I have noticed lately that Councils are starting to suggest that their net zero targets are going to be difficult to meet. At the same time, they express a determination to press on with them, while steep cuts are often made to their budgets relating to important local services.
This morning, I spotted a piece on the BBC website with the headline “Lincoln Council warned going green will be costly”. We learn:
A senior City of Lincoln councillor has admitted hitting its carbon net zero target by 2030 would be difficult due to the poor financial situation.
Councillor Bob Bushell (Labour) faced questions on whether the council was still on track to reach this goal.
Mr Bushell maintained he was confident of the council’s success – but warned it would be expensive.
Faced with this information, I thought I would dig a bit deeper regarding what is going on in Lincoln. The easiest piece of information to find (because the BBC helpfully provided a link to it) is that Lincoln Council has a 32 page “Decarbonisation Strategy and Action Plan Responding to the Climate Emergency 2021-2030”. I would have thought that the most important part of any action plan would be detailed costings, but I searched this plan for those in vain. There are lots of tables with column headings such as “Priority objective”, “actions”, “measure”, “target”, “RAG” (an unexplained acronym), and “responsible service area” . But no costings. Still, at least we do know – courtesy of Councillor Bushell – that it will be expensive.
Meanwhile, the website of the Lincolnite tells us that the Council is facing a £1 million budget shortfall, and that it is looking at “all options”. My money’s on “net zero” plans being at the end of the line for cuts. Curiosly, given that housing insulation is part of the Council’s decarbonisation plan, we also learn that there has been a “‘Tenfold’ increase in Lincoln council mould reports” since the reporting of the tragic death in Rochdale of a two year old boy due to exposure to mould. The Council has set up a new team to handle the surge in calls from residents, while the numbers of calls continue to grow. Poor-quality insulation can, of course, worsen such problems.
The Guardian has also recently reported on the shambles that is Thurrock Council. While Lincoln Council is Labour-run, Thurrock is Conservative-controlled. These days, of course, that makes little difference, since both parties are equally inept, and both seem to be equally committed to net zero.
In fairness to Lincoln, however, Thurrock’s problems are on a wholly different scale:
The Tory-led Thurrock council, which is on the brink of bankruptcy after losing hundreds of millions of pounds on failed commercial investments, repeatedly ignored warnings from financial experts over the “unprecedented risks” it was taking with public money, it has emerged.
Those risks seem to have been varied and substantial, but perhaps the greatest of all was that “[t]hey included £655m invested in a solar farms company, Toucan Holdings 1, which went into administration this month.”
Needless to say, Thurrock Council declared a climate emergency on 23rd October 2019 and made a climate pledge for 2022:
Reducing emissions per job by 22% by 2022. Reducing emissions per resident by 15% by 2022. Reducing emissions per daily road movement by 15% by 2022.
Perhaps they would have done better to focus on the day job.
A little over a month ago, the Guardian was reporting “UK councils slashing services to meet £3.2bn budget shortfall”:
Libraries and children’s centres are closing and home pick-ups for young disabled people being cancelled as councils try to meet a £3.2bn budget shortfall next year…
…The trade union Unison collected data from 391 councils, compiled through freedom of information requests and financial statements, and found that almost nine in 10 have a predicted budget gap in the 2023/24 financial year.
We are told that Birmingham City Council shows the biggest budget shortfall (£80 million) next year. So I thought I’d see what they’ve been up to. Well, there’s this:
In 2019 Birmingham City Council set its own target for the city, aiming to achieve net zero by 2030. This ambitious target aims to speed up Birmingham’s transition to net zero and send a clear message about the council’s commitment to a sustainable future.
And this:
Birmingham City Council is investing £27 million to retrofit 300 homes.
By my maths, that’s £90,000 per home, which doesn’t sound like great value. Still, never mind:
Birmingham City Council Leader Cllr Ian Ward…said: “Retrofitting homes across Birmingham is of course a key part of our route to zero carbon emissions but also a huge opportunity to create green jobs and tackle fuel poverty across the city.
No doubt the show will go on, since:
On 11 June 2019 the council declared a climate emergency and made a commitment to reduce the city’s carbon emissions and limit the climate crisis. As part of this declaration, an ambitious target was set for ‘the council and city to become net zero carbon by 2030, or as soon as possible thereafter as a just transition allows’, going beyond the Government’s own net zero by 2050 target.
The hubris regarding these declarations is constant. In reality, no Council, any Council, even one covering a city as large as Birmingham, could “limit the climate crisis” (sic). Still, reality never seems to stop them.
Meanwhile, who could forget this?
Nottingham City Council cuts after energy firm loses millions
A council which is making £12.5m in cuts poured millions of pounds into a loss-making energy firm, a report has found.
Nottingham City Council set up the not-for-profit Robin Hood Energy in 2015 to try to provide cheaper energy.
But by March 2019, the company had lost £34.4m despite large loans from the authority, external auditors Grant Thornton said.
The leader of the council admitted there were failings in its governance.
It comes as the council faces the impact of the coronavirus crisis, with 150 job cuts and the closure of a day centre for people with disabilities proposed last month in a bid to save £12.5m.
