Strategy to move faster to tackle climate change approved
An action plan setting out how and by when the Borough Council will reach its carbon neutral target has been approved by Hinckley and Bosworth's full Council.
The new and updated Climate Change Strategy 2022 to 2024 builds on the work set out in the first strategy and sets out to mobilise all parts of the council to prioritise cutting carbon emissions.
It identifies five key themes which are key to meeting the council’s 2030 carbon neutral target and onto carbon zero by 2050. The five key themes are building and land use, transport, waste, community and economy.
The strategy also outlines the successes the council has already delivered on since first declaring a climate change emergency in 2019, including:
- Trialling a fully electric refuse collection vehicle
- Installing 24 electric vehicle charging points in Hinckley town centre with additional planned for Market Bosworth, Barwell and Earl Shilton
- Implementing climate friendly measures to council events – such as asking food vendors to go plastic free for Feast Hinckley
- Switching lights in council buildings over to LED and scrapping the use of single use plastics
- Extending hybrid working to reduce staff travel
- Planting hundreds of trees – including in council housing developments and securing external sponsorship to plant the first of six tiny forests in sites across Hinckley, with the other five being planted within the next month
- Securing energy efficiency grants for businesses totalling over £55,000 and grants for householders of £770,000 to improve energy efficiency in homes
As part of the council’s plan to achieve net zero for direct emissions by 2030, the strategy sets out how the council will meet that deadline by, such as:
- Improved management of parks and open spaces to encourage biodiversity and using measures such as reusing all plant pots, going peat free and reduced use of chemicals
- Using more virtual technology to minimise unnecessary journeys for staff and members
- Working with primary and secondary schools across the borough to assist them to become more eco-friendly
- Working with parish councils and climate change groups across the borough, in some instances funding via our Community Initiative Funds a range of eco-friendly projects
- Setting up and implementing a Community Champion scheme to assist in sharing good practice
- Aiming to change the council’s fleet to all electric when it is able to do so and reduce emissions from all council buildings
Executive Member for Climate Change at the Borough Council, Councillor Martin Cartwright said:
I have been a member of HBBC since 2007 and it is true to say that Climate change was on the agenda before then as a Council and remains so today.
Declaring a climate emergency and receiving cross-party support for that back in 2019 was a vital step but only gathers momentum and meaning once you set out your ambitions for how you plan to address the issue.
The first strategy looked at who, what, why and how we could address the climate emergency in Hinckley & Bosworth with this more detailed document setting out the vision for how we move from where we are to where we wish to get to.
Just as importantly is establishing a baseline for emissions updated regularly so we can prove or disprove our progress.
As Executive Member for Climate Change I am proud of the commitment from all officers and members of the Borough Council for their commitment to change and improving the environment to everyone’s benefit.
As a Borough Council we can make a difference, but it is also up to each and every individual living and working in the Borough do their bit too.
I am impressed by the number of climate change groups that have formed across the Borough along with the work that schools and Business are doing too. My thanks also go to the cross-party climate change member working group that bring different skill sets and knowledge to our overall learning and understanding of what needs to be achieved.
I hope the Borough Council, members of the public, schools and businesses continue their efforts in the climate change, climate impact issue.
To find out more about the council’s Climate Change strategy or how to get involved in making the borough greener read our information on climate change
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