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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…
EDP, may be paywalled
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“Council hosts event promoting electric vehicles”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce99y2zyp47o
Councillor Colette Blackburn, cabinet member for climate action and nature recovery, said: “Climate change is endangering our planet, our nation and our district. “This event is all about educating people in the transition to zero emissions motoring.”
Is that how Councils should be spending our money?
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“Heat pumps to be trialled in council homes”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp442kn48wro
Heat pumps are to be trialled in council homes in Hull.
Four will be installed in flats in Nornabell Street in order to track their performance and cost.
Ideal Heating, the city-based firm, is providing the air source heat pumps to Hull City Council as part of a net-zero campaign.
Councillor Paul Drake-Davis, the portfolio holder for housing, said the idea was to “improve energy efficiency” while “providing comfort and affordability for residents”.
“We have a duty to tackle climate change,” he added. “A significant part of that commitment is the way homes across the city are heated.”
Air source heat pumps work by sucking in outdoor air and passing it over tubes containing refrigerant fluids, in order to produce heat.
Four neighbouring flats will receive new gas-powered combi boilers, in order to compare their performance with the heat pumps.
John Jackson, of Ideal Heating, said the trial “could have a real impact on the way homes in the city are heated”, as well as reducing bills.
Two problems (at least) with this. Hull City Council can’t “tackle climate change”, whatever it does, and it certainly has no duty, either legal or moral, to try to do so. Secondly, the claims about cost savings are dubious, to say the least. The only saving grace is that the Council possibly realises this, and has had the good sense to run a small pilot project to assess the results, rather than plunging headlong into a huge and possibly disastrous capital spend.
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PS, if the gas-powered combi boilers prove (as I suspect they will) to be better and cheaper than the heat pumps, I wonder if the BBC will report those results?
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The price of gas is a quarter that of electricity in the new July Ofgem price cap. That means any heat pump is going to have to be four times more heat efficient throughout the year – including when it gets very cold – than your average combi gas boiler just to break even. But of course this isn’t a like for like comparison because most heat pumps are unable to deliver piping hot water suitable for baths and showers and they are a lot more expensive to install. Many heat pumps do achieve a COP of 4.0 or more, but only as an average and only for water heated to about 40C. people are not stupid. These are the reasons why heat pumps are not flying off the shelves even with a generous government grant. Now Ofgem has exposed the lies of both parties claiming that they are delivering, or will deliver, cheaper energy bills. In the FT today, even Ofgem has clearly stated that bills are not coming down in the ‘medium term’, i.e. for the foreseeable future, because of the cost of upgrading the grid and subsidising renewables. So heat pumps are going to become even more expensive to run unless the government moves renewables subsidies to gas – and then all hell is going to break loose, I predict, because the majority who rely upon gas for heating and hot water are going to be much worse off in order to pay for the financially better off to install heat pumps.
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Like the pic, smiley salesman looking at a back garden monstrosity in a big cage (take that is just for 1 flat) plus no pics/info on what has to be installed in the flat.
Wonder when the trial begins & ends, bet it’s UK summer, not during UK winter.
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“Council not on track to hit net zero goal – report”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c511g559mevo
Barnsley Council is not “on track” to reduce its carbon emissions, five years after declaring a climate emergency, a report says.
Documents say the authority’s current trajectory means it may not meet targets set in a “net zero” pledge made in 2019.
The aim was for the council to become carbon neutral by 2040 and the town itself five years later.
While progress had been made, the council said it had met challenges “in the absence of clear policy, legislation and funding”….
...A sustainability and climate change team of five is employed by the council to “work through a plan of action” and help them become more sustainable.
Council staff are being trained to increase their understanding of the climate emergency and the impacts of everyday activities on emissions.
The authority said it has had to make “difficult decisions” regarding its budget to ensure the basic needs of residents were met amid the cost of living crisis, meaning the team was operating with “minimal resources“.
The report added: “Due to the departure of staff, movement of key resources into other service areas and absence of central government funding, an appropriate and suitable feasibility and enabling fund to facilitate project development was never identified or allocated.”…
Regarding this:
the council said it had met challenges “in the absence of clear policy, legislation and funding”….
Surely national policy and legislation are both crystal clear. What they appear to mean is that this is going to cost lots of money and they don’t have enough of it.
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“Vegetable oil-fulled bin lorries begin service”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4nnzk1128xo
A fleet of bin lorries fuelled by leftover vegetable oil is being rolled out in part of Nottinghamshire
.Rushcliffe Borough Council said the 21 vehicles run on hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO), which the authority said reduced their carbon dioxide emissions by 90%.
Supermarkets and other suppliers are providing unused oil to power the lorries, the council said.It said it planned to convert other smaller vehicles in its fleet to run on the fuel as part of the authority’s wider aim to become carbon neutral by 2030.
Rob Inglis, the council’s cabinet member for environment and safety, said: “HVO offers a good, reliable transitional arrangement that has not affected the day to day running of our vehicles.
“We are continuing to explore electric vehicles and other alternatives as the technology develops, but further work is needed on charging infrastructure and suitability of electric vehicles due to the cost, range and rural nature of parts of our borough.”
We aren’t told what it is all costing. There was a time when journalists might have thought to ask.
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Some aspects of ULEZ that hadn’t occurred to me:
“Clean air zones: What is the money raised spent on?”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1ej7knvd7vo
England’s clean air zones had raised more than £150m for local authorities by the end of last year, a BBC investigation has found...
…However, detractors say CAZs are penalising those unable to afford to buy lower-emission vehicles.
So what are councils spending the money raised via clean air zones on – and is it benefiting local people?
The Transport Act 2000 requires local authorities in England to reinvest any excess earnings from clean air zones into local transport plans.…
I find this a bit odd in this context:
Bristol City Council estimated that by the end of the 2023/24 financial year, it had invested over £6.6m in repairs and improvements to roads and footpaths…
The claimed justification is that this is “encouraging walking and cycling and reducing traffic congestion.“
Perhaps, perhaps not. I suppose it’s good that roads and footpaths are being repaired, rather than remaining full of potholes, as in much of the country. Then there’s this:
In Bradford, the council has allocated £1.1m to a Clean Air Schools Program, which provides funding to schools to help them implement emission reduction measures on site.
This covers the deployment of wardens to raise awareness of anti-idling outside schools, and projects such as walking buses, bikes, scooters, air filtration systems, and natural green screens that use plants to protect play areas.
Thirty years ago, when I was a school governor, we routinely fought against parents dropping off and collecting their children outside the school gates. Our concern in those days wasn’t the fumes (bad though they were) but the likelihood of accidents involving the children. Nobody had to pay us to be aware of it and to tackle it.