Needless to say, despite those job cuts and the proposed closure of a centre for people with disabilities, the net zero show must go on:
The Carbon Neutral Action Plan sets out high-level objectives to achieve a resilient and sustainable carbon-neutral Nottingham by 2028 (CN28).
The Plan itself runs to sixty pages, and although it rightly tells us that “[k]ey to implementing many of the actions to achieve the target will be the funding”, nowhere in the Plan can I find a reference to a single costing. Presumably there’s a budget somewhere for all this (some of which, admittedly, makes sense), but shouldn’t it have been included in the sixty page glossy plan?
Conclusion
As always, correlation is not causation. Perhaps Councils up and down the country would not be facing financial difficulties were it not for things like the long arm of the coronavirus pandemic and the financial costs that accompanied it; cuts in central government funding; increased energy costs, and much else besides. Nevertheless, when times are tough, the frivolous stuff should be the first to go (especially given that Councils aren’t legally obliged to pursue Net Zero agendas). And given that the UK contributes only 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions on an ongoing basis, given that Councils can in reality do very little to influence even that 1%, and given that the UK doesn’t face a climate emergency, the net zero agenda should be the first to go, so that the long-suffering British public doesn’t have to suffer cuts to vital services that really make a difference to their lives.
Sadly, I fear that reality isn’t likely to dawn any time soon.
Climate Scepticism 
Retrofitting 300 homes eh? I’m not very clever but when I have driven through Birmingham it looks to me that the council will have rather more than 300 homes to deal with over the next 7 years.
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Herefordshire Council:
Declared a climate emergency on 8th March 2019. [1]
Have produced a Carbon Management Plan. [2]
Spent £70,000 on a local Climate Assembly. [3]
And now, with elections pending next year, they’ve launched their Masterplan. [4]
Unveiled at a briefing for invited guests only, details are presently in short supply. Some clues, however, are to be found in the news report images; one of which being the desire to enhance Hereford’s historic centre. How ironic, then, that the briefing took place at the city’s Town Hall – one of the two major public buildings that are in urgent need of repair, but for which there is no money. [5]
It get’s better though. Outside of the Town Hall lies St Owens St. which is presently undergoing works to incorporate a contraflow cycle lane – at a cost of over £1,000,000. [6]
Apparently Cllr. John Harrington, cabinet member responsible for infrastructure and transport, appears to believe if cycle tracks are built people will simply get out of their cars and ride rather than drive:
“So when the council decided to axe the western bypass it started to look at different ideas. He makes these points:
* The council wants to improve bus services
* Improve school transport
* 40 per cent of people in the city travel less than 1.2 miles a day by car, partly by habit, and partly because there’s not a nice cycle route to go on. If the council can make it more attractive for people to travel a different way it will free capacity on the roads.”
I cannot help but wonder, though, if freeing capacity on the roads will merely encourage more through traffic.
[1] https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/climate-2/climate-change
[2] https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/downloads/file/20530/carbon-management-plan-2020-21-to-2025-26
[3] https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/council/citizens-assembly
[4] https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/23164251.live-updates-masterplan-will-change-face-hereford/
[5] https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/23153828.we-dont-money-restore-herefords-shirehall/
[6] https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/23130818.cost-hereford-street-cycle-plan-jumps-1m/#comments-anchor
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“Cheltenham council considering new district heat networks”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-63821453
The alarming part of this story isn’t the idea that the Council is considering new district heat networks – done right it sounds like a good idea, so long as it’s economically viable and the Council don’t make a hash of it (two major provisos):
Of course, the UK taxpayer has to shell out just to see if it’s a runner:
One of the things that bothers me is the waste and obsession around climate change:
And:
Mr Dudd is Bristol City Council’s “cabinet member for waste, energy, climate change and ecology”.
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When reading items like this that demonstrates a link between two different activities (in this case council activities towards Net Zero and declines in other budgets) by providing multiple examples of that link but which never claim there are no counter examples, I do wonder if the link is a perfect one. Are some councils only paying lip service to Net Zero? I do, however, suppose that if there were such councils, that the green mob would be all over them like a green rash.
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Alan,
My argument is not that net zero council policies are the sole cause of their budgetary constraints – far from it
However, I do argue that when times are hard (and even when they are not), net zero policies represent frivolous and pointless virtue-signalling, distracting from more serious issues, and siphoning off limited funds that could and should be much better spent.
It is always possible that some net zero policies might make life better for local people and/or be financially justified by savings generated as a result of the expenditure in question. However, such policies should stand or fall on their own merits. Given that no council can usefully do anything to “tackle” climate change, expenditure pursuing such an aim at the cost of local taxpayers strikes me as a dereliction of duty as a minimum, and arguably as an active breach of duty.
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Mark,
This is a difficult one to judge. I’ve just taken a look at my regional council’s climate strategy and action plan documents and they are both high on arm waving and low on financial detail. Proposed actions are listed but there is no explanation as to how those actions will individually contribute towards, or collectively achieve, the stated net zero target. It just looks like sentiment and wishful thinking.
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John, I agree, of course.
The problem is that sometimes sentiment, wishful thinking and arm waving come with a price tag attached, even if it’s only the cost of the consultants who draft the (often glossy) net zero “plan”, and even if the Councils themselves don’t bother to itemise and understand the costs associated with it all.
