Case studies

Devon County Council have supported Altilitech through the Green Innovation Fund to scale-up their proprietary process for recycling electric vehicle (EV) batteries to a commercial operation. Verified by the University of Plymouth, the innovative method recovers over 95 per cent of the critical metals contained within spent batteries at a quality for reuse in new batteries. Altilitech operates under a circular economy model; retaining value in the local economy whilst reducing the toxic waste and emissions produced in mining.

London Borough of Merton's behavioural insights project tested an intervention to reduce engine idling at a level crossing in Merton using a pre-post trial. The simple and often subconscious act of engine idling can have significant effects on air quality within the local area.

The Heart of the South West LEP and East Devon District Council have worked with Ampaire, a US hybrid electric aircraft developer, to complete the first English Hybrid electric test flight from Exeter Airport. This has led to an inward investment plan for the region, focusing on high potential opportunities for Smart and Sustainable Aviation within Devon & Somerset. The first stage of this plan will see the development of a Living Lab for Future Aviation testing and demonstration.

Wiltshire Council’s Climate Team supported a research project aiming to bring Maths to life for Year 7 students. Partnered with a Maths Teacher from a local school, the team developed a challenge to support their Statistics module – using real data from the Council’s public consultation on its draft Climate Strategy. The project focused on Mean, Median, Mode and Range at the level required for Year 7. Students created tally charts, bar charts and pictograms, calculated emissions, money savings and funding, and analysed how Wiltshire residents feel about climate change and the Council’s plans.

Wiltshire Council has committed to being a carbon neutral organisation by 2030, such a bold ambition required an equally bold Climate Strategy. A key part of the strategy was ensuring the community weren’t just passengers but were involved in driving policy. To ensure they brought the community with them, the Council developed an engagement strategy to reach a broad demographic, with a focus on those not engaged in the climate agenda. The strategy saw them publish a Climate Strategy Discussion document, then engage the community through webinars, consultations, an electronic survey and face to face events with residents, schools and disability groups, all supported by coverage from all major local media.

Cheltenham Borough Council has deployed its Climate Impact Assessment Tool within internal decision making processes to ensure new projects and policies are aligned with the Council's commitment to climate action. The tool is designed to enable officers and decision-makers to easily evaluate the environmental and social impacts of projects and policies from the very start of decision-making and project development processes. This 'from day one' approach results in more robust, climate-friendly projects and earlier opportunities to mitigate and improve the social and climate impacts of the Council's projects.

Cornwall Council have been using the Cornwall Development and Decision Wheel (CDDW) for cabinet decisions since September 2019. The CDDW is based on Doughnut Economics. It has been used to illustrate the positive and negative impacts of the decision being proposed in an easily accessible form that draws decision-makers to key issues that may require further debate, mitigation or even cancellation. Three years into using the CDDW, we have revisited them to understand what Cornwall Council have learnt from embedding it in Cabinet and other decisions and the impact it has had.

Hampshire County Council partnered with the Greening Campaign, to deliver grassroots projects at a community scale across the borough.

Lancaster West Neighbourhood Team was established following the Grenfell tragedy to provide a suite of management functions including tenancy management, community development and repairs and to deliver a multi-million-pound refurbishment of the 800 homes on the estate.

In December 2020, the East Lindsey District Council successfully secured £2.2million from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for Green Homes Grants. Over the next 18 months, a team was built, contractors were procured, and 192 properties received energy efficiency upgrades to help make them warmer, more affordable to run and less impactful on the environment through reduced carbon emissions.