Astonishingly, there’s a section under the heading “breaking even”:
A number of councils have been putting the money raised so far towards the costs of introducing and operating the CAZ schemes.…
…Newcastle City Council, which runs the Newcastle and Gateshead CAZ, raising £2.4m; and Portsmouth City Council, which raised £1.3m, both said the money has been used to cover running costs.…
So motorists are simply funding something that brings no financial benefits to the area at all.
And curiously, there’s all the paraphernalia, which doesn’t sound terribly green:
Local authorities are also reserving money to decommission zones once they are no longer needed – anticipating that drivers will increasingly move to vehicles that won’t be charged.
Deputy leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, Sarah Warren, said that though there is currently no intention to decommission, should the CAZ cease to operate their reserves would cover costs such as the removal of signage, cameras, cabling, ducting, and power supplies, as well as the disabling of software systems.
And to my surprise, the article ends with some criticisms of ULEZ schemes.
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“Council spends £8.2m to reduce its carbon footprint”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c06krde26dgo
West Sussex County Council says it has significantly reduced the carbon footprint of some of its buildings.
The authority has spent £8.2m on new heating and insulation systems at seven libraries, six fire stations and a day centre.
It said this will prevent more than 200 tonnes of carbon being released into the atmosphere each year.…
Wow. Value for money? Hmmm. I bet the local residents are chuffed by their substantial Council tax increase to help pay for this:
https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/politics/council/no-cuts-to-services-but-maximum-council-tax-rise-as-west-sussex-county-council-balances-its-budget-4522298
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“Council to only serve vegan food at future events”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3g923e1m4wo
A council has made what it has described as the “hugely symbolic” move to only serve vegan food at future meetings and catered events.
Calderdale Council in West Yorkshire said the plan was part of a larger food strategy policy for the borough.
The proposal, put forward by the council’s Labour deputy leader Scott Patient, was approved by councillors at a meeting on Wednesday, despite some opposition….
…Calderdale Council has committed to achieving net zero carbon dioxide emissions as a local authority and a borough by 2038.
The authority adopted a climate change emergency policy in 2020, which included a commitment to using plant-based catering.
Mr Patient told the BBC the impact of the policy on the council’s carbon footprint would be “hard to measure”.
It was “more of a statement of intention and a show of leadership”, he said….
Also known as pointless virtue-signalling. I am not a vegetarian or a vegan myself, though I respect people who are. However, just as I think it would be quite wrong to present vegans with a meat or animal-product only menu, I think it’s equally wrong to force veganism on others. In its own small way, it’s another indication of the dictatorial tendencies of climate alarmists.
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It’s not really quite the same thing. I have been to quite a few buffets where the ****ing carnivores go through the vegetarian stuff like a swarm of locusts. Needless to say, when I get to the table and am confronted with ham sandwiches and not much else, I am not best pleased.
Everyone can eat vegan stuff, but not everyone can eat bits of dead animal. However, the difficulty is making the vegan stuff palatable. It can be done.
A more rational and cost-saving move would be not to serve food at council events. It is not part of core services!
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Jit: “Everyone can eat vegan stuff, but not everyone can eat bits of dead animal.” Point taken, but the point remains that I think it’s wrong to force one’s views on others, especially when it won’t achieve it’s stated objective. However, we can probably all agree with this:
A more rational and cost-saving move would be not to serve food at council events. It is not part of core services!
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“Climate change targets to get ‘more difficult'”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv2g0jnx8vdo
Meeting climate change targets in Dorset is likely to become increasingly difficult, according to a new report.
While gains have been made by Dorset Council, many of these were only possible because of multi-million pound government funding, which has now been reduced.
Some areas have already “slipped”, with national greenhouse gas emissions having increased by 6% in what is described as “a post-Covid rebound.”
The council report stated that “the impacts of climate change pose a significant risk to council services and budgets.”…
So it’s cost a lot of money (from central government, i..e taxpayers) and is now going to become difficult. The low-hanging fruit has been picked. And as for this – “the impacts of climate change pose a significant risk to council services and budgets” – what rubbish. First of all climate change poses no threat to Dorset Council at all, but secondly, even if it did, there’s absolutely nothing Dorest Council can do about it.
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“Council installs solar panels in net zero bid”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgrl74n6430o
A council has installed solar panels at one of its offices as part of a bid to reach net zero emissions.
Panels fitted to Cotswold District Council’s Trinity Road base in Cirencester are expected to save the authority about £42,000 per year.…
Sounds great . What’s not to like? Well, rather than cutting and pasting a Council press release, perhaps a discussion of the cost would help readers to assess the wisdom of the investment (remember, it’s always an investment, never a cost). How about this?
“Cotswold District Councils’ proposals to borrow £46.5 million to fund several solar farm projects – branded reckless by Member of Parliament”
https://www.cliftonbrown.co.uk/news/cotswold-district-councils-proposals-borrow-ps465-million-fund-several-solar-farm-projects
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP for the Cotswolds has written to Robert Weaver, Chief Executive of the Cotswolds District Council to bring to his attention the Adjournment Debate he held on 27 April, on the Cotswold District Council’s proposals to borrow £76.5 million to finance investment projects including five solar farm sites for a total of £46.5 million….
OK, so this is two years old, and is about a bigger picture regarding Council spending on solar, but perhaps it offers an insight as to why the BBC didn’t trouble to investigate the cost and the return on capital.
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“Council offers cash for climate change schemes”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6p2y2z0643o
Funding is being offered to charities and voluntary groups to take action against climate change.
Staffordshire County Council has opened the fund for its fifth year, and has handed out more than £267,000 to 290 non-profit groups over the duration of the scheme.
This year it is offering a further £93,000 which groups can apply for a share of.
The council is committed to a target of zero carbon emissions by 2050, said deputy leader Philip White.
“We hugely value the contribution that community groups can make locally to delivering this goal and I’m delighted to have this scheme running for its fifth year,” he said.
The BBC doesn’t tell us what the money has been spent on to date, but I’m pretty confident that the net effect with regard to climate change will be absolutely zero. Meanwhile, as of six weeks ago:
“Report reveals Staffordshire County Council budget overspend”
https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2024/06/19/report-reveals-staffordshire-county-council-budget-overspend/
Staffordshire County Council overspent its budget by nearly £4million last year – largely due to high demand for children’s services.
The authority spent a total of £700.4million on its services in 2023-24, which was £3.8million more than it expected….
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This time it’s not money, but is instead about the cost in terms of the impact on people’s lives:
“‘Our streets are being used as a free car park'”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c51ye79wn79o
Residents of a new housing development in Glasgow say their streets are being taken over by people using it as a “free car park”.
Homeowners on the Northbridge estate in Sighthill say they struggle to park their cars due to people leaving their vehicles in the area to avoid high parking charges and the low emission zone (LEZ) in the city centre.
