This report presents a Carbon Management Plan to guide the council’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions from its own activities.

The Executive considered a report which presented a Carbon Management Plan to guide the Council’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions from its own activities. The plan had been developed with input and assistance from the Carbon Trust and drew on their practical knowledge and expertise. It set a target for reducing the Council’s emission of carbon dioxide by 40% over the next five years and identified the contribution that the projects and initiatives set out in the plan could make in meeting this target.

The projects included some that were existing projects which were already underway and funded from current revenue and capital budgets.  It also identified some potential future projects which, if carried out, could significantly reduce the Council’s carbon emissions. These would be subject to the Council’s normal approval processes that would test for policy and business viability before being included in the Council’s formal Delivery Plans.

It was noted that, if implemented in full, the Council would reduce carbon emissions by 5,565 tonnes per year and make financial savings and cost avoidance of up to £5.8m over the six year life of the Plan with the capital or revenue invested in the projects being paid off over an average of 7.3 years.

Resolved:  That the Carbon Management Plan be adopted subject to potential future projects identified in the plan being tested for policy and business viability and specifically approved for implementation.