing examples	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Policy and Programmes / Head of Finance	The call out request for projects asked officers to ensure that climate emergency considerations formed part of the projects and reminded them that the Climate and Biodiversity team are a statutory consultee on all council projects.
WOW14	Include more ambitious climate criteria in the conditions of our affordable housing grant funding	Updates on changes to the climate criteria of the affordable housing grant funding and how this has impacted new affordable housing developments, providing examples	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Robin Bennett	Head of Housing and Environment	Following approval of the new policy in Q2, the new policy and process for a ward Section 106 affordable housing grants was live in Q3. This now makes clear to those who wish to develop affordable housing, and need grants to do so, the various criteria involved. This includes having low energy homes.
WOW15	Include policies in the Joint Local Plan that will help deliver zero carbon development and encourage more sustainable choices	Narrative update on sustainable and net zero planning policies being developed and included in the emerging JLP	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Anne-Marie Simpson	Head of Policy and Programmes	During Q3 2023/24 Bioregional (the council's net zero carbon consultants) completed Tasks 1-5 of their commission and prepared their report for publication alongside the Joint Local Plan in January. The planning policy team held an All-Councillor Roundtable on net zero carbon which was well attended by Members from South and Vale, setting out the recommended approach for ambitious new policies in the Joint Local Plan.
WOW16	Produce an options paper for setting up a carbon offsetting scheme for developers as part of the new Joint Local Plan	Report on options paper development and suggested ways forward	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Anne-Marie Simpson	Head of Policy and Programmes	In Q3, consultants Bioregional, appointed to provide the net zero evidence base for the forthcoming Joint Local Plan, worked on advice on the role and weighting of offsetting policies in the Joint Local Plan in achieving net zero carbon status.
WOW17	Produce an options paper for pool electric vehicles for use by council staff to reduce emissions from business mileage, implementing if approved	Update on the development of options paper for piloting pool electric vehicles, including on the carbon emission savings and decision making progress	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Policy and Programmes	In Q3, a second draft of the options paper was produced, which seeks to outline options for reducing the council's grey fleet emissions, including pool vehicles as one option to reduce these. The next step is for this paper to be shared with the Head of Service for Policy and Programmes.
WOW18	Develop and implement an internal communications plan to keep staff updated on climate action work, including useful advice and guidance on how to incorporate climate action into projects and programmes	Data on the number of internal communications campaigns on climate action work and a narrative update on the type of information shared and any feedback from staff on the use of the information	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	During Q3, through the 12 weekly staff email updates and eight Jarvis news items, staff were encouraged to take part in various climate action initiatives. The highest profile of these was the introduction of the new climate impact assessment tool which is to be used by staff when reporting on any new council projects. We promoted the lunch ‘n’ learn webinar on the new tool which was attended by 29 members of staff (not including the climate team) and the recording has been subsequently viewed 41 times. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from staff. We also encouraged staff with other climate friendly campaigns such as ‘eat your pumpkin’ to reduce food waste, green volunteering opportunities on International Day of Climate Action and also invited staff to take part in a climate literacy quiz. The climate team also promoted climate action among staff with a stall at the staff event in October and devised a new Climate Challenge for them to sign up to.
WOW19	Move to a digital by default approach for virtual meetings where possible given the current conditions around decision making in Local Government	Percentage of virtual meetings taken place, benchmark to include CEAC, Scrutiny, Cabinet and Council meetings	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Legal and Democratic	Action WOW19 is complete.
WOW20	Improve our use of existing technology to move to digital by default working	Update on the use of technology for meetings; data on % of MFD printing	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	Action WOW20 is complete.
WOW21	Develop and implement an anti-idling policy for staff and contractors on council business, to ensure engines are turned off when appropriate	Update on the development of the policy and examples of anti-idling implementation from staff and contractors	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Corporate Services	During Q3 the Driving at Work policy was shared and consulted on (services and Unison) final draft will be submitted to SMT in January 2024 for sign off. The policy will then be published to staff and added to LEAH. Alongside this policy there will be the introduction of telematics to enable monitoring of corporate vehicles which will included idling activity.

Theme 2: Our Service Delivery – performance updates against reporting measures
CAP ID	Actions	Reporting Measure	Delivery Timescale	Cabinet Lead	Officer Lead	Performance Update	RAG rate progress against each measure	Comments on AMBER or RED ratings
SD1	a) Prepare new waste management approach to align with provisions of the Environment Bill	Narrative measure on comms activity relating to waste/recycling Quantitative information on recycling rate, contamination rates, percentage of residual waste to landfill		Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Housing and Environment	This quarter, work has continued on developing the strategic approach to future waste services to help inform preparations for the new waste contract, to be provided up to June 2026.
