Councils have many opportunities and powers to address Climate Change and Biodiversity loss but it is important to recognise these powers are not unlimited. We have very few powers to raise finance directly and instead we must capitalise on our ability to develop partnerships, provide leadership and enable a collective approach by galvanizing our residents and encourage and support flourishing eco businesses, third sector bodies and community groups.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommends that local authority plans should include a high level of ambition for emissions reduction, and to focus on emissions drivers and adaptation activity over which local authorities have direct control or influence. There are distinct areas of action the council can act on, and these are;
In terms of activity we have undertaken so far to reduce our operational emissions and to lead by example, we have;
Secured £233,000 through the Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund to produce a costed heat decarbonisation plan for our leisure centres
£500,000 was approved to facilitate solar panel installation across all four SHDC leisure centres, which will reduce organisational carbon emissions by 131 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, which is equivalent to the energy emissions of 38 homes. Leisure centre energy use is enormous, roughly 1,333,000 kWh, equivalent to the average energy use of nearly 300 homes.
Introduced an EV salary scheme for staff and increase the cycle to work threshold to £5000 to account for e-bike purchases
Saved on average 106tCO2e (Tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent) as a result of remote working.
The Councils Offices at Follaton House are powered by solar PV and we use 100% renewable tariff's
Climate Change will be reflected on future role profiles across the organisation, depending on grade these are Grades 9 - 4
To contribute to the Council’s corporate objectives in relation to climate change by considering the environmental impact of individual and collective actions, working to reduce resource and energy use, minimise waste, and anticipate and enhance the efficiency of services in response to a changing climate, wherever possible, to help the council reduce its own carbon footprint and that of the district.
For Grade 4 and above
To promote and role model the Council’s corporate objectives in relation to climate change by considering the environmental impact of individual and collective actions, working to reduce resource and energy use, minimise waste, and anticipate and enhance the efficiency of services in response to a changing climate, wherever possible, to help the council reduce its own carbon footprint and that of the district
£46,000 has been committed from the Council's Climate Change and Biodiversity Earmarked Reserve to fund new grounds maintenance equipment and wildflower seed to rewild some of our own managed spaces. These changes will see around 2.5 ha of new wildflower areas of local provenance, all in aid of increasing biodiversity and supporting pollinators
Became a Carbon Literate Organisation. This is defined by The Carbon Literacy Project open_in_new as being “culturally Carbon Literate”; maintaining a substantial proportion of its workforce as Carbon Literate and demonstrating its Carbon Literacy through its organisational behaviour.