It will be chaired by Council Leader Mary Mears and will include Councillor Ayas Fallon-Khan, cabinet member for central services (which includes the council carbon management programme), and Maria Caulfield cabinet member for housing (the city’s housing stock is a top priority for cutting carbon emissions through measures like home energy efficiency).

Deputy Leader and sustainability spokesperson Denise Cobb will routinely attend the committee to provide a strong link with the planned new City Sustainability Partnership.

Cllr Mears said: “Sustainability issues like climate change are a huge challenge, and this new cabinet committee – together with a more representative city partnership – represents a real strengthening by this administration of the focus they will receive. “We are committed to protecting the environment and enhancing the quality of life for our residents - this new committee will ensure both that we carefully consider the big, cross-cutting issues facing the city and that we lead by example and practice what we preach”.

The committee can also co-opt other cabinet members to take part in discussions, and may make recommendations to the full cabinet or take decisions itself.

Councillor Cobb added: “As the council’s sustainability spokesperson I am looking forward to working with this new committee and the city’s Sustainability Partnership to ensure that the big sustainability issues remains high on the agenda of everything that happens in Brighton & Hove.