Hammersmith and Fulham's new Climate, Sustainability and Travel Policy and Accountability Committee has held its inaugural meeting, setting its sights on tackling emissions and improving transport across the borough with specific targets for the 2026/27 municipal year.
The committee, which convened on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, was briefed on the council's current climate and transport policies and outlined a proposed work programme for the upcoming year. The council's manifesto commitments include reducing energy bills, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and improving air quality. Specific targets mentioned for programmes include halving the proportion of residents in fuel poverty by 2030, retrofitting all H&F social homes below EPC C by 2030, and replacing all failing gas boilers with clean alternatives. For transport, the aim is to increase active travel and reduce car use. For air quality, the goal is to reduce exposure to air pollution and improve air quality across the borough.
Councillor Ross Melton, Chair of the committee, introduced a report detailing the council's existing initiatives, which include programmes like the H&F Healthy Homes initiative, retrofit programmes for social housing, micromobility hire schemes, and cycle parking expansion. The report also highlighted efforts to improve air quality through the Better Health Better Air
programme and the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Behavioural change initiatives are also underway, with Active Travel Supporting Measures
such as cycle training and behaviour change campaigns, and School Streets Plus & Travel for Life
programmes aimed at improving safety and increasing active travel to schools.
Hinesh Mehta, Assistant Director for Climate and Transport, presented the report, noting the council's strengths in established programmes, securing external funding, and active partnerships. However, significant challenges were also identified. The scale of investment required to deliver net-zero ambitions significantly exceeds current funding available, with a reliance on external funding streams such as the Warm Homes Social Housing Fund, PSDS, and GHNF, alongside identified funding gaps for full retrofit of social housing stock. Limitations in local authority powers, such as limited control over energy pricing, national regulation, and vehicle standards, also constrain the council's ability to deliver reductions independently, requiring reliance on national policy changes.
Key market and delivery hurdles include capacity constraints in retrofit, construction, and low-carbon technology markets. This leads to a limited availability of skilled installers, cost inflation in retrofit works, and the emergence of new markets for heat networks and heat pumps, which slows delivery, increases costs, and creates delivery risk for large-scale programmes.
The committee's proposed work programme for 2026/27 will focus on a detailed examination of existing policies, engagement with external experts, and the development of informed recommendations. Subject to member agreement, further work will be undertaken over the 2026/27 municipal year, including thematic reviews, stakeholder engagement, and evidence gathering and analysis, potentially culminating in a consolidated report with findings and recommendations. Potential themes for the committee's work include energy bills and the cost of living, decarbonisation of buildings and retrofit, sustainable transport strategy, air quality improvement, climate finance and investment, and innovation and partnerships.
The committee's terms of reference include scrutinising the council's response to the climate emergency, transport policy, and the environmental impact of planning policy. The meeting also included attendance from Councillor Stewart Waine, Shadow Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Travel. Further details on the council's climate and transport policies can be found in the Public reports pack and the Agenda frontsheet.
