See answers to previous information requests

In relation to Solar Farms in Wokingham.

1. I would like the full safety reports of these sites. Fire Risk assessment documents, certificates, guarantees, neighbour concerns.
All applications for solar farms are available on the website and if fire risk assessments were submitted they will be on the web site. Therefore Section 21 exemption is being applied as this information is publicly available.

2. The state of the councils budgets. What was the budget for 22/23 and 23/24?
2022/23: £26,413,440
2023/24: £25,244,433 (all of which was unspent budget from 2022/23 carried forward)

3. What was the total spend for 22/23 and the end balance.
Total spend 2022/23: £1,169,007
Year end budget balance carried forward into 2023/24: £25,244,433

4. What has been spent so far for 23/24 and what else will be spent, again showing end balance.
Total spend to date in 2023/24: £44,236
Forecast spend in 2023/24 (including actuals to date): £641,367
Estimated year end budget balance carried forward into 2024/25: £24,603,066

5. What percentage has been spent or is still to be spent on Net Zero Targets. What %age of the Net Zero spend is being stopped now that the Government has put a halt to these plans, due to public and parliamentary pressure?
The estimated costs of the Climate Emergency Action Plan are embedded within the latest annual progress report. The most recent report was published in September 2023 and can be found here; CEAP 4th report (https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/sites/wokingham/files/2023-09/Climate%20Emergency%20Action%20Plan%20%28CEAP%29%204th%20progress%20report.pdf)

6. What parts of the planned Net Zero spend cannot be halted and why?- Cost analysis of continuing the spend versus putting a stop to any further Net Zero Spend.
The actions within the Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP), along with estimated costs have been approved by the Council, with the target delivery date of 2030. Further detail of future spending can be seen in the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) here; (https://wokingham.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s54044/Medium%20Term%20Financial%20Plan%20-%202022-2023.pdf). The emerging 24/25+ MTFP is due to be considered at the end of the month.

7. Full data to support the notion that climate change emergency exists and that any of the planned Council plans will make any difference to the climate.
The climate emergency, its scientific basis, the potential impacts and more, are documented in detail in the Climate Emergency Action Plan (linked above). The carbon savings associated with each action are also documented in here.

8. Which local services are being sacrificed or cut down in the name of Net Zero?
The actions within the Climate Emergency Action Plan have multiple objectives which enhance, rather than replace, the delivery of Council services.

9. Proof that the Councils have taken recent advice from/read reports from independent climate scientists to compare evidence.
The proven scientific basis and supporting research are documented within the Climate Emergency Action Plan (linked above). References to relevant national strategies and papers are included with the Climate Emergency Action Plan and are updated annually.