Current and Future actions

Current Actions

On the 19^th of September 2019 the Council declared a state of climate emergency.

The Council is committed to achieving carbon neutrality within the District by 2035.

1. Carbon Audit of the Organisation (December 2020) (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window) 

Future actions

1. Strengthening of its planning position to protect the natural environment while ensuring that growth is still delivered in a sustainable way.
2. Carbon literacy training for elected members and officers to enable them to make more informed choices both professionally and personally.
3. Reviewing our procurement strategy to ensure that we buy more locally and drive more sustainable behaviours within our supply chain.
4. Delivering new web pages to help sign post residents to helpful information that will help them reduce their own impacts.
5. Renewal of our current energy contract to purchase our energy directly from a renewable only supplier and explore the option of establishing a power purchasing agreement with other partners.
6. Deliver new ways of working through our Worksmart 2020 programme which will change how we use our offices and reduce the amount of times elected members and officers are required to travel to them.
7. Through our new waste contract, we will continue to promote reuse and recycling with residents.
8. We will continue to take a robust approach to enforcing environmental crimes such as fly tipping.
9. Using our taxi licensing policy to look at how we reduce emissions associated with taxis in the district.

Timescale

1. Short term objective: decrease GHGs emission within Breckland District Council.
2. Mid-term objective: track progress through carbon tool kits every year.
3. Long term goal achieve carbon neutrality in the District.

At the beginning of May 2021 the Council successfully delivered a carbon training for all elected members to make sure that everyone fully understands the basis around climate change and the actions required to reach net-zero by 2035. A carbon training session for all members of staff will also be carried out in the autumn of 2021.

Green Community Grants

Breckland District Council is about to launch Green Community Grants, in order to support communities in Breckland to take action for themselves, with the aim of promoting environmental sustainability and creating positive behavioural change in response to climate change. The fund can also support school projects which encourage pupils to take action for the environment. The find fund will award, approximately 80 small grants of £500 and 6-12 large grants of between £5,000-£10,000.

Timeframes

• Applications will open on Monday 13^th July.
• Closing date for applications is Sunday 12^th September.
• All applications will then be considered, and awards will be made by 4^th October.

More information is available on our What schemes are available for you to tackle climate-related issues? page.

Electric Vehicle's Charging Points

Breckland District Council understands the importance of reducing carbon emissions across the District. For this reason, the Council has currently commissioned a feasibility study to JWM electrical to find out where are the best locations across the District to build new EV charging points. The study will be ready in approximately a month time and it will help to have a collective approach across the Council around EV charging points.

Tree planting

The Council is currently looking into increase trees and canopy cover across the District. At the moment a number of suitable sites are being reviewed. Once sites are identified, Breckland Council will be working with the Woodland Trust to identify a strategy that will help to maximise outcomes. Thus, bidding into funding like More Trees Fund and the English Woodland Creation Fund.

Decarbonisation of the Council's building

The carbon audit of the Council, which was delivered in December 2020 by a consultancy company called Eunomia outlined that 59 % of the Council's emissions are directly linked to our buildings. In order to move this further, Breckland Council commissioned a partner to look into our main offices in Dereham and Thetford different renewable energy options (E.g. Heat pumps and improved insulation). The feasibility study aims to look at renewable options available to us, in order to reduce the impact of our buildings and reach our carbon neutrality goal by 2035.