The estate is part of a scheme which includes the Sighthill Bridge over the M8 and is designed to ease pedestrian and cyclist access to the city centre.
However, the scheme has attracted city centre workers and students keen to avoid the city centre charges….
...He said there had been incidents of disabled people not being able to access their homes and people being blocked in by other cars.
“Police say parking is a council issue and then the council say they don’t have the resources,” he said.
“There are zero parking restrictions and the council say it is a priority area since its right by the LEZ, but in the meantime people are using it as a free car park for the city centre.
“They park on the drop kerbs and on the pavements, which is illegal, and I’ve fallen twice because of it.
“My dog’s nearly been knocked down twice because you’re always coming out between cars and you can’t see what’s coming.”…
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“Quicker action needed on climate, says council expert”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn49922492po
Bristol needs quicker action on climate according to a council expert who warns the city could miss its net zero targets.
The city council is aiming to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030, in a bid to tackle climate change.
City Leap, a deal between the council and two companies, will play a key role in hitting net zero including by expanding the heat network.
The council’s sustainable city and climate change manager Alex Minshull said: “It needs the money, the national policy, the public engagement and democratic support for the measures needed to do it.”...
…City Leap aims to deliver at least £424m, external into low carbon energy infrastructure over the next five years….[No doubt that’s an investment, not a cost].
...But Liberal Democrat councillor Tim Kent said: “We saw that the lockdown only reduced carbon emissions by 20%, so we know there’s a substantial amount of work to do.
“If the 2030 goal is not hittable, then we should be honest about that now.
“I hope that we still can do that as a city, that’s what we committed to do. But that was six years ago, and I’m aware we only have six years left.”
At last, some reality dawns. The 2030 goal almost certainly can’t be hit. But even if it can be and is hit, then what? A lot of money will have been spent that could have been spent elsewhere (or saved) and the difference to the climate will be what, exactly?
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“Row after Extinction Rebellion handed money to host ‘climate cafe’”
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/24568603.row-extinction-rebellion-handed-money-host-climate-cafe/
Calls have been made to stop council funding which supports a monthly “climate cafe” run by pressure group Extinction Rebellion.
Conservative leaders in Bolton have said council tax payers in the borough should have to fund their activities.
The café, which is open to all, has been run by the Bolton branch of Extinction Rebellion (XR) at the Albert Halls since September last year.
The events have recently been boosted by an award of £1,134 from the council’s Queens Park and Central ward’s area working budget, a fund distributed by ward councillors for community initiatives and events….
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“‘Climate change goal will be met by 2030′”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyvpvr180zeo
Carbon emissions have been cut by 61% since a climate emergency was declared five years ago, a council said.
Telford and Wrekin Council set a target for its operations to become carbon neutral by 2030 and said it was “on track” to meet that goal.
It said it had also given out almost £350,000 to support community projects seeking greater energy efficiency.
The councillor responsible for neighbourhoods, planning and sustainability, Carolyn Healy, said addressing climate change was one of the council’s top priorities.
As a result of its efforts, the council had cut its energy bills, leaving more money to be spent elsewhere, it said.
Heat pumps and insulation around the pool and roof at Oakengates Leisure Centre was an example of its efforts.
It was also encouraging walking and cycling, installing electric vehicle charging points, using LED bulbs in street lights and putting solar panels into homes.
The council has organised a conference for partners in its Climate Change Borough Partnership, to share ideas, in October.
An extraordinarily poor piece, IMO, that amounts to little more than cutting and pasting a Council press release. Why was Councillor Healy not asked what measurable impact the Council’s efforts have had in “addressing climate change”? Why was she not asked why it was one of the Council’s top priorities, given that nothing the Council does can influence in the slightest, let alone address, climate change? Why are we not told how much the Council has spent in total on this policy? Why are we not told how much the claimed savings represent, and whether or not they offer a reasonable return on that cost (sorry, investment)? Why was she not asked why this remains a priority given cuts elsewhere in the Council budget?:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dv084v9jjo
Councillors in Telford have pledged to protect front-line services as they approved £17.5m savings as part of the latest budget plans.
Council tax is set to rise by 4.99% from April, which means about an extra £100 a year, depending on parish, for those living in a Band D property.
The authority said it expected to reduce staff numbers through a recruitment freeze, and cut the frequency of some services like grass cutting.
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4.99% is the new 49.9 MW. That’s the level of Council Tax rise above which a referendum is required.
There are shenanigans relating to this rise, which I would love to go into in painstaking detail; however, it’s not really Cliscep material. Suffice it to say, I urge Clisceppers to check their Council Tax bills, and scrutinise them for any not-so-subtle anomalies.
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Mark – thanks for that Bolton News link. Some of the top comments below (all negative) made me chuckle –
“Ttcmu 7th September 10:22 – It would be fun to block all the doors for a couple of hours so they miss their meeting. Because of one of their protests a friend of mine missed a holiday flight from Heathrow, he would love to disrupt their coffee morning.”
“mark hall 7th September 9:13 – Stop giving them my money! Let them meet in a public park and take their own flasks and sandwiches.”
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“More Green Waste as Council Confirms it is Not Monitoring Eco-Housing Pilot Scheme”
https://dailysceptic.org/2024/09/23/more-green-waste-as-council-confirms-it-is-not-monitoring-eco-housing-pilot-scheme/
...Eight houses in Abbey Road, Fartown, Huddersfield were given heat pumps instead of gas boilers, plus insulation, triple-glazed windows and solar panels.
The Daily Mail reported the then-Opposition leader’s 2022 Conference speech praising the scheme, which Kirklees Council originally estimated would cost about £60,000 per house and save up to £350 on annual energy bills (so take at least 172 years to pay for itself).
Kirklees said it “would be monitoring the performance of the properties to inform future schemes we carry out”. As the Mail reported, retrofitting the nation’s 1.6 million council-owned homes in this way would cost £96 billion (tens of billions here, tens of billions there, soon you’re talking serious money…).
So would that be worth doing? The council just answered an FOI request about its Abbey Road scheme:
Fuel savings per house (i.e., comparison of current bills with previous ones)? “We do not have information to make a reliable comparison and this is our residents [sic] sensitive information.” The “monitoring” hasn’t happened....
Cost per house? “We do not have an accurate cost per property to provide this information”
What sort of solar panels? “Four properties had photovoltaics fitted and four properties had solar thermal fitted.” So, four sets of panels to generate electricity and four to heat water (though not the house whose roof they’re on) – if the sun’s shining. And Kirklees can’t compare one type with the other because:
Fuel savings per house (i.e., comparison of current bills with previous ones)? “We do not have information to make a reliable comparison and this is our residents [sic] sensitive information.” The “monitoring” hasn’t happened.…
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“Hydrogen-powered bus fleet hits the streets”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg21243jz9o
Another 34 hydrogen powered buses will soon be operating across Surrey.
