Case studies

In 2014, Telford & Wrekin Council became only the second local authority in the UK to build a publicly owned solar farm. It took less than 18 months between the initial plans being proposed and construction being completed.

‘Walk the Global Walk’ is a three-year international project which focuses on mobilising young people in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Carmarthenshire County Council is working in partnership with Dolen Cymru Lesotho, supporting 15 schools with a focus on climate action.

Denbighshire County Council has changed its Constitution to ensure all decisions made have regard for tackling climate and ecological change.

Cornwall Council is piloting ground-breaking, highly innovative technology - developed by a Cornish company - to turn methane, derived from organic waste, into renewable fuel. Working with six of its farms, the project turns methane into 'better than Net Zero' carbon biomethane.

Tewkesbury Borough Council have successfully secured £284,000 of funding form the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, who are providing funding for public sector bodies, towards the cost of installing an air to air heating system at the Council's head office.

Cotswold District Council secured funding from the LGA Housing Advisers Programme to collaborate with two neighbouring councils to plug a perceived gap in the market for succinct, direct and practical advice on how to achieve net zero housing, both new build and retrofit.

In May 2019 Gloucestershire County Council joined many other local authorities in declaring a climate emergency. They committed to setting up a Youth Climate Panel so young people could play a key role in informing future plans to bring about a low carbon, resilient and attractive Gloucestershire.

Cornwall is working towards an ambitious target of being Net Zero by 2030 and are finding ways of cutting their carbon footprint, while improving the quality of life of their citizens. Making energy efficiency improvements to existing properties is a key part of their response to tackling the climate emergency.

The Wiltshire Community Environmental Toolkit has been developed by Wiltshire Council in partnership with Natural England to allow communities to take the lead in defining and restoring biodiversity in their community.

Swindon Borough Council has developed a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) that has helped secure the creation and maintenance of travel plans for new education, workplace, and residential developments. It obligates developers to fund initiatives through payment of a significant travel plan contribution to the council for it to resource implementation, or payment of a bond which repaid when the developer fulfils their obligations.