SD2	b) Specify new waste management contract with route optimisation, collection frequency and vehicle size to minimise carbon emissions	Narrative measure on comms activity relating to waste/recycling Quantitative information on recycling rate, contamination rates, percentage of residual waste to landfill	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Housing and Environment	This quarter, an extension to the current waste contract was agreed. The contract will now end in June 2026.
SD3	c) Trial electric refuse vehicles and other relevant vehicle options, to identify the most suitable vehicles for reducing carbon emissions whilst maintaining service delivery	Narrative measure on comms activity relating to waste/recycling Quantitative information on recycling rate, contamination rates, percentage of residual waste to landfill	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Housing and Environment	As part of a joint order with Vale of White Horse District Council, for nine new, replacement waste vehicles this quarter, one of these (a food waste vehicle) will be a battery electric.
SD4	d) Replace end of life waste collection vehicles with electric fleet where range available allows	Narrative measure on comms activity relating to waste/recycling Quantitative information on recycling rate, contamination rates, percentage of residual waste to landfill	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Housing and Environment	In Q3, one of the nine replacement waste vehicles ordered – to be shared with Vale of White Horse Council - has been specified to be electric (the food waste vehicle). As part of this decision, officers needed to consider a range of factors to ensure that the vehicles were able to operate immediately and to provide an efficient and effective service. Whilst electric trucks are less polluting, and can be charged from sustainable fuel sources, these vehicles are still relatively new to the market, expensive and, most importantly would need to complete a round on a single charge and be charged at the end of each working day at the depot. The food waste vehicle, as the smallest and lightest waste collection vehicle being purchased, will be able to complete the necessary rounds, as well as access the limited overnight charging option at the current depot. This vehicle will also provide an opportunity to test and learn about the operation of electric vehicles in our area. During Q3, work continued on developing a waste vehicle strategy, which lays out the process for the council to follow in vehicle acquisition going forwards. Annually, as part of preparing for fleet replacement, officers shall appraise the current fleet, then assess the market on suitable replacements with latest technology and carbon efficiency.
SD5	Explore opportunities for a new waste depot including research into renewable energy supplies	Update on proposals for a new waste depot, including potential carbon reduction figures	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Housing and Environment	In Q3, work continued to secure a future site for a new waste depot.		The council is in a non-disclosure agreement with a landowner regarding a potential site, so no further information is available at this time.
SD6	Develop a business case and implement a delivery plan for council vehicles to be zero emission by 2025, where available on the market	Data on potential carbon reduction savings from switching vehicles to zero emission; narrative report on business case development and delivery plan for doing so, including market options for EVs	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Corporate Services	During Q3, the Development and Corporate Landlord service worked with Legal colleagues on the details for a vehicle lease arrangement. Work also started on a risk assessment for this arrangement, a draft of which will then be shared with the Head of Service for sign off.		There have been some queries in the detail of the lease agreement terms and conditions and Legal have raised issues such as insurance liabilities and GDPR.
SD7	Install electric vehicle (EV) charge points in council depot and other locations as necessary to meet needs of council fleet	Data on the number of EV charge points installed for use by council fleet; narrative update on the location of the EV charge points and how they meet the needs of the council fleet	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	At Q3, suitable locations for a depot are still being explored. EV charging will be considered in any future sites.		The site selection for a future depot is ongoing.
SD8	Feedback on planning applications to include signposting to information sources to improve the energy efficiency of proposals	Data on the percentage of applications that include sign posting to energy efficiency advice	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Anne-Marie Simpson	Head of Planning	Action SD8 is complete.
SD9	Update the council planning and development webpages to signpost to advice on energy efficiency considerations for inclusion in planning applications	Update on the energy efficiency information provided on the council webpages; data on the number of clicks on the links	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Anne-Marie Simpson	Head of Planning	During Q3, the draft content was further refined by the Planning and Climate and Biodiversity Teams. It is anticipated that we will be in a position to publish the content on our webpages next quarter.
SD10	Work with our town and parish councils who are developing projects that reduce carbon emissions locally by providing advice on planning permissions needed for their projects to be a success	Report on support provided to town and parish councils on their carbon reduction projects; data on number of carbon emissions reduction projects submitted by town and parish councils	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Anne-Marie Simpson	Head of Planning	During Q3, monthly Town and Parish engagement sessions continued to be offered but interest and uptake remains slow. Feedback received from the town and parishes who have booked onto sessions have found them to be positive and a valuable service. We will continue to promote the service.
SD11	Support the implementation of the air quality action plan across the district	Comms relating to AQ initiatives and metrics relating to AQ	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Housing and Environment	In Q3, The Air Quality Action Plan was agreed by partners and will now be presented to Cabinet for sign-off in January (Q4) before being reviewed and approved by Licensing Committees in February.