The 23 single-decker and 11 double-decker buses have a range of 600 miles, and produce no emissions.…
...They join 20 hydrogen buses which were introduced in Horley, Gatwick and Crawley, West Sussex, in 2023.
Surrey County Council (SCC) has invested £16m in the buses, which are operated by Metrobus and UK-built.
Ed Wills, managing director at Metrobus, said: “This is an excellent example of partnership working where together we can make zero emissions a sustainable reality today for the communities we serve.“
Matt Furniss, SCC’s cabinet member for highways, transport and economic growth, said the council had invested £6.3m in more ultra-low and zero emission community transport minibuses, £9m in bus priority measures “to ensure buses turn up on time”, and £1.4m on “improving information for passengers at bus stops”.
As so often, the taxpayer pays, the private business gains. Metrobus is the trading name of Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company Ltd 2024 (registered in England 00307468)
Registered Office: 3rd Floor, 41-45 Grey Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6EE.
Meanwhile, this is Surrey County Council:
“Taxpayers asked to help plan county’s budget”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz6wp842x4zo
A council has asked people who pay council tax to contribute ideas to help the authority balance its books for the financial year 2025/26.
Surrey County Council is running an online public consultation, external until 30 September.
It said rising costs and demand had created “huge challenges“….
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“One in four English councils ‘may seek bankruptcy bailout in next two years’
Survey finds one in 10 have discussed emergency support with government amid funding gap of over £2bn next year”
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/oct/22/councils-england-bankruptcy-bailouts-local-government-association-survey
I have a lot of sympathy with local authorities, which face ever more responsibilities being placed on them by Parliament, without appropriate increases in funding to pay for those responsibilities. However, they could very easily help themselves by ditching the net zero/climate crisis nonsense. Nothing any Council in the UK does can make the slightest difference to the climate, even assuming the state of the climate is an issue (it isn’t, IMO). If local authorities are in financial trouble, the first costs to be ditched should be those that are unnecessary and which won’t achieve their stated objective. It’s not rocket science.
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Mark, you may be interested in these facts uncovered by independent councillors in my district:
https://the-progressive-independents.webnode.co.uk/some-numbers-for-you-to-consider/
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Boris,
Many thanks for the link. The cost of climate change officers and their ilk is a direct and obvious cost. However, it’s probably just scratching the surface of their budgets and the money they spend (or waste, depending on one’s point of view) on trying to “save the planet”/”deal with” the “climate crisis” (sic).
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Hi Mark, I made my previous comment before reading all of your great post. It is most reassuring to find that someone else has figured out what is going on in this great ’emergency’ conspiracy amongst councils. I have written my own commentary on this at https://cw50b.wordpress.com/fodnetzero/climate-emergencies/ and https://cw50b.wordpress.com/fodnetzero/un-agenda-2030/ but I cannot express it better than Herbert Hoover:
“Every collectivist revolution rides in on a Trojan horse of ’emergency’. It was the tactic of Lenin, Hitler, and Mussolini. In the collectivist sweep over a dozen minor countries of Europe, it was the cry of men striving to get on horseback. And ’emergency’ became the justification of the subsequent steps. This technique of creating emergency is the greatest achievement that demagoguery attains.”
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Hi Boris,
Apologies for the fact that WordPress has taken against you and consigned your comment to spam. I have just discovered it lurking there and set it free.
We are on the same page regarding the use of emergency claims:
https://cliscep.com/2022/07/30/the-power-of-emergency/
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Hi Boris – good to hear your efforts are spread to a wider readership. Liked your link – Forest of Dean Net Zero – CW50B
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Mark – only £24m, chicken feed, no wonder nobody will be held to account for reckless waste of taxpayers money.
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dfhunter, sadly that’s true, but £24M here and there soon adds up to an enormous sum. It’s out of control now, and I don’t believe anyone in a position of authority has a clue how much has been, and continues to be, wasted on all this nonsense. Tories should be bothered about waste of money, and Labour politicians should be angry that every penny wasted in this way isn’t available to help the poorest in society, but neither seem to care.
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“Reeves in radical pension shake up to boost growth”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gve4d8jljo
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is planning what she calls the “biggest pension reform in decades” in an attempt to boost growth.
The government wants to merge the UK’s 86 council pension schemes into a handful of “pension megafunds”.
It is hoped the changes will lead to billions of pounds being invested in the UK in areas such as energy infrastructure, tech start-ups and public services….
But the concluding section mirrors my initial thoughts:
…Some have argued that the changes could put savers’ money at risk.
“Conflating a government goal of driving investment in the UK and people’s retirement outcomes brings a danger because the risks are all taken with members’ money,” said Tom Selby, director of public policy at investment platform AJ Bell.
He said the current system encourages trustees to deliver “the highest possible income in retirement for members” rather than focus on UK-wide economic growth.
This sometimes means investing in things like US stocks and shunning the UK investment which the government is keen on.
And though bigger funds can mean bigger rewards, they can also mean bigger risks, with Canadian pension fund the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System being the largest investor in troubled Thames Water.
Others say there is a risk that larger funds struggle to find enough big UK projects to invest in.
“Large funds need substantial, reliable projects to generate returns, but the market may struggle to offer enough of these opportunities, especially in the infrastructure sector,” said Jon Greer, head of retirement policy at wealth manager Quilter.
He added that if “too much money chases too few viable investments” funds might be forced into “riskier” investments.
Shadow chancellor Mel Stride said the Conservatives “will be looking closely at the detail of what Rachel Reeves sets out – particularly regarding the mandating of where investments are to be made”.
The BBC has opened this up to a Have Your Say – comments are by and large sceptical and hostile.
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“Coroner’s court goes green in carbon neutral plan”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz6j6652y4po
Solar panels have been installed on the roof of a coroner’s court as part of plans to reduce carbon emissions.
The 220 panels on Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court, have been installed in line with Gloucestershire County Council’s aims to become carbon neutral by 2045.
Around £21,000 of electricity a year will be produced by the solar PV system.
Council leader Stephen Davies said he hopes more people will be “encouraged” to install solar panels on their homes and businesses.
To deliver the project the council secured Salix funding from the UK Government, an initiative designed to provide funding to public sector organisations to improve energy efficiency.
Mr Davies said: “Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court is the first purpose-built coroner’s building in England and Wales to benefit from a solar panel installation, which shows our commitment to investing in low carbon energy.
“I hope more people will be encouraged to install solar panels on their homes and businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and to help create a greener future.”….
