Council reaches halfway point on the road to net zero
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council has hit 50 per cent on its road to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
A Cabinet report marking the progress against the council’s Sustainable Environment Strategy and considering the next steps towards the authority’s target of being net zero by the end of the decade, also notes the need to offset energy consumption at J2 leisure centre, its works depot and the crematorium.
David Hutchison, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s cabinet member for Sustainable Environment, said:
Reaching this 50 per cent landmark is an achievement built on sound foundations following the move from the old civic centre to occupy one floor of the a far more energy-efficient building at Castle House.
We have also installed more efficient heating, lighting and insulation in other council properties and we are moving our fleet of smaller vehicles to charging from electricity generated by renewable energy, while the replacement of diesel in our HGVs with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil immediately cut those vehicles’ emissions by 90 per cent.”
The authority is now revising its Sustainable Environment Strategy, which lays out how to reduce reliance in fossil fuels, cut emissions, increase recycling and offset carbon emissions.
The revised strategy has a strengthened focus on biodiversity and nature recovery, which follows the planting of 15,000 trees over 21 green spaces as part of an urban planting programme.
David Hutchison, added:
The challenge now is to plan for the next steps that take us closer to our target. Although the council is only responsible for a small amount of carbon emissions overall, as a local authority we can set a strong example and work with others to help them reduce their net output too.”
The authority is a partner of the Staffordshire Sustainability Board comprising the eight district and borough councils in the county, plus Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire County Council. It’s chaired by Cllr Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.
Cllr Tagg said:
I am pleased with the progress the Council has made, which has really gathered pace over last few years. We now have a road map to take us forward over the next seven years towards our stated goal of net zero by 2030.”