Theme 3: Our People – performance updates against reporting measures
CAP ID	Actions	Reporting Measure	Delivery Timescale	Cabinet Lead	Officer Lead	Performance Update	RAG rate progress against each measure	Comments on AMBER or RED ratings
P1	Provide all-staff and councillor training on the council's climate action plan and carbon literacy	Data on percentage of staff that have taken the climate action plan training; narrative on how staff have integrated the training into their work, using case studies	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	At the end of Q3, 66 users have completed the training equating to 14.04% of all Staff. Six members have completed the training equating to 13.5% of councillors for South.
P2	Provide enhanced specialist training on latest carbon reduction or climate action approaches to relevant staff and councillors	Data on percentage of specialist training delivered to staff; narrative on how staff identify the training they need and how they have used the training in their work	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services / Head of Policy and Programmes	In Q3, climate and biodiversity officers hosted a ‘lunch and learn’ session for staff on the new Climate Impact Assessment tool and how it can support the development of council projects and ensure climate implications are considered throughout. Officers also carried out specialist training on the tool for Planning managers. At the staff event held in October, the climate and biodiversity team had a stall which aimed to engage with staff on climate through interactive activities – signing a climate pledge, guessing the carbon emission savings through switching to council EVs and identifying energy saving tips for a ‘Barbie Eco House’. The team also provided an introduction to fuel poverty and energy efficiency training session to the Community Wellbeing team at the beginning of November. Climate and biodiversity officers attended a site visit to Cornwell Solar Farm, Stoke Talmage this quarter. The visit provided information on the sustainable construction methods being used at the site, and how impacts of solar farms on local residents can be recognised and mitigated. An officer also completed a 10 week 'Introduction to sustainable finance' course with Oxford University, designed to improve understanding within the public sector around sustainable investment decisions. This will support the council's work to help identify a strategy to secure the significant levels of finance needed to deliver net zero.
P3	Ensure there is relevant skill and capacity to support grant application writing and bidding for climate related funds, maximising the opportunities to include carbon emissions reductions and energy efficiency in all projects	Dedicated bid writing resource secured; Data on the number of applications to grants and funds that relate to climate action and carbon emission reduction; narrative report on grant writing skills and training that has taken place to maximise opportunities on bid writing	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Policy and Programmes	In Q3, an Individual Cabinet Member Decision (ICMD) was agreed, to support Oxfordshire County Council's (OCC) submission for Oxfordshire's allocation of LEVI grant funding and to agree to receive the funding on approval from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV). An application was made to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS3c), for £1,490,475 towards decarbonisation measures at Didcot Wave and Park Sports Centre, Wheatley. As well as the Swimming Pool Support Fund Phase 2, for an application for funding to install energy efficiency measures and solar PV at Abbey Sports Centre, Berinsfield (£157,527) and Thames Leisure Centre (£160,351). The council was also notified in Q3 of a successful bid to the Planning Skills Delivery Fund – £89,050 was jointly awarded to South and Vale for training to address skills gaps and prepare for upcoming planning reforms, including Biodiversity Net Gain. In addition this quarter, Innovate UK - Net Zero Fast Followers - offered funding for a bid submitted in February 2023. The council is liaising with Innovate UK around the detail of funding offer, which could include a training programme to support journey to net zero carbon and a research project for nature-based solutions to carbon offsetting. In Q3 work started on a funding bid to Innovate UK's Transport Decarbonisation fund. The proposal is for a research project to trial Electric Refuse Collection Vehicle for recycling and household waste. Submission is expected next quarter.
P4	Implement a green travel plan for all staff and councillors, including a digital by default approach where possible to reduce travel	Data on staff mileage once this plan is implemented and narrative report on the changes to staff travel as a result of the plan	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	No progress to report for Q3 2023/2024. Capturing information on the cost of staff travel quarter on quarter is ongoing and reported to SMT on a regular basis. This data will help inform a future travel plan.
P5	Set up green champions network for interested staff to support climate work	Report on outcomes of green champion network meetings, including case studies of green champions to highlight key areas of work and impact of the champions	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	This action is now considered BAU, following agreement in Q1 2023/24 to refocus this action by widening employee engagement in climate action and biodiversity, with the aim to embed a 'green' culture amongst all staff across the council. See WOW18 for details on internal communications to staff during Q3 2023/24. In addition, the council's staff have been encouraged to use their monthly wellbeing hour to take part in climate action or nature based activities. WOW3 also details the 'lunch and learn' organised for staff interested in improving the climate impact of their projects, which introduced the council's new climate impact assessment tool.
P6	Incorporate climate action opportunities within council volunteering scheme for staff	Data on the number of climate action opportunities within council volunteering scheme and data on the number of take up of these opportunities; case studies from staff on how they have engaged with this opportunity	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	Action P6 is complete.

