The strategy sets out actions and opportunities Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council will undertake to address the climate emergency declared in July 2019 and the biodiversity emergency declared in July 2023.
The strategy identifies the need to reduce carbon by switching from the dependence on fossil fuels to cleaner resources such as renewables.
To work towards making Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council carbon neutral by 2030 (direct council emissions) and to ensure that the borough is net zero by 2050:
Considering both production and consumption costs
Minimising the environmental impacts of our activities
Through our leadership role, influencing and empowering others to take similar actions
Ensuring all the council decisions consider the carbon usage and the resulting impact
Green Living Leicestershire
This is a partnership between Leicestershire councils supporting sustainability and net zero - the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible. More about net zero and Green Living Leicestershire
Corporate plan links
The Climate Change and Biodiversity Strategy supports the corporate plan vision of creating clean, sustainable, and attractive places to live, visit and work in.
Buildings and land use
We will seek to use our land for carbon reduction and ensure our buildings are energy efficient:
Electric vehicle charging points have been installed across the borough
Established a cross-party member working group (chaired by Cllr M Cartwright, Executive Member)
Climate change strategy incorporated into the council’s corporate plan
Five electric vehicles within the council's fleet
Signed the Leicestershire Net Zero Pledge and the Leicestershire Climate and Nature Pact
Planted six ‘tiny forests’ in 2021 and planted 9,318 trees in 2021 to 2022
Established our green space volunteer group who continue to help the biodiversity on our land
Granted permission for three large scale solar farms
Secured funding for green technology
Delivered schools’ carbon footprint workshops to over 160 students
Created a parish and town council net zero toolkit as part of the Green Living Leicestershire partnership, to help towns and parishes to reduce their carbon emissions and make changes to adopt lower carbon practices
Moved the council’s energy supply to a green tariff
Moved the majority of fleet and grounds maintenance machinery to run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) during 2023 lowering emissions by up to 90%
All event vendors are now local
Developed and adopted the Leicestershire Waste and Resource Strategy 2022 to 2050
Launched our first residents free tree scheme in 2022 resulting in 23,000 trees being planted by residents and community groups in gardens and open spaces
Supported the Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Local Nature Recovery Strategy
Delivery of sustainable warmth schemes, with 67 households having been accessed or delivered
Established the council’s Business Climate Forum - meets regularly and held a joint litter pick event with businesses and a local school to raise awareness
Reduced air quality complaints regarding smoke emissions since 2022
Introduced new taxi licensing policy from November 2022, requiring all taxis to be low emission by December 2030
New Hinckley & Bosworth Borough council events recycling bins introduced with clear labelling in summer 2023, and all Hinckley & Bosworth Borough council parks recycling bins upgraded the same way during 2022
Introduced a carbon/green accreditation scheme for event organisers (sustainable events commitment)