Meanwhile:
“Mums say delays to inquests an ‘act of cruelty'”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg2vz4r2x9o
Two bereaved mothers have said waiting years for their daughters’ inquests is unacceptable and has been an “act of cruelty” against them.
BBC analysis of Ministry of Justice figures found that the number of families in England and Wales waiting for an inquest for more than two years has more than tripled since 2018.
Gina Schiraldi, from Taunton, said waiting five years for her 19-year-old daughter’s inquest left her in constant “limbo”, while Joanna Davis, from Cheltenham, said waiting six years for her 22-year-old daughter’s inquest meant she could not process her death….
…The Coroners (Inquests) Rules 2013 stipulate a six-month timeline for the completion of an inquest. Yet a BBC investigation has found that in the West of England – Bristol, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire – nearly half of all inquests opened in 2023 took longer to conclude.…
…”It’s a system that is in great need of much better investment and prioritisation.”….
It’s so good to know that they have their funding priorities straight.
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“Bowls club receives funding grant for solar panels”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1wjr0yxzd7o
A bowls club has received £75,000 of funding from their local council, which will be put towards investing in solar panels.
Sevenoaks Bowls Club, which received the money from Sevenoaks District Council, said the panels will save it over £24,000 a year in energy bills.
This will allow it to invest in more community activities, as well as a reduction of 33 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
The money has been awarded from funding raised by the council’s Community Infrastructure Levy, a charge collected from home builders on new developments in the district.
The club has also been granted a further £20,000 from the West Kent Rural Grant scheme for the project.
The club has also received additional money from Sevenoaks Town Council and other organisations, as well as holding its own fundraising events.
Julia Thornton, Sevenoaks District Council cabinet member for development, said: “We are committed to supporting the district to reduce its carbon footprint, as well as projects that support the health and wellbeing of our residents.
“We are delighted to be able to provide this substantial grant to Sevenoaks Indoor Bowls Club to reduce its carbon footprint and energy running costs.”
Meanwhile:
“Help us oppose Citizens Advice funding cutsWe are campaigning to reverse proposed ‘drastic’ cuts to vital services in Edenbridge & Westerham, Sevenoaks and Swanley – and need your help”
https://www.sevenoakslibdems.org.uk/campaigns/oppose-cuts-to-citizens-advice-centres
The three local Citizens Advice (CA) offices face reduced opening hours because of council cuts of more than a third that have been put forward without any consultation.
The cuts have been proposed despite demand for CA services increasing by 14 per cent last year, as people continue to struggle with the pressures of rising costs of living.
The £35,000 reduction – affecting Edenbridge & Westerham, Sevenoaks and Swanley CA offices – was agreed by Sevenoaks District Council (SDC) Cabinet at its meeting in January. There was no consultation with either councillors or Citizens Advice in advance….
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Spot the emission in this article (with its misleading headline):
“Recycling in Herefordshire goes electric”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqjzr4yk70ko
The misleading headline suggests to an innocent fly-by reader that all (or most) recycling vehicles in Herefordshire are now electric. In reality:
Herefordshire’s first all-electric recycling collection vehicles (RCVs) will be taking to the county’s roads this month.
The two electric RCVs are part of a fleet of 28 new vehicles which Herefordshire Council has bought under its new recycling and waste collection services contract….
It’s all about the council’s net zero targets. The BBC has declined to find out (or if it has found out, it declines to let us know) how much these new vehicles have cost, and whether they are more expensive than the existing ICE vehicles. A positive spin is put on their range limitations:
…The council said the electric RCVs would serve residents and businesses near their charging point at the Ross Road depot in Hereford.
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Mark – had to goggle “Salix funding” as It’s a new name to me. From the website I found –
“We are a non-departmental public body, wholly owned by the UK government. We administer funds on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales and the Scottish Funding Council.”
Our Governance | Salix Finance
“How we make decisions – The Framework Agreement and Delegated Authority that governs the relationship and responsibilities of the parties agreed between Salix and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is dated 30 September 2020 and appears below (since 7 February 2023, our sponsoring government department changed from Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero).
The CEO of Salix is the Accounting Officer for Salix. The Accounting Officer is required to formulate the Board’s strategy and is accountable to Parliament in respect of the handling and use of public funds. Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (formerly the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) sends a representative to directors’ meetings who acts as an observer and does not vote.”
So they are “accountable to Parliament in respect of the handling and use of public funds” but –
“Department for Energy Security and Net Zero sends a representative to directors’ meetings who acts as an observer and does not vote.”
What another nice little earner for those employed/subcontracted to dole out taxpayers money as they see fit.
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dfhunter, that’s a good find. The likes of the Guardian endlessly bemoan “Big Oil” and its supposedly pernicious influence, but there is definitely a “Big Green” (or Big Wind, or the Blob) with vested interests aplenty with equal, or perhaps greater, influence. There is now a Climate Industrial Complex, and it is pulling all the strings, usually behind the scenes. Probably not one person in 100,000 in the UK has even heard of Salix – I certainly hadn’t.
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I’m going O/T here, but since we’re talking about the Green Blob:
“Commission tells NGOs EU money is not for lobbying
A €5.4 billion fund for green projects can no longer be spent on lobbying, says Commission.”
https://www.politico.eu/article/european-commission-ngos-lobbying-environmental-advocacy-green-funds-life-program/
The EU is all for environmental advocacy. It just doesn’t want to pay for it anymore.
The European Commission has told environmental NGOs that the money they receive from the EU’s green funds pot can no longer be used for advocacy and lobbying work, according to three letters seen by POLITICO, one of which can be read here.
The Commission’s move is the latest in a series of decisions that echo anti-green campaign promises from the center-right European People’s Party during the EU election, including lowering the protection status of wolves, delaying the entry into force of the new anti-deforestation rules and a plan to simplify sustainability reporting obligations for companies. All these ideas were in the EPP campaign manifesto.
The letters — sent by the Commission agency in charge of green deal project, CINEA — refer to grant money from the EU’s environmental project fund known as LIFE, which earmarks €5.4 billion of funding between 2021 and 2027. Recipients include big names like WWF, Friends of the Earth, and ClientEarth, as well as many smaller charities.
According to one of the letters, active lobbying activities that target EU officials and institutions — previously considered acceptable — would no longer be eligible for funding….
Perhaps I should have posted that here:
https://cliscep.com/2022/03/29/biting-the-hand-that-feeds-you/
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Presumably they’ll just label another cash stream as that funding the lobbying, and carry on as they are? Unless funding of entities that engage in lobbying is stopped, nothing will change. And even if they did that, no doubt the NGOs will just split themselves into different entities that have the same employees.
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“Plans to tackle climate change in city approved”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3e38zv9lzno
Plans to tackle climate change and other environmental issues in Coventry have been given the green light after the approval of a six-year strategy.