Theme 4: Our Land – performance update against reporting measure
CAP ID	Actions	Reporting Measure	Delivery Timescale	Cabinet Lead	Officer Lead	Performance Update	RAG rate progress against each measure	Comments on AMBER or RED ratings
L1	Following the grounds maintenance operational review, update grounds maintenance operations to enhance biodiversity and tree cover including considering the need for mowing, opportunities to allow for wilding, and reducing the use of pesticides and herbicides where possible	Report sharing the updates to the grounds maintenance operations that address the climate emergency and how they support biodiversity	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	This quarter letters were sent out to residents to obtain feedback on the 'Let it Bee' campaign. This feedback will support the drafting of a report and recommendations to SMT for implementing and developing the scheme next year, including the potential for an increased number of sites. To date, feedback received has been generally good, positive responses, but quite low numbers of responses have been received so far.
L2	Identify sites for new tree planting and wilding opportunities on Our land or through partnership opportunities on privately owned land to support natural carbon capture	Report on identification of sites for new tree planting opportunities, including plans to plant trees on these sites	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	In Q3, the council’s Garden Communities Team worked to identify opportunities for tree planting in Didcot and Berinsfield. We also continued to encourage community tree planting in the district, through the council’s grant schemes, and campaigns around National Tree Week and the Oxfordshire Garden Tree Giveaway, for which the Didcot Garden Town provided funding towards 300 trees.
L3	Prepare a business case and, if approved, implement a local renewable energy project, such as a solar farm, to address unavoidable council emissions	Data on the amount of renewable energy produced and emissions offset; narrative update on the progression of plans for this project and how the renewable energy produced neutralises council emissions	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	In Q3, officers worked with APSE Energy to finalise the initial draft reports considering suitable sites for the Council to explore further.
L4	Deliver the Park and Charge scheme, installing EV charge points in our car parks, in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council	Data on the number of EV charge points installed in council car parks; narrative update on the partnership approach for delivering this project	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	Action L4 is complete.
L5	Develop an options paper for installing public EV charging points on additional council premises, including funding sources available	Update on the business case development for installing public EV charging points; data on energy use of the points, including how much charge they provide to EVs	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Robin Bennett	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	In Q3, an Individual Cabinet Member Decision (ICMD) was agreed, to support Oxfordshire County Council's (OCC) submission for Oxfordshire's allocation of LEVI grant funding and to agree to receive the funding if successful. The IMCD also delegated to the Head of Development and Corporate Landlord, the authority to finalise the locations for the subsequent EV charge points.

Theme 5: Our Buildings – performance update against reporting measure
CAP ID	Actions	Reporting Measure	Delivery Timescale	Cabinet Lead	Officer Lead	Performance Update	RAG rate progress against each measure	Comments on AMBER or RED ratings
B1	a) Complete energy efficiency and site decarbonisation assessments for all leisure centres	Data on the energy efficiency of all leisure centres; narrative report on site decarbonisation assessments, with projections for how the sites will be decarbonised	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Robin Bennett	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	Action Complete
B1	b) Following site assessments of leisure centres, prepare for external funding opportunities, including soft market testing	Narrative update relating to external funding utilisation, both funding received direct to the Council, and projects which have received part external funding or are in progress if not already delivered Specific elements which should be included - proportion of spend on leisure/community facilities vs amount funded by Council; externally funded Capital schemes; total external funding received figure	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Robin Bennett	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	In Q3, Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) bids were submitted for the decarbonisation of Didcot Wave Leisure Centre and Park Sports Centre in Wheatley. Sport England support package bids were also submitted for Thame Leisure Centre and Abbey Leisure Centre in Berinsfield. The new pool cover supplied for the Riverside outdoor pool in Wallingford in Q2, has shown in Q3 to have provided significant carbon savings.
B2	a) Complete energy efficiency and site decarbonisation assessments for all non-leisure operational properties	Data on the energy efficiency of all non-leisure centres; narrative report on site decarbonisation assessments, with projections for how the sites will be decarbonised	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Robin Bennett	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	In Q3, the remaining decarbonisation surveys for the Northern and Southern Community Centres were completed.
B2	b) Prepare for external funding opportunities for non-leisure properties, particularly properties with an end-of-use heating plant, including carrying out soft market testing	Narrative update relating to external funding utilisation, both funding received direct to the Council, and projects which have received part external funding or are in progress if not already delivered Specific elements which should be included - proportion of spend on leisure/community facilities vs amount funded by Council; externally funded Capital schemes; total external funding received figure	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Robin Bennett	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	During Q3, the Cornerstone Arts Centre decarbonisation project progressed, with consultants now working on the design. No capital works are proposed for Community centres at this time, as carbon saving opportunity is limited. Review of operational proposals from the report have been actioned where feasible.
