45. 15-03-21 Climate Action Livery Core Group

Today I attended a meeting of the City’s Climate Action Strategy Core Group led by Alderman Alison Gowman. There were over 200 attendees at the first seminar on 26^th January representing over 50 livery companies. Around 50 people have subsequently volunteered to join working groups to progress various aspects of the City’s Climate Action Strategy, the Water Conservators have 8 volunteers, the largest of any City livery company. Finally, there is a core group of around 25 made up of presenters, facilitators and working group leads.

Four working groups have been formed. An Investments Group to be led by Robert Hughes-Penney and Liz Field with the aim to create a guide for Livery Companies as to how to address their own portfolio and consider issues of ESG and a plan towards net zero by 2040.

A Property Group to be led jointly by John Clink with the Chartered Surveyors and Chartered Architects with the aim to create a framework for Liveries with Halls, residential or investment properties as to what needs to be done and how to achieve it; setting up an expert group who could give pro bono initial advice on what could be done in any given property.

An Education Group to be led by Averil MacDonald and Heather Barrett-Mold, with the aim to build on existing seminars training and events already in existence and create a database/resource of information for re-use ( eg. Horners’ lectures); to liaise with Livery Schools Links around their agenda with schools and teaching staff; to provide education to adults as well as students.

And finally, a General Group led by Gordon Masterton and Alison Gowman with the aim to create a Livery Charter as a pledge and guidance for Livery Companies to know what they can do and to commit to doing it.

Most of the Working Groups have already had their first meeting and a second seminar is to be planned for April/May. Alderman Alison Gowman confirmed that the Livery Committee website would create an area to communicate progress to the livery and signpost this on their website.