Arm waving, without more, is a bit annoying, but so long as that’s all it is, I wouldn’t be too upset. The problem is that in some Council areas, a lot of this stuff costs a lot of money (and, as in the cases I mentioned in the article, can backfire spectacularly). Worrying about climate change isn’t a core Council obligation. In fact, so far as I am aware, it isn’t a Council obligation at all. They have lots of statutory duties (sometimes I think there are too many, and that central government expects too much, with limited funding), and they would do better to concentrate on those, IMO.
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Here are the Tyndall Centre’s recommendations for emissions cuts for Lincoln:
https://carbonbudget.manchester.ac.uk/reports/E07000138/
Sounds pretty easy to me. Dunno what you’re moaning about Mark!
What Tyndall seem to have done is just manufactured automatic reports based on a few simple inputs – existing population and per-capita emissions, that sort of thing. Should anyone wish to investigate Tyndall’s recommended pathways for their own local authorities, you can browse the reports at: https://carbonbudget.manchester.ac.uk/reports/
[Your browser might tell you that Tyndall’s security certificate has expired.]
I first encountered these reports when looking at Norwich’s “pathway.” What do Tyndall recommend? Cuts of 12.7% per year, exactly the same as Lincoln. But Norwich gets an extra year of grace: we have to achieve Net Zero by 2043, a year after Lincoln.
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Norwich’s carbon footprint report for 2020-21 is available here: https://www.norwich.gov.uk/info/20508/get_involved/1604/carbon_footprint
It contains this disgraceful assertion:
Norwich seems to have done rather well in the period – a decline in emissions of about 25%. Of course, this was lockdown city, and they are deleting rather a large chunk of their electricity via this “Green Tariff”.
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Mark,
>”…even if it’s only the cost of the consultants who draft the (often glossy) net zero ‘plan’…”
They should have asked me. I could have written my council’s plan and strategy documents in about half a day and my rates are very reasonable.
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“Council chiefs warn of job losses and cuts to vital services without extra cash
Job losses in councils are “inevitable” and services will be cut unless extra cash can be found to meet a £1 billion shortfall, local authority leaders have warned.”
https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/council-chiefs-warn-of-job-losses-and-cuts-to-vital-services-without-extra-cash-3941292
I will watch with interest to see if net zero plans remain unaffected, while basic services are significantly reduced, cut, or even stopped altogether.
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“Oxford County Councillors to Introduce Trial Climate Lockdown in 2024”
https://dailysceptic.org/2022/12/05/oxford-county-councillors-to-introduce-trial-climate-lockdown-in-2024/
It does appear on the Council website, where the euphemistic term “traffic filters” is adopted:
https://www.oxford.gov.uk/news/article/2250/proposals_to_trial_six_new_traffic_filters_in_oxford_announced
Sounds great, But the reality is still that Big Brother is watching you, and if you use your car too much, you will be fined:
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“False climate lockdown claims in Oxford lead to death threats”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-64001776
The BBC Climate Disinformation Specialist, Marco Silva, is at it again. It’s true that the Oxford plan is going to go forward only as a trial, at least to begin with. But it is also true that it is to be introduced because of climate concerns (and possibly in an attempt to reduce pollution), as part of the Council’s commitment to net zero. It is also true that people will be fined if they use their cars too much when travelling around the city, and that Big Brother will be watching them. And without a single bit of fact-checking (at least none that appears in the article), Marco gives us this:
Early in the article, we are old this:
The article ends with this:
Those two quotes strike me as mutually contradictory. And OK, it’s not a “lockdown” of the sort we had during the covid lockdowns, but then it’s a term being used in a loose way to describe the plans to limit our freedom to travel where we want, when we want, how we want – and such plans are there, however Marco might seek to spin it. In this sense, what’s the difference between using “climate lockdown” and “climate crisis”? Both are exaggerations, designed to grab attention, but only one gets the climate disinformation treatment.
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seems a “nudge” is not enough, so they are moving to “cattle prod” next.
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“Cannock climate target watered down in face of £4bn cost”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-64187288
This story is important at so many levels. One modest-sized council – a cost of £4.7Bn. Understanding that councils themselves are directly responsible for a small amount of an area’s emissions, and that council carbon neutrality is just meaningless (but expensive) virtue-signalling. Continuing hubris, inasmuch as although it’s clear that the Council’s net zero plans are a drop in the ocean, nevertheless they will (pointlessly) plough on regardless. I wonder what the consultants’ report cost? I suppose in its favour, it seems to have prevented the council from wasting £4.7Bn, though they appear to be determined to waste a smaller sum on an exercise in futility.
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PS did anyone spot the BBC’s sleight of hand with numbers again? As Jit and I have mentioned regarding 2022 EV sales, the BBC managed to convert one-sixth in to almost one-fifth, presumably because it suited the BBC agenda of bigging up EV sales. But the report saying that carbon neutrality would cost £4.7Bn is magically described in the headline as £4Bn. Come on BBC – for the sake of consistency, surely that has to be “nearly £5Bn”?!!!
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“EV Refuse Trucks Grounded Through Lack Of Chargers!”
https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2023/01/10/ev-refuse-trucks-grounded-through-lack-of-chargers/
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This isn’t a story about wasting money, but it does illustrate the nihilistic tendencies and moves to ban things in some quarters including, it would seem, councils:
“Climate hactivists subvert Bristol Billboards with spoof ads”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-64264251
Is the picture of a BMW on fire an electric one?