There are more than 150 projects to help the city reach net zero by 2050, and also boost nature, cut waste and cope with extreme weather.
But the council acknowledged of its strategy that not everyone was concerned about climate change or sustainability, with almost a fifth of people responding to plans last year taking this view.
Some said they were more worried about the cost of living, with other comments reflecting “some cynicism”….
….Council papers also state the city must find “significant” cash to pay for the strategy’s ambitions....[my emphasis]. Meanwhile, the BBC reported as follows just three days ago:
“Council tax rise and fewer events as £14m cuts loom”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crlngl4djggo
Coventry City Council is proposing to make cuts of almost £14m next year but has ruled out declaring itself effectively bankrupt.
The Labour-run council said stark savings were necessary to plug a net budget gap of £10.8m next year....
…The council has previously warned it was at risk of a section 114 notice, effectively declaring itself bankrupt.…
...In a report ahead of its next budget, the council has pencilled in cuts of about £44m over the next three financial years.
It recommends increasing council tax in Coventry by the maximum of 5%.
The council will consult residents on its proposals to cut services by almost £9m in the 2025/26 financial year.…
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Mark – at least they are proactive & above board about spending cuts, from your link –
“The council will consult residents on its proposals to cut services by almost £9m in the 2025/26 financial year.”
“To help drive down costs and communicate with residents, the council is hiring two new directors on salaries up to £130,000.
When asked if this was a wise use of the council’s resources, Duggins said: “I think it is. “Every organisation needs to look to see where it has weaknesses.”
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dfh, they could have appointed me for a lot less than £130,000 p.a. and I could point out one of their core weaknesses very quickly, as well as saving them a lot of money in the process!
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Mark – from the link in my comment –
“In the email, Ms Nugent highlighted the council’s financial challenges in stark terms, telling staff “we have to address this”. She said recruiting two new directors “might seem counter-intuitive given the financial context, but these roles are essential to our long-term efficiency and corporate control”.
“Importantly, they will not place any additional pressure on our budgets as they are funded through the departure of previous members of the leadership team,” she said.”
So the departed “leadership team” (no mention of how many & why they have “departed”) salary covers the 2 incoming “leadership team”.
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dfh,
At the risk of upsetting any watching public sector workers, I venture to suggest that’s the difference between the public and private sectors. I once worked for a Cumbrian company that was badly hit by the foot and mouth outbreak over 20 years ago, with the result that profits were sharply down, and economies were essential. Every manager was tasked with working out where savings could temporarily – until things picked up – be made with regard to expenditure that was not immediately essential. Staff members were also asked for ideas, and they rose to the challenge. They were painfully aware that the company’s very survival – and thus their jobs – were on the line. The cuts were made, the company weathered the storm, the local economy recovered when foot and mouth was over, and the cuts were reinstated – to the extent that the expenditure was useful (some cuts remained, as it was discovered that the expenditure hadn’t been essential). The idea that we would have taken on two highly paid directors to identify the cuts would have been laughed out of court.
Of course, I understand the argument that a fresh pair of eyes can see opportunities that long-serving managers might miss, but really, if management is any good, it shouldn’t need new people to identify what can safely be cut. And one luxury that ought to be cut from council spending is net zero expenditure. However, that’s the last thing that will face the chop.
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The usual shoddy propaganda from the BBC:
“Funding secured for council’s climate change plans”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2vmv2j34do
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council said it has secured funding from the Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund for its Climate Change Action Plan.
The council has recently installed solar panels on the roof of Bourne Hall, which it said would help it reach its target of being “carbon neutral” by 2035.
The authority said Bourne Hall used the most energy of all its buildings and the solar panels would cover 25% of the site’s electricity usage and save more than nine tonnes of carbon a year.
The panels would also save Bourne Hall around £15,000 per year, said the council, which could then be invested back into services for the community….
The projected annual savings, even assuming they are accurate, need to be put in context so that readers can assess their significance. The context, of course, is what was the capital cost? Only once that is known, can an assessment be made of the wisdom of the investment and as to whether it represents value for money or is a waste of money. As is by now usual, the BBC doesn’t seem that to be important.
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This is Labour’s idea of English ‘devolution’ – the creation of combined super-authorities obsessed with imposing austerity Net Zero policies on local residents with no mandate, whilst not creating a separate English parliament! Disgraceful. And it looks like Labour are going to use this English ‘devolution’ process as an excuse to cancel the May council elections where Reform are expected to surge at the expense of Labour and the Cons. Meanwhile, Harriet Harperson goes on telly accusing Reform of destroying democracy!
https://x.com/YNYCombined/status/1868642232510669311
The eco-fascist totalitarians are not pretending to be nice anymore. This is a naked assault upon the English people and upon local and national democracy.
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“Tidal power plan nearly at an end, councillors say”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c80vp28vdx5o
A controversial tidal energy plan appears to be close to coming to an end after its planning permission expired, councillors have said.
Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre (PTEC) had proposed an array of underwater turbines supplying enough power for a third of the homes on the Isle of Wight.
The island council, which has an outstanding £1m loan to the firm [my emphasis], said Monday was the deadline for starting shore works within three years of planning permission being granted.
PTEC has not yet provided any comment to the BBC.
The firm began work on an initial 30MW demonstration project south of the Isle of Wight in 2012.
However, it previously said it had been “forced into hibernation” after failing to win government contracts….
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“Renewables help council scoop climate change award”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx26p2y52klo
A council which has cut its annual carbon footprint by 50,000 tonnes over 15 years has won an environmental award.
Durham County Council scooped the Best Carbon Reduction prize at the Investors in Environment Awards for its efforts.
Much of its reduction is down to the use of green technology such as wind turbines, solar panels and battery storage.
Councillor Mark Wilkes said the council’s green projects allowed it to “save money and save carbon”.
A large part of the reduction has been achieved by switching its buildings to renewable energy, some of which is produced using the council’s own infrastructure.
“A lot of our schools, depots, leisure centres are switching over to air source heat pumps,” said Wilkes.
“We are installing solar panels on to the roofs of our buildings and we have wind turbines going in at one of our depots down in Peterlee.”...
That would be this Durham County Council:
“Council warns of ‘severe cuts’ amid funding fears”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lnqxjd3wo
A council has warned of “severe cuts” if it does not receive more funding.
Growing financial pressure on Durham County Council means it needs to find about £22m in funding or cuts next year to balance its budget.
Leader Amanda Hopgood said there was “little cause for optimism” for an increase in funding.
The government said it would “get councils back on their feet” by a range of measures, including the ending of competitive bids for funding.