B3	Prepare plan for Didcot Broadway site using sustainable designs and low carbon and water efficient standards, as well as including the provision for infrastructure that supports sustainable transport and has considered waste and recycling facilities	Report on the sustainable design and low carbon and water efficient standards used in the plans for the Didcot Broadway site; data on expected energy usage of the building	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Robin Bennett	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	In Q3, the multi-disciplinary design team for Broadway was appointed and they have entered into a contract. The team includes a number of specialists who will input into key design areas such as sustainability, low carbon and water efficiency from the outset of the design work. A transport assessment is being undertaken which will look at sustainable transport opportunities and site requirements for infrastructure, waste and recycling facilities, which will inform the design work.
B4	Prepare Didcot Gateway site project plan to achieve the Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) excellent standard in addition to a 40 per cent reduction in carbon emissions compared with a 2013 Building Regulations compliant base case, and with consideration for sustainability and environmental impact throughout the design and construction of the site	Report on the carbon emission reductions and prospective energy use of the building, including sustainability and environmental impact considerations included in the plan	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Robin Bennett	Head of Policy and Programmes	No further progress to report Q3 2023/24
B5	Retrofit Cornerstone Arts Centre to ensure it is fit for purpose using energy efficient methods, including solar panels on the roof and low carbon heating system	Report on retrofit upgrades to the Cornerstone Arts Centre; data on carbon emissions savings from upgrades	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Robin Bennett	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	During Q3, consultants worked on designs for the Cornerstone decarbonisation work. The main delivery of work will take place during 2024.
B6	Include carbon and energy reduction targets in management plans for the monitoring of site operations including all leisure centres to enforce and encourage low carbon operational behaviour in council assets	Report on the changes to the carbon and energy reduction targets in the criteria for monitoring operations and report on the changes to operational procedures to meet carbon and energy reduction targets; data on carbon emissions from operations	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)		Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	Detailed monitoring information is available for the Leisure Centres and reviewed regularly. The day-to-day operation of the Leisure centres is contracted to GLL. Their utility consumption reporting is reviewed every month by Council officers as part of monthly management meeting, and if any disparities are noted then these are discussed. In Q3, the Leisure Facilities Team Leader attended CEEAC in December to present the trajectory the leisure facilities were taking in our delivery towards our Climate Action Plan actions and journey to carbon neutral. Officers continue to identify a number of proactive capital improvement projects to continue the reduction in carbon footprint at all estate wide leisure facilities. Recent inclusions have been a pool cover at Wallingford Riverside Outdoor Pool and Destratification units at Didcot Wave Leisure Centre.
B7	Develop a policy to agree an energy efficiency standard for new asset acquisitions and council owned builds	Update on the development of the energy efficiency standards policy for new asset acquisitions and builds, including case studies of how this has been implemented	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)		Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	No further progress to report for Q3 2023/2024. SMT report on approach to new asset acquisitions and builds will be submitted in the coming months, for consideration for next steps.

Theme 6: Our Communities – performance update against reporting measure
CAP ID	Actions	Reporting Measure	Delivery Timescale	Cabinet Lead	Officer Lead	Performance Update	RAG rate progress against each measure	Comments on AMBER or RED ratings
C1	Implement an external communications plan which shares updates on the climate action work undertaken by the council, and advice and guidance to residents, businesses and the voluntary and community sector on reducing carbon emissions. To include:	Narrative update on the influencing work undertaken to support and encourage local businesses relating to climate change and nature recovery; should be widened from just businesses to business, voluntary sector and residents (but still want to tie into the corporate plan objective when collecting data)	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	During Q3 2023 South ran many successful comms campaigns updating on the council’s climate action work while also encouraging behaviour change around tackling climate change. These included: Promoting recycle week by highlighting how different items can be recycled locally and with the council; publicising national repair day and local repair shops such as those run by Sustainable Didcot; announcing the food and warmth grants which fund voluntary groups to help people with items including low energy slow cookers and energy saving DIY kits as well as other household essentials; announcing the new Section 106 affordable housing grant to build affordable homes that meet the councils’ climate criteria; publicising the programme of decarbonisation works at our leisure centres including destratification fans installation at the Didcot Wave Leisure Centre; promoting a tree giveaway to Oxfordshire residents which was part funded by Didcot Garden Town; working with the planning team to set up new pages on whether permission is needed to install retrofitting measures on homes.