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Bristol – traffic nightmare, cars sitting idle for hours in a day.
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“More net zero help needed for councils, warn MSPs”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64366541
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“Thousands of free trees to be given away”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3gd0q77k0lo
Perhaps it’s a nice idea, in principle. We aren’t told what it will cost, nor whether any helpful advice will be given to recipients to ensure that the right trees are planted in the best locations and to ensure they are looked after and not simply abandoned to die.
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The trees may be free…
https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/news/article/1106/help-make-our-city-greener-%E2%80%93-plant-a-tree
…but the planters are a bit expensive…
https://yourherefordshire.co.uk/all/news/news-herefordshire-council-documents-show-that-herefords-planters-and-trees-cost-8200-each/
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“Oldham Council to spend £1.35m on Failsworth solar farm”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-64413524
That would be the same Councillor Jabbar who is quoted here:
“Oldham Labour blame budget cuts for council tax rises
15th December 2022”
https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/news/23186004.oldham-labour-blame-budget-cuts-council-tax-rises/
Cllr Jabbar added that the cuts and council tax rises have led to an “abhorrent situation where the council runs less [sic] services despite increasing council tax”.
“This is not sustainable”, he said.
“Council tax needs urgent reform – even Michael Gove says it is regressive, meaning poorer people pay more than they should – and we need long-term financial information to help us plan properly”, Cllr Jabbar added….
Hey ho.
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50 tonnes of CO2 saving? Seems a little low even for solar panels, what with the per-capita annual emissions in the UK about 6 t CO2. That means you’re spending a mil to reduce your population by 8 and a bit.
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“Surrey council on brink of insolvency with debts of nearly £2bn
Woking says it is at risk of issuing section 114 notice, which would force central government to intervene”
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/feb/21/woking-surrey-council-brink-insolvency-debts-2bn
That would be this Woking Borough Council:
“Climate Emergency Action Plan: Progress Update 11 – September to November 2022”
Click to access Climate%20Emergency%20Action%20Plan%20Update%20November%202022.pdf
I wonder that cost?
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“Croydon and Thurrock councils put into special measures
Government-appointed managers will take over day-to-day running after authorities fell into effective bankruptcy”
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/17/croydon-and-thurrock-councils-put-into-special-measures
As well as Croydon and Thurrock, Slough also receives a dishonourable mention:
Croydon Council:
“CROYDON CARBON NEUTRAL ACTION PLAN”
Click to access croydon-carbon-neutral-action-plan.pdf
And a quick reminder about Thurrock:
“Thurrock council admits disastrous investments caused £500m deficit”
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/nov/29/thurrock-council-admits-disastrous-investments-caused-500m-deficit
And Slough:
“Climate change
Climate change and carbon management”
https://www.slough.gov.uk/strategies-plans-policies/climate-change
Meanwhile, every page of the Slough Council website (including the above one) seems to be headed with a banner message to the effect that:
Priorities, eh?
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“Glasgow cuts £22m from health and social care services”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-65038555
We never hear about cuts to net zero plans and budgets, though. Glasgow Council devotes a significant section to its net zero plans, including this glossy report running to more than 180 pages:
https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/councillorsandcommittees/viewDoc.asp?c=P62AFQDNDXUTT181NT
It doesn’t anywhere mention the cost, but in the run-up to COP26 in Glasgow, they did put this page and headline on their website:
“Glasgow launches £30bn ‘Greenprint for Investment’, a portfolio of transformative climate investment projects to boost 2030 Net-Zero goal”
https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=27563
Glasgow, a city with some of the worst health outcomes in Europe, splurging £30Bn on net zero while cutting £22M from health and social care services. Priorities, eh?
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Surrey County Council next:
“Consultant leading Surrey County Council’s £30m jump to new ERP system will bag £177,000 as £83m cuts bite local citizens”
https://www.theregister.com/2020/10/06/surrey_county_council_erp_replacement/
That was four short years ago. Meanwhile, today’s news:
“Surrey to install thousands of electric vehicle chargers”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-65013735
Funnily enough, we aren’t told what it is costing.
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“Council spends £1.4m to cut carbon emissions at Buxton Pool”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-65070867
That would be this High Peak Council:
“Council cuts £51,000 in grant funding to High Peak parish councils
High Peak Borough Council is cutting £51,000 in grant funding to parish councils across the borough due to a “black hole” in its finances.”
