Case studies

The Zero Carbon Communities grant scheme is part of a wider programme which offers practical and financial support to non-profit organisations and parish councils, empowering them to take action in response to the climate emergency. The annual grant scheme funds projects which reduce carbon emissions or engage communities on climate change. Projects have been funded which promote sustainable travel, improve the energy efficiency of community buildings, encourage shifts to lower carbon diets, and plant trees. The wider programme provides workshops, community networking events and a newsletter sharing good practice and ideas.

This case study focuses on using the action learning process with the LGA to develop a community communication programme that reassures the local community that using hydrogen as a low carbon fuel for transport is safe.

The project context

This project aimed to provide scientific advice and support as well as building capability within South Gloucestershire Council to identify pathways to local climate targets and support the delivery of the South Gloucestershire local Climate Action Plan, which is now at its second year of delivery.

South Gloucestershire Council created a Financial Security Group to link all areas of financial security together and provide a comprehensive approach to supporting people.

South Gloucestershire agreed a new plan for children’s social care in October 2021 which will see an extra £10m invested over the coming three to five years.

The council had previously assessed the leisure management options on the expiry of its leisure contract, and had decided to extend the contract in place for a period of 15 months in order to procure a new contract arrangement. As a result of COVID-19 this position proved unviable, as the council were providing significant financial support to their contractor, and a procurement during the pandemic was not likely to produce a beneficial result. The council therefore reassessed the options available, and as a result Cabinet agreed to transfer the leisure service to a wholly-owned council company called LeisureSK Ltd.

South Kesteven District Council allocated £1.2m of it’s Central Government ARG COVID-19 Grant Allocation to create a grant scheme based around supporting new and existing businesses to diversify and enable them to be more resilient in the future.

SLDC, along with the University of Manchester, ran a competition for pupils of primary and secondary schools to design a poster about the climate emergency for bin lorries, to motivate communities to take action on climate change.

South Norfolk and Broadland District Council appointed a Housing Solutions Officer - Early Intervention and Prevention Specialist to help deliver the council's objectives around homelessness.