| Objective | Action Ref | Action | By when? | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reduce the consumption of energy and water across all of our activities | Undertake an internal audit of energy and water usage across all the Councils assets | April 2021 | Meter readings scheduled and are incorporate into Annual visit. | |
Pursue options to install renewable technologies at suitable sites within the Council’s estate |
April 2025 | Part of Asset Development Project (ADP). Air Source heat pump for Freight House to negate gas. | ||
| Establish cost and feasibility of introducing Automated Meter Reading (AMR) across the Council’s property estate | April 2022 | Not Started – awaiting transfer of assets under ADP – installed as part of ADP | ||
Set CO2 reduction targets for Council Offices and leisure centres |
April 2024 | Need to establish baseline first – need a meaningful – non-covid year. | ||
| Continue to switch street lighting existing lights come to end of life, where Council owned, to well-designed and well directed LED lights | Ongoing | Installed 45+ LED lights (Rayleigh Leisure Centre) + further 40 in Hullbridge areas. | ||
| Purchase energy from renewable sources wherever possible | Consider the purchase of electric vehicles when replacing any of the Council’s own fleet and if this is not possible look to purchase a hydrogen powered vehicle. | Ongoing | Feasibility of Hydrogen investigated and ruled out at present. Review of Council Fleet and procurement of electric vehicles. |
|
| All hydrogen used to power fleet vehicles should have been produced using electricity from renewable sources. | Ongoing | n/a | ||
| Ensure council’s procurement strategy specifies that low carbon lights and appliances are procured | April 2021 | In place for assets maintenance programme and part of ADAP | ||
| Work with and where possible require our suppliers and contractors to reduce the impact of the goods and services by considering whole life costs and ending our use of single use plastics | Include in contracts specifications the Councils wish to end its use of single use plastics | Councils wish to end its use of single use plastics April 2021 |
Under review – include in wider Sustainable Procurement Policy – draft for presentation to CN2030 Working Group. | |
| Apply to all activities undertaken by us, including contracted out services as new contracts are negotiated | Include in all new contracts the Councils aim to reduce/eliminate its Carbon Footprint. | April 2021 | In-place – reference made to CN2030 Action Plan, although ideally need a stronger environmental statement in form of Sustainable Procurement Policy – see above. | |
| Minimise our impacts of travel by using more sustainable travel solutions or alternatives to travel. | Encourage the Council’s workforce and enable them to take action in their workplace. The Council will support its staff by promoting increased awareness, conducting behavioural change programmes, encouraging the use of existing flexible working policies, low carbon and sustainable travel, the use of ICT. | Ongoing | Policies now in place through flexible working. | |
| Encourage car sharing whenever possible | Ongoing |
Is this appropriate now? | ||
| Ensure environmental risks and opportunities are managed positively | To include a section on all Council reports to state the impact of the decision being proposed on the Council’s carbon footprint | June 2020 | Pending – organising a carbon literacy course for staff. | |
| To include a section on all Council reports to state the impact of the decision being proposed on the Council’s carbon footprint. | Encourage and enable energy saving behaviour by all council staff | Ongoing | Pending – organising a carbon literacy course for staff. | |
| Work in partnership with other Councils in Essex to share ideas and implement schemes that could lead to a reduction in the Council’s carbon footprint. | Ongoing | Regular Attendance ECC organised – District and Borough Climate Forum, Meeting with ECC to explore opportunities | ||
| To continue to work with the Private Hire/taxi trade to improve on the efficiency of their vehicles through the introduction of electric taxis through installation of charging points at taxi ranks. | No Progress | |||
| Minimise the production of waste from our own activities and adhere to the principles of the waste hierarchy | Encourage staff to eliminate the use of disposable plastics in all the Council’s activities | Ongoing | Recycling Officer post in place – campaign now pending | |
| Set objectives and implement action programmes in order to minimise the negative environmental effects and increase the positive effects of our activities. | Identify areas suitable for renewable energy in the local plan | April 2023? | To early to start – will dove tail into Local Plan process. | |
| Open Spaces | ||||
| Protect, conserve and enhance our District’s high quality natural environment and its biodiversity whilst improving our parks and open spaces, public rights of ways and green corridors. | On Council owned sites plant trees to provide shading, plant drought resistant species. To identify suitable scheme to improving the biodiversity and value to nature of the Council’s parks. | Ongoing | Parks For Nature scheme approved by Executive – progressing for April 2022 start |