https://www.buxtonadvertiser.co.uk/news/politics/council-cuts-ps51000-in-grant-funding-to-high-peak-parish-councils-3152045
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“North Yorkshire Council to make EV charging points available to all”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-65388112
That would be this North Yorkshire Council:
“North Yorkshire Council warns of cuts amid £30 million shortfall”
https://thestrayferret.co.uk/north-yorkshire-council-to-face-30-million-shortfall/
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“Aberdeen City Council offers £40K for Climate Change Officer job”
https://www.energyvoice.com/renewables-energy-transition/499762/aberdeen-city-council-offers-40k-for-climate-change-officer-job/
That would be this Aberdeen Council:
“Aberdeen budget: Why council tax is going up and harsh cuts could become a reality”
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen-aberdeenshire/5434003/aberdeen-budget-explained/
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Kent Council’s net zero plans and activities are pretty extensive. They don’t, however, come cheap (albeit the Council seems a bit vague about the total cost):
Click to access Report.pdf
Section 5.1 (Financial Implications):
Meanwhile:
“Kent waste centres face closure to save costs”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg35p3ep1wgo
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“Highland Council looks at generating its own power”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-65707730
That would be this Highland Council:
“Highland Council budget: Cuts to children’s charities squeak through, as roads investment and 4% council tax rise agreed”
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands-islands/5456554/highland-council-budget-agreed-2023-council-tax-charity-cut/
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“More than 600 Glasgow City Council vehicles not LEZ compliant”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-65861870
I suspect that what follows is more than a little bit of an exaggeration. Nevertheless, it’s another example of things not being thought through:
“Homeless charity says lives will be lost after Glasgow LEZ vans ban”
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23580150.lez-charity-says-lives-will-lost-steps-attack-snp-depute/
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It’s not just in the UK:
“Survey: EU mayors list climate action as top priority
More than half say they intend to pass green measures.”
https://www.politico.eu/article/survey-eu-mayors-list-climate-action-as-top-priority/
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“Orkney Council to spend £150k to dispose of £1 wave device”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-66248137
That would be this Orkney Council:
“Orkney Islands council tax to increase by 10%”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-64751492
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Mark – ““Orkney Council to spend £150k to dispose of £1 wave device”
and no MSM report this – bet BBC pushed it at the time, but now nothing so far
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I wonder if this could be connected:
https://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/orkney-and-norway-relationship-explained-4214819
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Dougie,
In fairness, that report was by the BBC. The most I can criticise them for on this occasion is lack of criticism of the waste associated with renewable pipe dreams, but even that is arguably implicit in the article. Nothing in the Guardian though!
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“Wakefield schools to get solar panels to power classrooms”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-66322093
Remember that figure: £2 million.
That would be this Wakefield Council:
“Wakefield Council to hike tax and cut services to tackle £24m budget shortfall”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-64217348
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The Guardian today:
“‘The swings are missing’: Children in Newcastle left with nowhere to play
Families worry about where their children will go during the summer as crumbling playgrounds are left in disrepair”
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/04/the-swings-are-missing-children-in-newcastle-left-with-nowhere-to-play
That would be this Newcastle City Council:
“Funding our Net Zero programme”
https://newcastle.gov.uk/our-city/climate-change/net-zero-newcastle/funding-our-net-zero-programme
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Mark,
The irony here is that the environmentalists would tell you that all this redirection of funds is necessary to ensure that children have somewhere to play:
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Frome Town Council is one of many that has virtue-signalled by declaring a climate emergency:
https://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/your-community/sustainability-and-resilience/climate-and-ecological-emergency/
Perhaps it should concentrate on the real issues affecting local people instead, things that a Council might, just might, be able to influence (unlike the climate):
“Frome declares housing crisis as rents soar out of reach”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-66463563
Well, that what was green, wasn’t it?
By the way, when declaring a climate emergency, perhaps these councils should take note of the BBC’s words (perhaps the BBC should too!):
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“The town is full of quirky, independent shops and cafes, artists and green businesses.
It has led to many people moving from London to the Mendips.
The town is also home to environmental charities and community benefit companies. People trying to live a different life by reducing their impact on the planet.”
The Islington climate change jetset, who no doubt were thrilled when Frome Town Council declared a climate emergency, moved from the Big Smoke to the Mendips just so they could tackle the ‘climate emergency’ in more congenial surroundings. Unfortunately, they drove rents sky high and priced the locals out of the housing market. So what’s the solution?
Summer Auty, the 24 year old budding artist come Marxist, who came to Frome from London and is living in her van, thinks she has the answer:
“We need a complete redistribution of wealth, it’s awful all the big homes lying empty, all the land we cannot use,” she added.
I bet she wouldn’t be saying that if she wasn’t living in a van and instead owned one of those big second homes.
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This really is a non-story, but not to the BBC. It isn’t languishing in a regional section of the BBC website. No, it’s a “Science & Environment” story:
“Aylesbury woman refuses to pay council tax in climate protest”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-66500208
What’s her problem? The Council banks with Barclays, which she blames for funding fossil fuels:
It must be great for a single individual to be able to generate this amount of national publicity for their cause, via the national broadcaster. Still, it’s only likely to happen if the BBC approves of your protest. Meanwhile, what of Buckinghamshire Council?
Well, it’s fully signed up to the agenda, but that’s not enough for some people:
https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/campaign/bucks-climate-challenge/
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“Black hole in town hall budgets rises to £5bn”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-66428191
A number of Councils are mentioned in the context of particular problems, such as this:
That would be this Gateshead Council:
Gateshead Leisure Centre was opened in 1981 by Queen Elizabeth and featured a pool, a soft play and a gym, as well as badminton and basketball courts.
But in November 2022, Gateshead Council recommended closing it, claiming it had no other choice “after government cuts”.
