Focused on five priorities: energy, sustainable transport, natural environment, reducing waste, and governance, finance & risk, aiming to accelerate progress in the borough. The draft Environment and Climate Strategy for 2026-2035 also aims to back these goals with two five‑year action plans, stronger climate governance and transparent annual reporting.
A six-week public consultation runs until Monday 2 March, giving residents, community groups and businesses the opportunity to have their say on the ambitions the strategy lays out.
Cllr Karen Davies, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Biodiversity, said: “We’ve shown what’s possible - now we want your views on what comes next. We’ve seen real benefits from local action: cleaner energy in our public buildings and schools, thriving spaces for nature, and better options for low-carbon travel. But we need to go further and faster.
“Engagement events have helped us to focus on what has the highest impact - retrofit and renewables, active travel and a strong nature recovery network - so that together we build a cleaner, greener borough for all.”
Since the previous strategy was launched, more than £9 million has been secured to improve energy efficiency in schools and council buildings. Locally, over 200 home solar arrays have been installed through the Solar Together scheme, helping households cut bills and carbon. Nature recovery has also gathered pace, with more than 30,000 trees planted and the publication of the Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
The way people travel is also changing. Vehicle miles have fallen by 6% since 2019. Nearly £1 million has been secured to expand public electric vehicle charging, with a target of 75 new charge points each year to support the transition to cleaner vehicles, while walking and cycling routes have been improved.
More information, including the draft strategy and consultation, is available on the council’s engagement platform, RBWM Together