Durham County Council faces a £64.1m shortfall over the next four years – a higher amount than previously forecast due to growing budget pressures, primarily in children’s social care and home-to-school transport.…
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“Council barred from buying energy from community groups”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg4zw3rz7g4o
It’s an interesting read, but this is the paragraph that leaped out of the page at me:
…Ameresco is an American firm hired by the council in a £424m deal known as Bristol City Leap in 2022 to orchestrate the council’s transition away from fossil fuels….
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“Oxfordshire County Council to go beyond net zero targe”
https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/24802997.oxfordshire-county-council-go-beyond-net-zero-target/
Oxfordshire County Council has become the first local authority in the UK to set a target of going beyond net zero by removing carbon emissions from the atmosphere.
The council’s cabinet committed itself to extending the current carbon neutral target for its own estate and moving into carbon dioxide removal on Tuesday, December 17.
Councillor Dr Pete Sudbury, deputy leader of Oxfordshire County Council with responsibility for climate change, environment, and future generations, said: “Even when the UK signed up for net zero in 2019, we knew that wouldn’t be enough.
“Since then, things have got a lot worse, as we can see almost every day on screens or in our real lives.”
He added: “The uncomfortable reality is that negative emissions – actively removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – are the last throw of the dice, as we struggle to control the escalating damage from extreme weather, but the supply chains aren’t growing nearly fast enough.
“Alongside aggressive action to end the burning of fossil fuels, building those supply chains in time is a ‘do not fail’, and starting now with small investments makes a big difference in the next 10 years.
“Today’s decision marks a point where we, in Oxfordshire, take a leadership role in this area.”
No mention of what this will cost, nor of the futility of a Council thinking it can change the climate. Comments aren’t going well, however, with most being along these lines:
Can you concentrate on the traffic first please.
Plus maintain drains and gullies , fix the thousands of potholes, subsided kerbs. trim back trees across pavements and at junctions and sort out all the stupid LED street lamps on all day long, wasting energy. Plus empty street bins more regular than once a fortnight. Plus another 500 jobs they can’t be bothered to do.
All quite mad. At a time of stringent budgets Oxford takes on the sins of the world.
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The people of Oxfordshire get the politicians they deserve. Hopefully the damage this one can do will be limited.
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Ben Pile has written about the latest madness on the Daily Sceptic site:
https://dailysceptic.org/2025/01/01/oxfords-continued-descent-into-green-hell/
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Mark/Jit – out of curiosity, I googled Councillor Dr Pete Sudbury – Cllr Dr Pete Sudbury – Deputy Leader | Climate, Environment, Future Generations – Oxfordshire County Council | LinkedIn
The “About” section tells you all you need to know about him. Just a few examples –
“>Climate impacts central to all Council activities and decisions.”
“Green Activist. Chairman, Pythagoras Health. Investor /Advisor, The Birch Syrup Company, The Woolly Pig Company. Startup Investor in UNDO Climate.”
“Retired NHS consultant psychiatrist.
12y as Medical Director
o Thought leadership and innovation of local and national significance
o Promotion of science and evidence”
It also links to 2 articles he has written, so I had a quick look at “Mini Ice Age”? well, not really! from 2018.
To be fair it seems a OK piece as far as consensus climate science goes, with a nice NASA graph.
https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/v2/C4D12AQHh_NP4oRoyYQ/article-inline_image-shrink_400_744/article-inline_image-shrink_400_744/0/1520211163450?e=1741219200&v=beta&t=vTb1PcSqEZT5rR-BMJUElIx0L3V0Uo11JpaUFY6IlDs
But I had to chuckle at his concluding sentences –
“The next bit is pretty obvious: even if the possible solar minimum from 2020–2050 is as severe as the one in the “little ice age”, it won’t even get global temperature back to where it was in 2000, never mind 1650. In fact, the cooling due to reduced solar output will be significantly offset by the continuing warming from anthropogenic emissions (around 0.1 degree per decade). There may be a welcome “pause” or slowing in the temperature rise, giving us perhaps an extra decade or two to switch to sustainable sources of power, carbon-sequestering agriculture, etc. before the heat comes back on.
So don’t have nightmares, and don’t worry too much about whether you’ll need a bigger heating system.”
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MikeH – Ben may have made similar points to mine, but paywalled for me.
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“Waste bin lorries to be powered by vegetable oil”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxdz4npznjo
I’m not sure that this is a good idea, but the reason behind it is interesting:
A Kent council’s entire fleet of vehicles, including its household waste collection HGVs, is to be converted to run on low-emission renewable fuel.
Gravesham Borough Council’s fleet is made up of 134 vans, of which 18 are already electric vehicles, and 24 HGVs.
The HGVs consume about 320,000 litres of diesel per year, which makes up 22.4% of the authority’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The council said the cost of electrifying the remainder of the fleet would be an unaffordable £12m, so the majority will soon be powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO)….[my emphasis].
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“First passengers on city’s electric-powered buses”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg8vy677l4o
Passengers have returned to electric-powered travel after 70 years with the arrival of a city’s fleet of battery-operated buses.
Twenty single-decker vehicles are entering service at Stagecoach North East’s depot in Sunderland.
The new buses will run on the E1, E2 and E6 routes between Wearside and South Shields, replacing older and less environmentally-friendly vehicles....
This is one of the less mad schemes on the go, but two observations. First, the buses were made in China, so the claim that they are more environmentally-friendly is somewhat dubious – made with energy generated by coal-fired power stations, all those raw earth minerals in the batteries, then the carbon footprint associated with transporting them half-way round the planet. What about UK jobs, too? Then there’s the cost:
…The North East Combined Authority said it had used part of a £19.5m pot of money to fund the vehicles and make public transport more environmentally-friendly.
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“Net zero carbon roadmap to 2030 agreed by council”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gprn6evzzo
A city council has agreed a roadmap to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
Peterborough City Council signed off on the report, which lays out ways it could further reduce its own emissions, but stops short of allocating funding.
It was welcomed by most councillors, but described as “woke nonsense” by the leader of the council’s Conservative group.
The council unanimously declared a climate emergency in 2019, when it also committed to its 2030 target....
That would be this Peterborough Council:
“‘Library closures could create cultural desert'”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgmy89ny21po
The closure of libraries as part of budget cuts could turn a city into a “cultural desert”, a local politician said.
On Saturday, campaigners fighting to save under-threat Woodston Library in Peterborough invited all city councillors and the local North-West Cambridgeshire MP to attend a community event and see how “important” the venue was before any decision was made to shut it.