Bradford & Leicester Councils also earn a mention:
These Councils, in other words:
https://bradford.gov.uk/your-community/community-grants/bradford-district-community-climate-action-fund/
https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/net-zero
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“At least 26 English councils ‘at risk of bankruptcy in next two years’
Research from body representing 47 authorities says many could follow Slough, Croydon, Thurrock and Woking into collapse”
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/aug/28/at-least-26-english-councils-at-risk-of-bankruptcy-in-next-two-years
I’m not defending Government’s funding policy towards local authorities, but perhaps if Councils stopped wasting huge amounts of money on net zero policies, they might be in a much better place financially.
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Mark, aiui Government has been complicit in the funding arrangements which have led to these bankruptcies. Councils were allowed to borrow huge sums from the Public Works Loan Board (now defunct) which they used to speculate in commercial property, solar farms and such like. The aim was to derive extra revenue to top up their income from central government. So, I suspect, the govt turned a blind eye to this misuse of public funds.
Of course it has all turned into a train wreck which is only going to get worse.
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“Vital services safe – leader of ‘bankrupt’ Birmingham council”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-66715441
That would be this Birmingham City Council:
https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/50282/climate_change/2642/what_is_the_council_doing_about_climate_change
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It would appear that achieving carbon neutrality is harder than Councillors and officials assume:
“Bristol City Council to miss 2025 carbon neutral target”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-66723203
It’s expensive too:
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Mark – can’t find any costing info in your Birmingham City Council link “What is the council doing about climate change”. wonder why?
but notice it has a link to –
“Are you struggling with the cost of living?
You can find help with accessing grants, useful advice and money that you may be entitled to. Visit our cost of living support page”
which has this statement – “You can download our leaflet for advice and support on the cost of living, which is available in 11 languages.”
that’s what I call multicultural.
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Dougie,
The costs will be well hidden. However, the Daily Mail has a piece accusing the Council of spending £10 million on a 2.5 mile cycle lane, which it claims is rarely used:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12491087/Furious-locals-slam-bankrupt-Birmingham-council-wasting-10million-2-5-mile-cycle-highway-wider-bus-lane-barely-used-causes-traffic-chaos.html
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“Green energy: Bridgend council pulls £6.5m HyBont funding”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-66854183
Is this an early sign of financial realities beginning to dawn on Councillors, of the winds of change blowing through this area?
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“Basildon waste factory is demolished after costly legal battle”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-66895848
Despite winning the case this will have cost the Council an awful lot of money, but the report doesn’t bother telling us how much. Building then demolishing the facility isn’t exactly “green”, either.
That would be this Basildon Council:
“Basildon 2030 – Our net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target
Basildon Council has set an ambitious target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.”
https://basildon.gov.uk/article/8580/Basildon-2030-Our-net-zero-greenhouse-gas-emissions-target
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“North Lanarkshire Council to close libraries, pools and sports centres”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-66954929
That would be this North Lanarkshire Council:
“Climate Plan ACT2030”
https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-council/council-strategies-and-plans/council-strategies/climate-plan-act2030
I wonder what this glossy brochure and plan cost to produce, and how much the plan will cost to implement? They don’t say, of course. The only reference in the document to budgets is to carbon budgets.
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“BBC’s Shared Data Unit reveals Somerset Council financial deficits”
https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/23738319.bbcs-shared-data-unit-reveals-somerset-council-financial-deficits/
That would be this Somerset Council:
“Work on Somerset’s first net-zero school begins”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-66946933
The BBC article doesn’t say what will happen to the old school, and how that fits in with “carbon” reduction plans. Funnily enough, it also makes no reference to Somerset Council’s financial difficulties and £40M+ planned cuts. If this one net zero project didn’t proceed, then more than a quarter of those cuts would be unnecessary.
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“South Gloucestershire Council garden waste fees set to double”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-67003569
They blamed lots of factors, but no mention of this (goodness knows what it all costs):
“Climate and nature emergency in South Gloucestershire”
https://beta.southglos.gov.uk/climate-emergency-in-south-gloucestershire/
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“Medway: Christmas lights cancelled by council”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-67057003
That would be this Medway Council:
“Climate Change Action Plan
In 2019 Medway Council declared a climate emergency, to respond to one of the most important challenges of our time.”
https://www.medway.gov.uk/climatechangeplan
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“Mid and East Antrim council to sell offices amid £7m shortfall”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-67136627
That would be this Mid and East Antrim Council:
https://www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/council/policies-and-documents/climate-change-sustainability/climate-sustainability-environment-reporting/climate-and-sustainability-action-plan-2023-2027
I wonder how much that cost to put together and how much it is costing to implement?
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A year ago, this was reported:
“Bury Council announce budget deficit amid cost increases”
https://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/23043724.bury-council-announce-budget-deficit-amid-cost-increases/
Compare and contrast:
“Bury Council electric vehicles delivered to cut CO2 emissions”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-67284098
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“Parishes urged to apply for climate change grants”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1d2lgjz718o
That would be this Devon Council:
“Devon council warns of inevitable cuts without Westminster help”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-63474511
A good start might be to reallocate “climate change” funding that they haven’t even managed to spend because nobody wants it!
