Minutes from the meeting of Linlithgow Climate Challenge
Low Port Centre - General Purpose Room
Monday 2 February 2009 at 7.30

1. Welcome
Present: Dave du Feu, George Adam, Alan Brown, Rose Hill, Sheila Redfern, Peter Fairweather, William Ross, Marian McPhillips, Mel McEwan, Tom Conn, Steve Grainger, Jenny Hammond, and Peter Roberts with Sitar Ramsay from ESSac.

Apologies: Kevin McPhillips, John Fleming, Kerstin Bonau, Chris Mylne

2. Guest Spot : Sitar Ramsay - ESSac
Special report from EST Scotland on the ‘Hot spot’ campaign - insulating houses in Linlithgow.

There was a report from Sitar on the figures available following the campaign. The figures remain incomplete as EAGA the installers hadn’t completed their data entry of work completed. The key factors were that there had been a 9.4% return compared to an Edinburgh survey at the same time of 6% which would indicate that by our involvement there was a 50% improvement in response and therefore work carried out. In rough this equates to 7588764kg of CO2 saved, giving an estimated of £66k monetary saving (15year life span). The key issue for a future campaign is to enable others to engage with the need to insulate their homes which must take more difficult structures, identified at those using part or all loft space for storage and further accommodation, those with solid walls and those who still need convincing. How to tackle these will be through door to door visits and the use of the thermal imaging camera to engage in some action. There will be a similar subsidised rate available via EST and EAGA whose contact number was given as 01506 417111. It was expected that all the ‘Hotspot’ contracts should have been completed by now. If there are any word about people waiting it was recommended to ring EAGA or EST to chase up. A key aspect of the future campaign will be to work on blocks of flats with mixed ownership to get complete agreement to do insulation for all.

3. Minutes and Matters arising from 12th January 2009 meeting.
The minutes were agreed with no additional matters arising, not included in the agenda.

4. Finance Report
Summary of funds received and disbursed. This was given in detail and it was agreed that this could in future be covered in a short written statement. The Survey funding of £2k has taken approximately half for the PO Box number, free post return delivery and printing.
The second grant of £93k will possibly loose some of the allocated funds due to reduced time of about 1 month from three months. CCF has indicated that they appreciate the difficulty of the shorter time scale and are enquiring if some of these monies may be carried over into the next financial year.

It was indicated that Jon Blundell solicitor of RGM and Grant Barclay, accountant will work together to consider the aspects of employment contract and related matters to ensure that the finances and the employment position is appropriate for present statutory regulations.

5. Update from Subgroups – News Round up – actions

1. Food & Gardening - Talks programme

Further information was given about the three talks planned for the 23rd Feb, 2nd and 16th March. A leaflet has been printed to distribute through the schools with posters to go up round the town with Rose’s help. There is the investigation of an introductory article with Jackie Mitchell of the Gazette. This event is well advanced with range of very good speakers and additional local initiatives being covered also.

In addition a representative from Love Food Hate Waste is scheduled for the LCC business meeting 9th March.
There was also a suggestion of a demonstration plot/allotment or visits to different gardens to look at particular practise later in the year.

2. Steering

Town Survey January 2009
The complete town and outlying houses have all been covered and there are already over 500 returned. The comments are very time consuming to read and enter appropriately. In terms of finances available for the data entry and data analysis it is quite difficult at this stage to know precise costs as there is a cost implication the more envelopes are returned. It was difficult to know what that commitment would eventually be and therefore what would be available for the data entry and analysis. Four people had volunteered to do the data entry and Alan would train them appropriately. Peter agreed to be in contact once a plausible remuneration structure had been agreed but would most likely be a nominal sum in recognition of people’s efforts rather than a commercial rate.
CCF Award
Further details were given of the shortened timescale left in this financial year.
A quick over view of the capital expenditure was given following extensive work by Alan with suppliers. It was clear that cheapest may not be the sole criteria for purchase as environmentally friendly construction needs to be taken into consideration.
To facilitate any ideas which might be possible, in the remaining 2 months of this financial year, for Revenue expenditure, the following people agreed to act as the contact person and it was considered any ideas for initial expenditure be channelled through them even though there may be an insufficient budget under that particular heading as all 7 projects won’t see developments this financial year.
Energy Saving - Alan budget £100
Community Group Engagement - Peter budget £510
Renewables Opportunities - Jim & William budget £700
Local Business engagement - Peter budget £100
Local Food & Gardening - Mel budget £300
Transport - Kerstin budget £0
Waste & recycling - Rose budget £100

3. Renewables

nothing to report. No sug-group meeting had been held.

4. Waste & Recycling

A number of issues have been discussed.
A review of bottled water and the waste of empty bottles were considered and an approach through a possible water tasting event was raised. Slim bin project to analyse the content of people’s bins was suggested as a way of reducing unnecessary rubbish by high lighting what might be recycled and bought with less packaging. Review the mail preference service and challenge junk mail although this might exclude some particularly useful mailing from WLC. Consider a free exchange which would be in addition to freecycle which has now started in Linlithgow. Consider how to develop an approach to tackle supermarket packaging etc. Link up with Cittislow and their local re-useable bag campaign. Battery recycling is being developed at Bonnytoun Nursery Further consideration of food waste recycling.

5. Transport

There was a meeting which concentrated on the cycling aspects and there is a Spokes exhibition in the library in February to celebrate their existence. A Michael Cosford is joining Changeworks to assist with transport topics.

6. AOCB
The Scottish Climate Change Bill will be making its progress through parliament this year and there was a request to meet with MSP’s to put the following three points

• High light the needs to move towards 120% as an appropriate target rather than the 80% by 2050 as at present. 80% will not keep global warming within the 2 degrees hoped for.
• To highlight the urgency to have target reductions of 3% to 7% in the immediate years after the bill is passed (2010 hopefully) rather than leave this as an aspiration until 2020.
• Finally there is a need to include the aspiration of targeting shipping and international flight as well as the domestic aviation, even though it is recognised that this will be difficult, it still needs to be stated to give a lead.

Mary is available : Fri 27th Feb and Thurs 26th March, not as stated in the newsletter.

Note : See John's comments to this article.

It was also noted that Waste Aware are attending the Farmers Market and we need to link up with this important initiative.

7. Date of next meeting
Agreed 9th March 2009 Low Port Centre