Guildford and Woking – Most ‘Climate-friendly’ Boroughs in Surrey

Published on: 7 Oct, 2019
Updated on: 10 Oct, 2019

By Rebecca Curley

local democracy reporter

and Martin Giles

Guildford and Woking are 80% climate-friendly, according to Friends of the Earth.

Nearby Spelthorne in the northwest of the county, with a score of 40%, was bottom of the national (England and Wales) league but its borough council says it has made it a priority to be a “clean and safe” place for residents.

The scoring was based on data the environmental campaign group had collected on local authorities attributed to a number of climate-change-related issues. This included the number of electric vehicle charging points, recycling rates, household energy efficiency and the proportion of the population using public transport.

Guildford’s 80% made it equal top of the chart for Surrey boroughs and districts and placed it 22nd of the country. Wiltshire is top of the list with 92%.

Cllr Caroline Reeves

Council Leader Caroline Reeves (Lib Dem, Friary & St Nicolas) said: “We are proud of the work that has been done by the council to tackle the climate emergency and to have this recognised by Friends of the Earth is brilliant. Guildford has been spending on energy-saving projects since 2007.

“Of course, there is always room for further improvement, especially as technology changes. We have many new projects which will deliver on our commitment to addressing the climate emergency – installation of more electric vehicle charging points being one.

“We are pursuing a joined-up approach, engaging with Surrey County Council, businesses and residents both to explain what we are doing and to share the good work of others. Ultimately, we can lead by example but all of us have a role in making the urgent progress needed.”

Surrey County Council and Surrey as a county, is not included in the results because the data was broken down into smaller areas covered by the boroughs and districts.

Of the Surrey local authorities, neither Spelthorne or Surrey Heath have declared a climate emergency, as other boroughs in the county, but they have both drawn up single-use plastics action plans.

A spokesperson for Spelthorne Borough Council said the data Friends of the Earth used was based on 2011 census and that a “considerable amount of redevelopment” of housing and buildings has taken place since then.

She said: “The data utilised in The Friends of The Earth research draws from statistics generated in the 2011 census. The council would strongly contest the up to date accuracy of much of the assumptions drawn from the research.

Craig Bennett, Friends of the Earth chief executive, said: “All local authorities, even the best performing, need to ramp up what they are doing. We know we are facing a climate and ecological emergency that threatens our existence and the natural world. If we want to change things for the better, let’s start at home.

“Doing things right now about climate change isn’t just good news for future generations and people most vulnerable to an erratic climate, it’s good for everyone. Creating cleaner and greener places to live means healthier, happier lives. It’s why local authorities need to take the lead by adopting ambitious local climate action plans, and who better to help them than communities.”

How climate-friendly are boroughs and districts in Surrey according to scoring data compiled by Friends of the Earth (2019):

Guildford – 80%

Woking – 80%

Reigate and Banstead – 72%

Runnymede – 72%

Elmbridge – 68%

Epsom and Ewell – 64%

Mole Valley – 60%

Tandridge – 60%

Waverley – 56%

Surrey Heath – 48%

Spelthorne – 40%

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