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Mark, according to docs put online by North Devon Council £20k of the £23k paid as Climate & Environment Grants (AKA Climate Emergency Grants) to parish councils since 2020 went to only one parish – indeed to only one building. A £10k CEG bought solar panels for a village hall. Alas, it turned out that the hall’s heating system couldn’t work with solar, so a second £10k CEG was awarded to buy a new heating system for the hall. Oops!
Smaller grants went to two other parishes for planting flowers and trees. It looks like another three parishes either withdrew their applications or were refused.
(The now occasionally solar-heated village hall in
AngstyAnstey, South Morton, is about four miles from a German-ownedsubsidywind farm called Batsworthy Cross. Shouldn’t that be Crossworthy Bats? Or perhaps even Rotierende Fledermauskiller?)LikeLiked by 1 person
What a waste of time and money:
“Working from home produces 13% of York Council’s CO2 emissions – report”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-67491763
Meanwhile:
“York council cutbacks are ‘just the beginning of some hard years in the future’”
https://yorkmix.com/york-council-cutbacks-are-just-the-beginning-of-some-hard-years-in-the-future/
I wonder how much that pointless carbon emissions report cost? However deep the cuts elsewhere, there’s always money for carbon reports, even though York Council could cut its emissions to zero, and it would make no measurable difference to anything. I would suggest they spend their time )and money) instead on making life better, rather than worse, for the residents of York.
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“Woking Borough Council gives away free EV charging in IT error”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-67499892
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“Edinburgh city council to spend £56m on low emission vehicles”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-67519245
That would be this Edinburgh City Council:
“‘Tears shed’ as Edinburgh council cuts health and social care by £33m
Warnings have been issued that the cuts will ‘certainly lead to more lives lost’.”
https://news.stv.tv/east-central/tears-shed-as-edinburgh-council-cuts-health-and-social-care-by-33m
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Nottingham City Council featured prominently in my piece above, due to this:
Today we learn this:
“Updates as Nottingham City Council announces ‘bankruptcy'”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-nottinghamshire-67374024
I suppose the only surprise is that it took so long.
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Typical BBC. The headline in the Science & Environment” section of its website has a clickbait headline that categorically says “‘Solar canopy’ to cut energy bills”, but click on the link and headline morphs into the rather different:
“Cornwall Council leaders hope solar canopy will cut energy bills”
“Hope” isn’t the same as “will”.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-67664736
“Hoped”, “eventually” “a third of a building’s needs”.
That would be this Cornwall Council, as reported on by the BBC just last month:
“‘Stringent measures’ threat amid council budget woes”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crgpw5kqv0wo
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“Bath and North East Somerset: Views sought on ‘difficult’ budget plans”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-67737371
That would be this Bath and North East Somerset Council:
“What we’re doing to address the Climate Emergency
Responding to the Climate Emergency is one of our two core policies, alongside giving people a bigger say. It is integral in all that we do. Use this page to learn more about the actions we’re taking, the progress we’ve made and the policy and strategy behind it.”
https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/what-were-doing-address-climate-emergency
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“Sheffield City Council emissions only cut by 3% since 2019”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-67785358
A three per cent cut in 4 years, with a target date for net zero 7 years from now. At that rate (and disregarding the fact that they probably achieved their cheapest and easiest “wins” first) it’ll be close to 2150 before they get there. I wonder what it has cost to achieve so little? Naturally, the article doesn’t talk about the costs so we don’t know.
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“Bournemouth council-run plant nursery shuts amid cost-cutting”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-67934253
That would be this Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council:
“Climate Action Strategy 2023 to 2028”
Click to access BCP0466_Climate%20Action%20strategy_Draft%2020%20Feb%202023.pdf
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“Councils in crisis: Town Hall debt levels staggering, MPs warn”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67707156
Let me say at the outset that the reasons for Councils’ financial problems are multifarious and complex. It seems clear to me, for instance, that Governments (of all political complexions) have piled ever more statutory duties on local authorities without providing the necessary commensurate funding. No doubt the ageing populations identified by Meg Hillier are making matters worse. However, there is also a lot of waste (undeniable, I should have thought, to anyone with eyes to see), and it’s worth pointing out that the £1,100 per person equivalent of debts owed by local authorities (presented factually by the BBC, but in such a way as to seem like a scarily large sum, and perhaps it is) is a drop in the ocean compared to the per capita costs of net zero (and pretty much every Council is spending huge amounts of money on net zero). In short, ditch net zero, at both local and national level, and there should be plenty of money available to solve the Councils’ financial crisis.
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“Five Somerset household recycling centres could close”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-67993583
Irony piled on irony. That would be this Somerset Council:
“Somerset’s Climate Emergency Strategy
Somerset’s Climate Emergency Strategy was developed jointly by the five Somerset local authorities, sector experts and external partners”
https://www.somerset.gov.uk/environment-and-food-safety/climate-and-ecological-emergency/somersets-climate-emergency-strategy/
There’s an extensive page describing Council activity. And a (perhaps unsurprising) coyness about the cost of it all.
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What a surprise. I had to fill in a North Somerset form online before Christmas and it was appallingly repetitive and stupid, unlike most of gov.uk. (Different council I know but hey.) The Cheddar area, which is so beautiful, deserves better.
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Oh dear:
“Torridge District Council’s carbon footprint more than doubles”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-68104178
And that would be this Torridge Council too:
“Climate Change at Torridge”
https://torridge.gov.uk/climatechange
It seems that virtue signalling is harder than it looks, at least if you want to achieve something too.
