STOCKTON-ON-TEES Borough Council has been recognised nationally for its work to tackle climate change – rising from 54th to fifth in an annual index measuring the energy performance of more than 100 local authorities.
The rise was revealed in the independent Local Authority Energy Index’s final 2015 table, which ranks 103 English and Welsh local authorities for their work across a range of criteria including energy efficiency, emission reductions, reducing fuel poverty and improvements to housing.
Last week the Council’s Cabinet approved plans to build on this progress by bringing together a range of climate change plans and policies into a single Climate Change Strategy.
During the meeting councillors heard that the Council has reduced Borough wide emissions by 27 per cent since 2005 while reducing its own emissions by 18 per cent between 2012 and 2015.
The new Climate Change Strategy sets out plans to reduce Borough wide emissions further, as well as details of how the Council can be better prepared for extreme weather events across Stockton-on-Tees.
Councillor Mike Smith, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Housing, said: “We have a strong track record on tackling climate change but it’s excellent to see how our performance has improved over the last 12 months. We have a green vision for the Borough and the new Climate Change Strategy will help us address the challenge of meeting our targets, creating a green economy and minimising the impacts of future extreme weather events.”
To find out more about the Climate Change Strategy, visit https://www.stockton.gov.uk/environment-and-housing/climate-carbon-and-energy/