C2	Advice and guidance on circular economy principles and how to implement them, especially for businesses and the voluntary and community sector	Narrative update on the influencing work undertaken to support and encourage local businesses relating to climate change and nature recovery; should be widened from just businesses to business, voluntary sector and residents (but still want to tie into the corporate plan objective when collecting data)	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	During Q3 the communications team continued to support and promote the work of the Economic Development team, including promoting their joint survey with Oxford Brookes Business School of local SMEs about the challenges they face to make their organisations more climate friendly. The council's donation of 97 old staff laptops for reuse by local charity SOFEA, was promoted this quarter, encouraging behaviour change by leading by example. During recycle week advice and guidance was offered on how different items could be recycled through the council and with other organisations – including a new service by Oxfordshire County Council to recycle vapes. National repair day was also promoted, alongside local repair shops such as those run by Sustainable Didcot.
C3	Advice and guidance on energy efficiency of operations, including consideration for delivery options and the energy efficiency of buildings used by businesses and the voluntary and community sector	Narrative update on the influencing work undertaken to support and encourage local businesses relating to climate change and nature recovery; should be widened from just businesses to business, voluntary sector and residents (but still want to tie into the corporate plan objective when collecting data)	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	In Q3 we continued to promote retrofitting and energy saving for organisations by publicising the programme of energy efficient decarbonisation works at our leisure centres including destratification fans installation at the Didcot Wave Leisure Centre (leading by example). The council's offer of thermal imaging camera loan service for local groups was also promoted. The cameras help identify where energy efficiency measures can be made on buildings. An event on the use of thermal imaging cameras was held to support loanees with how to use the cameras. In Q3, an online webinar on domestic retrofitting options for town and parish councils and community organisations was held, to help them advise residents and share information.
C4	Share climate friendly lifestyle changes, including ways to make homes more energy efficient	Narrative update on the influencing work undertaken to support and encourage local businesses relating to climate change and nature recovery; should be widened from just businesses to business, voluntary sector and residents (but still want to tie into the corporate plan objective when collecting data)	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	During Q3, as throughout the year, we promoted retrofitting in homes, including insulation and joining an EV car club such as the ones at our car parks in Henley and Wallingford. We encouraged staff and residents to take advantage of the free tree giveaway to Oxfordshire residents which was part funded by Didcot Garden Town. Tree planting was promoted during National Tree Week.
C5	Promote climate funding opportunities for businesses, voluntary and community sectors, and residents	Narrative update on the influencing work undertaken to support and encourage local businesses relating to climate change and nature recovery; should be widened from just businesses to business, voluntary sector and residents (but still want to tie into the corporate plan objective when collecting data)	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	In Q3 we continued to promote the new £50,000 fund to increase biodiversity and encourage public access to green spaces in the district, which is in partnership with Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment (TOE). We also highlighted the availability of capital and councillor grants for community climate related projects by spotlighting Wallingford Sports Park. Wallingford Sports Park have to date received more than £50,000 in grant funding from SODC, towards the installation of 130 solar panels on the sports club roof and solar batteries, which reduced its energy consumption and carbon emissions by approximately half.
C6	Promote community sharing and reuse to reduce waste and unnecessary consumption	Narrative update on the influencing work undertaken to support and encourage local businesses relating to climate change and nature recovery; should be widened from just businesses to business, voluntary sector and residents (but still want to tie into the corporate plan objective when collecting data)	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	In Q3 we promoted national Recycle Week by highlighting how different items can be recycled locally and with the council; publicising national repair day and local repair shops such as those run by Sustainable Didcot. In the run up to Christmas the waste team ran a competition to promote and highlight the issue of festive food waste and during a month-long campaign offered ways to reduce this waste. This followed the ‘eat your pumpkin’ campaign after Halloween aiming to reduce food waste.
C7	Promote relevant housing energy efficiency schemes, including grants, to residents, landlords and housing associations	Narrative update on the influencing work undertaken to support and encourage local businesses relating to climate change and nature recovery; should be widened from just businesses to business, voluntary sector and residents (but still want to tie into the corporate plan objective when collecting data)	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	During Q3 the food and warmth grants, which fund items including low energy slow cookers and energy saving DIY kits as well as other household essentials, were promoted. The new Section 106 affordable housing grant was also promoted, to build affordable homes that meet the councils’ climate criteria. In addition, we promoted the Home Upgrade Grants, which fund energy efficient improvements to eligible householders and is administered by Oxfordshire County Council.
C8	Include in Community Employment Plans considerations for addressing the councils climate neutral targets through commitments such as green skills training, sourcing through a local and sustainable supply chain, supporting local social enterprises and charities and accessing local employment	Data on the number of neighbourhood plans developed; Narrative update on the types of climate actions incorporated into neighbourhood plans	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Robin Bennett	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	No progress to report Q3 2023/24.		South's Local Plan does not contain a relevant Community Employment clause.
