Liverpool Chamber of Commerce

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

MINUTES

11 June2013

Venue:Council Chamber,

Liverpool Chamber of Commerce.

Time: 10:00AM – 12:00.

Attendance:

Chair: / Stephen Sykes
In Attendance: / Kush Thakar, Jessica Flaherty, Michelle Cameron
Guests: / Vicky O’Kelly
Apologies: / Alison Ball, John Powell, Jennifer Hazlehurst, Stephan Byrne, Murray Grant, Christine Darbyshire, Sarah Dewar, Paul Slinn, Elaine Stump
Name / Organisation
Vicki O’Kelly / ESTA Project (ENWORKS)
Paul Bergin / Valley Field Environmental Services Ltd
Gillian Wossick / Merseytravel
Edward Billington / Billington Bio-energy
Simon Evans / Duncan Shard olars
Michelle Cameron / Liverpool Chamber of Commerce
Kush Thakar / Liverpool Chamber of Commerce
Jessica Flaherty / Liverpool Chamber of Commerce

Welcome and Introductions:

Steven Sykes welcomed members to the meeting and noted apologies.

Matters arising:

  1. Maresa has left the chamber
  2. Construction Lunch with Gary Millar went well
  3. Merseyside environment awards on the 15th May, ULTROMEX won monthly award
  4. March 2013 ENWORKS seized operating and no longer deliver in Merseyside

Chamber Update

  1. Low Carbon Business Support Programme
  1. ENWORKS seized to operate from March 2013, now jiron Consultants now to see for green related issues.
  2. BID placed with LEP for 1-1 business support enhancing Making Business Work operating, discussing ISO14001 – to see regarding energy support
  3. Renewable heat energy projects had a £860M fund to last over 4 years, total spend to date is £1M (1% of the fund money has already been spent) this money was to be used to develop technology for renewable energy as heat energy currently uses 99% fossil fuels. The support scheme available is acting as a disincentive to companies as it is seen to be too complicated.
  1. GreenCity Partnership
  1. Focus to become European Green Capital
  2. DEFRA Local Nature Partnership Committee Gideon P is now Chair
  3. It was stated that if Liverpool were to go though with European Green Capital for 2016 our application would have to be ready by October 14th 2013, it was decided amongst committee members that it would be best to wait for next year but even going for Green Capital in 2020 is a huge task. Areas Liverpool is falling behind in are things like Cycling and Waste
  1. POLLINS European Project
  1. Research partners are taking part in a consortium to develop a robot to detect metal contaminants in soil.
  2. Merseyside Environment Awards companies can sponsor categories. The final monthly winner will be announced on July 14th. The winner for May was Alphasonics
  3. ACTION POINT: Circulate the website of award entries
  1. Local Sustainable Transport Fund
  1. In contact with around 50 organisations majority of these companies have approached the Chamber by word of mouth. Feedback from organisations regarding LSTF was positive stating that it cut red tape to a minimum and was done efficiently. Out of the 50 organisations were currently working with 45 of which 3 are representing multiple companies, For Example, Bruntwood, The Plaza, Liverpool Innovation Park. 3 grant applications are looking to be submitted for assessment this month and currently 15 companies have done and or are working on their surveys and Travel Action Plans.
  2. ACTION POINT:circulate the link to chamber website news story of LiverpoolCity Council Cycle Hire Scheme Have Your Say for where the cycle stands should be placed.
  3. Business Leaders Eastern Approaches Event with Chris Boardman at the LiverpoolInnovationPark went well.
  4. Merseytravel: working with LiverpoolJohnMooresUniversityto do emission testing on stagecoach busses
  1. Consultations and Reports
  1. Referendum, British Chambers of Commerce is asking for SME’s opinions on leaving or staying a part of the EU- an e-mail will be sent around to all businesses.
  2. How aware are companies of energy and waste issues? All of our waste is currently being sent to Teeside. It was decided that to deal with the call for evidence of Energy from Waste Awareness an e-mail will be sent out targeting waste and energy members only. A meeting with Paul will be taking place in order to get consensus.
  3. The energy bill has gone to the House of Lords.
  4. The Offshore Wind Industry Council are looking for industrial strategy from governments and industries as part of a bigger chain for offshore winds.
  1. Events
  1. Accelerate is seen as a MOC/Warm up to the International Business Festival taking place in 2014. Accelerate will be taking place on the 24 and 25 of July with the main event taking place on the 27th of July. ACTION POINT: Kush is to send the web link to all committee members to view the Accelerate website page.
  2. It was decided amongst committee members before we decide whether or not to hold a fringe event we would need to see a list of the event theme weeks to see what week would be best suitable to hold a fringe event. ACTION POINT: send around the document containing the information for theme weeks during the International Festival of Business 2014 and collect feedback form members.
  1. Partner Update
  1. Vicki O’Kelly- ESTA Project (ENWORKS)
  2. The report is in the finalisation stage and had been done on behalf of the LEP; the report will be published on the website and available to view by the public. Somebody will do a presentation explaining the report approx. end of August.
  3. Looking at domestic energy efficiency
  1. Gillian Wossick – Merseytravel
  2. DFT have a Clean Bus Fund – this funds aim is to improve air quality not to reduce Carbon emissions. The fund has £5M in total with £1M available for each area excluding London.
  3. The worse the air quality he more likely you are to get the funding. Local authorities have to apply for the bid but in a bus companies name i.e. Stagecoach, Arriva. This fund only includes busses no other vehicles like mini busses or taxi’s.
  1. Liverpool Chamber of Commerce
  2. QES Breakfast 28th June the results will be discussed. It will be held at Merseytravel.
  3. Suggested by council that committee events should be held at different venues outside of the city centre as members are expected to travel into city centre – this isn’t practical
  1. Paul Bergin – Valley Field Environmental Services Ltd
  2. Projects in Sri Lanka and Maldivesworking on wind and solar cooling of houses and biomass solutions for energy.
  1. Discussion: Role and Business of the Energy & Environment Committee – All Members
  1. The chamber currently supports 6 committees do we need the Energy and Environment committee? Should we leave it as is or become a task and finish group?
  2. It was decided that the committee needs to take more ownership and to be more engaged with the planning of the agenda.
  3. The committee reached the conclusion that the Energy and Environment committee should stay as it is relevant considering the European Green City etc.
  4. May need a virtual exchange of information where committee members will be able to exchange information and updates can be posted sop that more pressing matters can be discussed during the meeting.
  5. Creating a possible e-bulletin to circulate this information
  6. Chamber offers media training, the chamber is seen as giving local businesses a voice.
  7. ACTION POINT: gather key issues and key points and circulate to members gather the feedback of member opinion on where the committee stands.
  1. AOB- none
  1. Date of next meeting: 10th September 2013

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