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“Council approves plans to tackle climate change”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3en1n81elo
Yeah, right.
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Straightforward reporting from the Guardian? Not really – you have to dig quite a way down to find out what really happened:
“Lawyers raise alarm at struggle to tackle UK local government corruption
Exclusive: Staff and councillors at 36 local authorities accused of financial crime in past decade with dozens arrested and convicted”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/02/lawyers-raise-alarm-at-struggle-to-tackle-uk-local-government-corruption
That contains an embedded link to this:
“Thurrock council hid losses as it gambled millions on risky investments
Official report criticises Tory-run authority’s dysfunctional leadership and says it tried to silence critics”
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jun/15/thurrock-council-hid-losses-gambled-millions-risky-investments
And what were those “commercial” investments? Read on, and eventually you get to the nub of it:
Yup, it was solar farm investment that bankrupted the Council.
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“Council could use £15m ‘to buy back gigafactory land'”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c141198wk8go
“Glasgow Council seeks £40bn with net zero investment team”
https://jaunbaba.com/glasgow-council-seeks-40bn-with-net-zero-investment-team/
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Misuse of public funds should be taken more seriously.
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Look on the bright side – “the creation of the specialist green investment team”, more “Green” jobs 🙂
wonder how long it will take “The specialist team will include people with backgrounds in finance, sustainability, procurement and law.” to burn through £4m ?
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A billion $ here, a billion $ there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money.
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Irony:
“Carbon emissions increase at climate capital council”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4nj24dpr70o
“A city council which considers itself the UK’s climate capital has significantly increased its net carbon footprint, according to a report.
The research, which was put together for Peterborough City Council, said its net emissions were 7,389 of CO2e (carbon dioxide or equivalent) in 2022-23, compared with 4,813 tonnes the previous year.
The local authority blamed its own decision to switch from a green electricity tariff, to a standard tariff.
The Council Carbon Footprint report, external said the local authority was still “committed” to being net-zero by 2030.
The council has aimed to be the “UK’s environment capital” since 2008, external and also hopes the entire city will be net-zero by 2040…”
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“Pembrokeshire: Council’s 12.5% tax rate rise UK’s highest”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-68492895
“Pembrokeshire council has increased council tax by 12.5%, believed to be the highest percentage rise in the UK.
It comes after councillors recommended increasing council tax by 16.3%, deciding against calling for a 21% rise which would have been the highest ever percentage increase in Wales.
People in the area say that funding is desperately needed as services are negatively impacted.
The Welsh government said the UK government was to blame…”
That would be this Pembrokeshire Council:
“Decarbonisation and the Nature EmergencyA5- We will promote and support initiatives to deliver decarbonisation, manage climate adaptation and tackle the nature emergency”
https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/cscorporatestrategy202328/csdecarbandnature
[The fact that those objectives are often mutually contradictory almost always passes Councillors by].
“What we are going to do
Deliver on our plan to be a net zero carbon organisation by 2030 – our Big Green Plan.
My guess is that those policies have quite a price tag and have achieved very little.
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“Peterborough City Council’s carbon emissions rise after tariff error”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-68568204
“Peterborough City Council’s net carbon emissions rose in the last financial year by more than 2,500 tonnes.
The rise has been blamed on a switch from green tariff to a standard tariff in June 2022 which went unnoticed until the following year.
The authority reported net emissions of 7,389 tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide or equivalent), up from 4,813 tonnes in 2021/22.
The council’s mayor Nick Sandford said the issue was “slightly embarrassing”.
The article doesn’t tell us whether the bill to taxpayers went up or down. But that doesn’t matter apparently – only CO2 emissions matter.
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“Gigafactory land will secure investment – officials”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0v37nd2yvwo
The story is a puff piece for the failed Britishvolt site near Blyth in Northumberland. The piece that really surprised me is that Northumberland County Council appears to have created a wholly-owned subsidiary company to try to take this further. My money is on this going nowhere and on it costing council tax payers a lot of money:
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“Green fleet transition faces financial roadblock”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqvn8092710o
“Costs of replacing a council’s 41 diesel waste vehicles with electric or hydrogen models have proved prohibitive, councillors have heard.
West Devon Borough Council’s annual fleet budget would buy just over half of a hydrogen waste lorry, according to figures discussed at an overview and scrutiny committee.
Deputy chief executive Steve Mullineaux said an electric mini-road sweeper alone would consume half of the yearly budget at £250,000, compared with its diesel counterpart’s price tag of £90,000.
A standard diesel refuse vehicle is £160,000 compared with £460,000 for an electric version, and hydrogen alternatives escalated the cost even further, councillors were told.
The switch to electric would also require a £500,000 depot upgrade for charging facilities, with vehicles needing recharging after about 100 miles, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), external.
The vast majority of the fleet would have to remain diesel, but as technology progresses, prices would come down and some smaller vehicles could be swapped as they came to the end of their life, Mr Mullineaux said.
The overview and scrutiny committee heard that using the more environmentally friendly waste lorries had not been proven to cope well with very rural areas.
Mr Mullineaux said: “Exeter has been using electric and has been struggling.”...”
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