GBC Commits £459k For Climate Emergency And Energy Management

Published on: 4 Dec, 2019
Updated on: 5 Dec, 2019

Guildford Borough Council has allocated a total of £459,000 to the 2019/20 budget to spend on climate-change objectives and energy-management plans.

On Tuesday (November 28), the council’s Executive had voted through nearly £250k to deliver their objectives.

That was topped up by further funding from Salix Finance, which provides government money to the public sector to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and lower energy bills, This included £25,000 to cover officer support.

Encouraging a reduction in carbon emissions. James Whiteman, Guildford Borough Council Managing Director, at an electric charging point in Millmead.

GBC, which declared a climate emergency in July 2019, has confirmed in a press release its commitment to working with a local Climate Change Partnership to achieve a net zero carbon emissions target in the borough by 2030.

The council also confirmed support for local initiatives such as Plastic Free Guildford (PFG). Claire Newton, from PFG, told The Guildford Dragon NEWS they were still working to sign up schools and businesses and their target was to have Guildford certified as plastic-free by next spring.

James Whiteman

James Whiteman, Managing Director said: “Since 2007 we’ve invested over £8 million on energy saving projects including insulation, boiler replacements, LED lighting in all car parks, air source heat pumps and solar PV panels.

“We lead by example on protecting our environment and our borough. With the match funding from Salix we’ll have nearly half a million pounds to spend on energy projects over the next year.

“These include developing better Co2 emission analysis, generating income from renewable energy Feed-in tariffs (FITS) and Renewable Heat Incentives (RHI) claims, promoting Passivhaus standards for new-build homes, plus greener travel through the Easit network scheme.”

This year, the council launched a Climate Change and Innovation Board (CCIB) to develop an overall strategy for the reduction of carbon emissions within the borough and to monitor progress within the council. Its key priorities are:

• Buildings and Planning
• Transport
• Trees and green spaces
• Waste
• Energy
• Procurement

• Buildings and Planning;
• Transport;
• Trees and green spaces;
• Waste;
• Energy; and
• Procurement.

The CCIB is intended to drive for more sustainable condition for those living and working in and visiting Guildford and the villages.

For the first time, said the press release, representatives from key external partners have been invited to join the group, including a professor of innovation and sustainability from Surrey university and members of the Guildford Environmental Forum.

Due to a perceived lack of public participation with the CCIB, a petition has been launched demanding the council set up a citizens’ assembly.

(See Climate Change Strategy Board Not Open To Public and Letter: The Council Has Nothing To Hide On Climate Change Policy)

Based on a press release from Guildford Borough Council.

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