C9	Support communities with their neighbourhood planning by providing up-to-date advice and guidance on climate measures and actions, encouraging climate considerations to be at the core of neighbourhood plans	Data on the number of taxi drivers driving electric vehicles and narrative update on the support to taxi drivers for doing so	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Policy and Programmes	In Q3 work continued to assist communities preparing neighbourhood plans, including the insertion of climate measures. There are 16 neighbourhood plans (including plan reviews) and one neighbourhood development order currently being prepared. In Q3 the neighbourhood plan for Berinsfield, Eye and Dunsden and Chalgrove (Review) have reached pre-submission consultation stage. The neighbourhood plan for Binfield Heath has reached post-submission consultation stage. The council has formally commented on these plans and where appropriate provided encouragement and advice on the refinement of policies addressing the challenges of climate change.
C10	Support taxi drivers in switching to electric vehicles, including reviewing options to incentivise the switch through fees and charges	Data on number of meetings held; narrative update on the agendas, outcomes and actions from the meetings	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Maggie Filipova-Rivers	Head of Legal and Democratic	At Q3, out of 632 licensed vehicles there are 3 electric vehicles, although 215 are hybrid (34%). The council offers substantial discounts in licence fees for zero emission vehicles.		We continue to promote the reduced fees for zero emission vehicles and an aim within the taxi policy is for all licensed vehicles to be zero carbon by 2030 at the latest. However, this will be constrained by the available infrastructure and in particular the ability for fast charging given the nature of the trade.
C11	Organise quarterly climate focused network meetings for town and parish councils, and voluntary and community organisations, linking with existing networks	Data on the number of neighbourhood plans developed; Narrative update on the types of climate actions incorporated into neighbourhood plans	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Corporate Services	In Q3 the Climate and Biodiversity team hosted an online forum for South and Vale community groups and town and parish councils on how they can encourage and facilitate energy efficiency upgrades to domestic homes in the district. Attendees heard about inspiring projects from Thame Green Living and Greener Great Coxwell, both of which are working, in very different ways, to save energy from the homes in their areas. Information was also given about the support that the county and district councils can offer on this topic. A recording of the event and presentation slides are available on the council website.

Theme 7: Our Partners – performance updates against reporting measure
CAP ID	Actions	Reporting Measure	Delivery Timescale	Cabinet Lead	Officer Lead	Performance Update	RAG rate progress against each measure	Comments on AMBER or RED ratings
OP1	Build relationships with town and parish councils to support and encourage their climate action initiatives	Update on how the council has worked with town and parish councils on climate action initiatives, including case studies	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Policy and Programmes	In Q3 the Climate and Biodiversity team hosted an online forum for community groups and town and parish councils on how they can encourage and facilitate energy efficiency upgrades to domestic homes in the district. Attendees heard about inspiring projects from Thame Green Living and Greener Great Coxwell, both of which are working, in very different ways, to save energy from the homes in their areas. Information was also given about the support that the county and district councils can offer on this topic. On 02 November the Climate and Biodiversity team also organised a thermal imaging camera training session for community groups and town and parish councils. The highly informative session was led by a retrofitting officer at Oxfordshire County Council and covered how to use a thermal imaging camera, including the optimum conditions for getting the best images, and how to interpret the images. All town and parish councils were contacted about the offer of loaning a thermal imaging camera from the district council. Town & Parish Councils, community groups and businesses were invited to apply for funds from the Rural England Prosperity Fund to support a range of climate action projects including retrofitting community buildings, renewable energy schemes, EV charging infrastructure and nature recovery projects. Awards will be made in Q4.
OP2	Identify areas in our community that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change to ensure they are properly supported and protected to promote wider community wellbeing	Update on the identification of areas most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and how the council has supported them to adapt to these changes, including through initiatives such as Better Housing Better Health	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Policy and Programmes	In Q3, the council launched a Food and Warmth grant scheme to support community organisations working with vulnerable households with cost-of-living support, including projects which help residents improve the energy efficiency of their homes. The Oxfordshire climate vulnerability assessment is in the final stages of review. The next phase of the project will also include a more detailed biodiversity assessment.
OP3	Work with Oxfordshire County Council to support active and sustainable travel infrastructure initiatives	Narrative update on work with Oxford County Council Optional quantitative metrics on the amount of new footpaths/cycle paths	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Sue Cooper	Head of Policy and Programmes	In Q3, Didcot Garden Town team officers developed the Didcot Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP). The project was undertaken by consultants Systra and included liaison between Oxfordshire County Council (OCC), district officers and relevant stakeholders to establish where infrastructure for walking and cycling could be improved. The project produced a map of existing and proposed walking and cycling routes in Didcot and provided a prioritised list of infrastructure improvements. The LCWIP has now been approved by South cabinet, as well as OCC cabinet, as the statutory highway authority.
