Wiltshire Council on track to be carbon neutral by 2030

Wiltshire Council has confirmed it is on track to being carbon neutral by 2030, as it updates on its recent progress in response to the climate emergency.

The council has also confirmed that the amount of renewable energy produced on its own estate has trebled in the last year from 550,000 kWh in 2021-22 to 1,745,060 kWh in 2022-23.

This helps the council to be more self-sufficient, reducing its overall energy bill and adding more renewables to the electricity system. In addition, council carbon emissions have been reduced below the target for 2022/23 (3750t CO2e).

This, and the many programmes and projects underway, all contribute to the council being on track to be carbon neutral by the start of the next decade.

The council presented its six-monthly update on its response to the climate emergency at the Cabinet meeting on 10 October and then will do so at Full Council on 17 October.

A new Environmental Policy is also being proposed, which sets out how the council mitigates its environmental impacts and that too will be brought to Full Council.

Cllr Nick Holder, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “We are doing everything within our power and grasp to respond positively to the climate emergency and lead from the front locally on this global issue.

“I’m delighted that we remain on track to be carbon neutral by 2030. It’s important that, as one of the biggest organisations in the county, we are ambassadors for change and hopefully that will inspire others to do as much as they can too.

“We remain as ambitious as ever, regularly bidding for Central Government funding to help get innovative projects off the ground that will make a big difference now and long into the future. As ever, this is not a burden we can carry alone – we need individuals, businesses and organisations across the county to continue to step up to the challenge.

“Aims relating to carbon, the climate and the natural environment are at the heart of our Business Plan and that will ensure we continue to take big strides forward in tackling this issue.”

Here’s a summary of the work the council has been doing to support the county in becoming carbon-neutral:

• • Successfully being allocated £480k funding in August 2023 to scale up delivery of local electric charging points.
• • Launching five new Wiltshire Connect bus services, including a flexible on-demand service.
• • Working with charity Sustrans to create a toolkit for secondary schools to raise awareness of climate change, air quality and the impact of transport.
• • Successful bidding for funding of £978,000 to create new cycling and walking routes in the county.
• • Salisbury River Park Project is still on track to complete in April 2024, bringing 650m of new and improved cycling routes, 1,600m of new and improved footpaths, 600 new trees, 2ha of habitat created and biodiversity improved, and increased resilience to climate change.
• • Project to retrofit owner-owned homes gather’s pace, with between 175 and 210 homes expected to have their energy efficiency improved – procurement planning underway and engagement with potential suppliers taking place.
• • Council homes continue to be retrofitted, with 243 measures installed including solar panels and loft/floor insulation.
• • The Local Plan, which is being formally consulted on, includes policies designed to ensure new developments during the plan period will support the transition to net zero.
• • Wiltshire Design Guide has been drafted and recently was consulted on, which includes ‘sustainability and climate resilience’ as one of its three golden themes.
• • Increasing the awareness of climate change through the planning application process and in the development of local neighbourhood plans.
• • Working with housing manufacture Rollalong to deliver high quality affordable homes as sustainably as possible – using modular rather than traditional building methods.
• • Successful bid of funding from a £14m Government pot to develop a tailored nature recovery strategy – helping communities map out the action needed in their area to restore nature by working closely with local stakeholders.
• • Tree warden scheme launched countywide following successful bid of funding of almost £300k. Tree Wardens will act as local tree champions who help plant, promote and protect trees in appropriate locations in their local area.
• • Scheme 2 of Solar Together launched in June – giving people the opportunity to purchase affordable solar technology. Almost 700 Wiltshire residents so far have accepted an offer to have solar technology installed which is made more affordable due to the group-buying element of the initiative.
• • Invest in Wiltshire scheme launched which encourages business to apply for grants to expand their enterprises, but they must demonstrate plans to decarbonise.
• • 98% of the waste collected for recycling, composting or reuse was managed within the UK. This reduces the carbon impact of waste haulage as this material did not need to be exported from the UK.
• • Council’s Recycling: Let’s Sort It campaign continues to encourage people to recycle as much as they can. The current focus is to help people to recycle as much as possible at the council’s Household Recycling Centre sites.
• • Formal consultation on the council’s Air Quality Action Plan – demonstrating the council’s plan to improve air quality in Wiltshire.

More information about Wiltshire’s Climate Strategy can be found at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/1004/Climate-strategy.

If people want advice and support on what they can do to make a difference, they should visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/climate-change-individual.