Sustainability and Climate Change
A climate and environment emergency was declared in June 2019, with the Royal Borough committing to achieving a target of net zero carbon across the Royal Borough by 2050 at the latest and address the biodiversity crisis.
We are working to improve the environmental sustainability of the region so that future generations will still be able to enjoy the rich and diverse environment it is currently known for.
We have produced a draft climate and environment strategy that sets out our approach to tackling the duel crises. It sets out our five-year approach to working in partnership with local communities to tackle this challenge. Our vision is to be a Borough where the community collectively works together to achieve a sustainable future, protecting and enhancing our natural environment and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Improving the sustainability of the council ensures we demonstrate leadership in tackling the climate crisis while helps to reduce expenditure on keys costs, such as energy and waste.
All electricity the council uses now comes from renewable sources including some of our own renewable energy installations such as the solar panels on the Town Hall. The council has also implemented greener waste collections with a fleet of new refuse vehicles.
Encouraging biodiversity through wildlife friendly grasses, wildflowers and insect friendly plants was agreed at Full Council in July 2019. It was agreed that verges, parks and open spaces will be mowed less frequently, while being considerate for health and safety issues with traffic, in order to allow wildflowers and grasses to flourish.
Wildflowers and drought resistant insect friendly plants will also be introduced at key roadside areas and targeted barren sites to brighten them up.