OP4	Work with the Future Oxfordshire Partnership on a county-wide approach to reducing carbon emissions, building on the strategic vision and Pathways to Zero Carbon Oxfordshire	Update on progress on the Future Oxfordshire Partnership's county-wide approach to reducing carbon emissions, including examples of projects and programmes that address the strategic vision and Pathways to Zero Carbon Oxfordshire	Short Term (1 year)	Cllr David Rouane	Head of Policy and Programmes	In Q3, work continued to operationalise the five prioritised action areas of the Oxfordshire Net Zero Route Map and Action Plan. This work is now considered business as usual and progress on each Oxfordshire Net Zero Map action will continue to be reported thematically under the relevant CAP action in this report.
OP5	With Our partners, support the development of a coordinated retrofit programme for Oxfordshire through our role in the Environmental Advisory Group of the Future Oxfordshire Partnership	Narrative update on current/completed activities of EAG and influencing activity	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr David Rouane	Head of Policy and Programmes	In Q3 the council was notified that unfortunately Oxford City Council’s FutureFit Oxfordshire (FOx) funding bid in Q2, to Innovate UK’s Net Zero Pathfinder Places programme which planned to create an ‘enabling environment’ for retrofitting one stop shops (such as Cosy Homes Oxfordshire and Energy Solutions Oxfordshire) was unsuccessful. The partnership will be regrouping to discuss next steps and how we can build on the work we have already done. Funding for retrofitting remains available to eligible residents within South Oxfordshire through Oxfordshire County Council’s Home Upgrade Grant.
OP6	Support Registered Social Landlords in applying for retrofit funding, such as Social Housing Decarbonisation Funding	Narrative update on engagement with Registered Social Landlords on retrofit funding	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr Maggie Filipova-Rivers	Head of Housing and Environment	In Q3, Registered Housing Providers were engaged with, around updating their retrofit aspirations following HM Government's announcement on the postponing of targets for improving the environmental performance of rental properties. A subsequent report is being collated.
OP7	Use our membership of Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) to ensure rapid growth of the green economy	Update on the council's influence in OxLEP to ensure rapid growth of the green economy, including examples of projects and programmes that address this work	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr David Rouane	Head of Development and Corporate Landlord	In Q3, Economic Development continued to actively participate in OxLEP's Net Zero Joint Oxfordshire Business Support group, and have shared progress reports from the UNDERSTANDING THE NET ZERO CHALLENGE FOR SME’S IN SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE AND VALE OF WHITE HORSE research project with participants (with a view to full results being shared at a later date) and feedback on the proposed workplan resulting from the groups discussions.
OP8	Support and influence the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 ensuring climate considerations are integrated throughout the plan	Update on the development of the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 with particular comment on how the Plan includes climate considerations	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr David Rouane	Head of Policy and Programmes	Update not required
OP9	Utilise the opportunity of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc to advance corporate objectives around the Climate Emergency	Update on the councils input into the Oxford to Cambridge spatial framework and the inclusion of climate emergency corporate objectives	Long Term (2 years plus to deliver)	Cllr David Rouane	Head of Policy and Programmes	Update not required
OP10	Support the Thames Valley Rivers network to meet their aims and use this group to facilitate and influence work cross party and cross boundary to end pollution in the river and promote the sustainable use and enjoyment of the River Thames	Update on work with the Thames Valley Rivers network, including case studies of projects and programmes that have been implemented to meet the aims of the network	Short Term (1 year)	River Thames Champion	Head of Policy and Programmes	This quarter, applications were made to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for Bathing Water Status for the River Thames at Wallingford and Henley, by environmental charity Thames21, supported by South Oxfordshire District Council. The applications recognise that bathing water designation would give residents and visitors access to water quality data, enabling them to make informed decisions about their use of the river. A decision is expected in Spring 2024. Officers also attended the Reclaim our Rivers Advocacy board in Q3, with the aim of collaborative working to improve river health for people and wildlife.
OP11	Engagement across the energy sector on activity required to move to carbon neutral and work with them to tackle the challenge of grid capacity, time of day demand and energy infrastructure	Update on engagement with the energy sector and examples of work with them to tackle the challenge of grid capacity, time of day demand and energy infrastructure	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Policy and Programmes	In Q3, the first meeting of the Energy Planning Working Group for Local Area Energy Planning in Oxfordshire took place. Discussions are ongoing about the approach that will be taken.
OP12	Partner with Good Food Oxfordshire to support their Good Food Strategy for Oxfordshire, ensuring climate considerations are included throughout the strategy	Update on the development of the Good Food Strategy for Oxfordshire, including examples of climate considerations	Medium Term (2 years)	Cllr Andrea Powell	Head of Policy and Programmes	The Joint South and Vale Food Action Steering Group met in Q3. The meeting focussed on economic development issues and began to form ideas for an action plan.