Banbury council introduce action plan to help reduce emissions and hit net zero

At a council executive meeting on Monday (November 6), councillors approved the 12-month climate change action plan, which includes reducing emissions from the council’s buildings and vehicles.

The plan was reviewed by the council’s overview and scrutiny committee, climate change working group, and external consultant Bioregional, with expert advisors helping to identify the areas where the council should focus its efforts.

Cllr Andrew McHugh, portfolio holder for cleaner and greener communities, said: “This action plan has been produced by officers working together with the cross-party climate change working group and is a testament to what can be achieved when we work together in a spirit of cooperation.

“We are proud of our track record supporting environmental sustainability. We’ve taken major steps so far, including the decarbonisation of our leisure centres and the adoption of electric vehicles.

“This plan is another step towards our goal of becoming a net zero council by 2030. It focuses primarily on the emissions within our direct influence, including our fleet, our estate, our activities, and our staff. But emissions caused within our wider supply chain are also in scope, and we will be doing further work to understand this better.

“This is an ambitious plan that sets us on the path to becoming a climate leader, and I look forward to now seeing it becoming embedded in the organisation and our operations.”

To help reduce its own emissions, the council will increase the use of electric vehicles, phase out gas heaters, and apply for government funding to decarbonise council-owned buildings.

For the wider district, the council plans to introduce measures including supporting the Oxfordshire local nature recovery strategy, supporting local communities to protect and enhance natural habitats, and helping residents make their homes more energy efficient.

The council also plans to increase the number of electric vehicles on the road by using some of the £5 million allocated to Oxfordshire County Council to fund charging points and infrastructure across the district, especially in areas where residents don’t have access to off-street parking and in rural areas.