The library, on Orchard Street, is at risk of closure after the council announced budget cuts…
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I hope there’s very little in this. If it really is a thing, then maybe things are worse in France than they are in the UK:
“Why Are French Councils Spending Thousands Training Psychics to Ask Nearby Animals and Plants Their Opinions About Local Planning Issues?”
https://dailysceptic.org/2025/02/17/why-are-french-councils-spending-thousands-training-psychics-to-ask-nearby-animals-and-plants-their-opinions-about-local-planning-issues/
If Elon Musk thought he had his work cut out slashing government waste over in America with his new Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE), he should think himself lucky he hasn’t taken on a similar role over in France. Here, unnecessary bureaucratic largesse is so great that local authorities have recently been ordered to eliminate some €2.2 billion in public spending – despite which, several hard-Left ones have continued to splurge taxpayer cash on the distinctly unnecessary cause of paying for training courses to facilitate psychic communication between plants, animals and certain lucky local humanoids securely employed on council payrolls.
Lyon council, which is dominated by the Green Ecologists Party, paid out €3,000 last year for 20 of its staff to attend a workshop upon “dialogue with living things” held by an outlet called LICHEN – Laboratoire des Interdépendances Concernant les Humaines Et Non-humaines (Laboratory Concerning the Interdependence Between Humans and Non-Humans). Despite Paris-mandated spending cuts, several other French councils are soon due to follow suit.…
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Very poor reporting from the BBC, as the article fails to make it clear how many schools will ultimately receive solar panels as part of this £2M spend, and what savings are anticipated. Unless it’s a total of, say £80,000 p.a., it’s not remotely worth it, as that would represent only a 4% p.a. return on a capital, and the capital – if the article is to be believed – needs to be amortised over just 20 years. Allowing for the amortisation, then, it suggests that savings of at least £180,000 p.a. would be necessary for this to be a borderline break-even project.
“Six schools to get solar panels in £2m rollout”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceqjx0gyrywo
Solar panels are set to be installed in primary schools as part of a £2m rollout.
Six schools across Gloucestershire will save an average of £4360 on their energy bills after they were selected following a pilot scheme.
“Solar panels offer significant energy savings for schools and provide an opportunity for pupils to learn about renewable energy,” said council leader Stephen Davies.
The panels are expected to last for 20 years with maintenance and will be installed in stages between March 2025 and March 2027.….
...The council committed to creating a carbon neutral county by 2045, reducing emissions by 80 per cent by 2030.
Mr Davies, leader of the council, said: “This is part of our ongoing commitment to solar power in the county, and brings cost-saving, cleaner, greener energy to schools across Gloucestershire.
“I am thrilled that our schools are contributing to a more sustainable future” he added.
Unfortunately, real cost savings aren’t at all apparent from the article.
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“Almost half of England’s councils ‘could face bankruptcy over £4.6bn deficit’
Damning National Audit Office report says action is needed to address deficit accumulated under Tory-era policy”
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/feb/28/almost-half-of-englands-councils-could-face-bankruptcy-over-deficit
The article doesn’t provide a link to the NAO report, nor does it discuss how much local authorities spend on their net zero virtue-signalling. I would like to know how much it is. I’m far from saying that it alone is responsible for their financial difficulties, but I imagine they’d be in a better financial position if they hadn’t so performatively gone down the net zero road.
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“Museums get cash for climate change activities”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgeqw601eyo
Funding for activities designed to provoke discussions about climate change and the planet has been awarded to museums in Herefordshire.
Two awards of £3,000 and £2,000 will be spent on activities that engage people and encourage them to join in the conversation about the “huge effects” of climate change and people’s “impact on our natural world”, Damian Etheraads said.
The museum and art gallery lead at Herefordshire Council said competition for the grants was extremely tough and staff were “thrilled”….
It’s not megabucks, I’ll grant you, but it’s yet another non-safe space, somewhere you can no longer go to avoid being bombarded with propaganda. And it’s money the COuncil can’t afford. With this approach to spending money, no wonder we see headlines such as this:
“Herefordshire Council spent nearly £9 million over budget”
https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/24327075.herefordshire-council-spent-nearly-9-million-budget/
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Mark, the second publicly funded project mentioned in that Beeb article is about transporting crappy cardboard-skinned animal puppets ~20,000 km from Kinshasha to Trondheim. Along the way, the puppets will ‘invade city centres’ to raise awareness of climate change.
The stunt has received a £250k Arts Council grant plus godnose how much else from its many other funders. Its celeb supporters (‘ambassadors’) include George Monbiot, Brian Eno, Joanna Lumley, Juliet Stevenson and Natalie Dormer. Some climate scientists are said to be involved but the organisers haven’t named any yet.
Nor have they said how the puppets will be transported. There’ll be more than a hundred life-sized animal puppets by the end of the journey. Even if they can stuff them all in the back of one truck that’ll be a helluva lot of carbon to get all the way to Trondheim.
Offsets? They’re crap. Even greenies acknowledge that nowadays.
I’m surprised that Monbiot has lent his name to such carbon-belching arty-farty twaddle. Brian Eno etc – not so much.
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“Council’s 2040 carbon target could cost £8.8bn”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp9ymzn9ev1o
A council said it needs an investment of £8.8bn to help meet its 2040 net zero carbon emissions target.
Peterborough City Council is starting the second phase of a project aimed to accelerate its carbon reduction and achieve that target to try to tackle climate change.
The council produced a Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) in December 2022, which models the current and future energy demands of the city.
At a council climate change and environment scrutiny meeting, phase two of the LAEP was presented to the committee, with an aim to procure a partner to deliver city-wide transformative net zero projects….
…LAEP Phase Two aimed to build on the experience of other councils, including Bristol City Council which has procured a 20-year commercial partnership to deliver net zero projects across the city.…
…”The Peterborough economy actually has quite a significant value and the £8.8bn number doesn’t look as scary when you look at it over a period of decades.”…
A few thoughts.
First, why is it always described as an investment, never a cost?
Second, commercial partners are in it to turn a profit. Have the Council officials involved in establishing these “partnerships” any idea on the real costs of these deals?
Third, £8.8 billion for just one council. Goodness knows how much that equates to across the country, but it can’t be far shy of £1 trillion – and that’s just for Councils.
Fourth, I would suggest that Peterborough and other Councils need to reassess their priorities. Even assuming they can achieve net zero, it will make no difference to people’s lives, since it will have no impact whatsoever on the global climate. On the other hand, real cuts to services in the here and know have an immediate adverse effect on people’s lives. Here’s is the BBC reporting on Peterborough Council’s finances and budget:
“Council approves new budget with cuts and tax rise”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg5d6qv0z4zo
A council has narrowly passed its budget, which includes cuts to services and a 4.99% council tax rise.
Peterborough City Council is looking to make £23m in savings through cuts including a reduction in Peterborough Museum’s opening times, to the cleaning schedule in the Central Park toilets and cutting the highways maintenance budget by 15%.
Members voted for the budget and the medium-term financial strategy, external up to 2028 at a full council meeting on Tuesday.
A decision on the future of the city’s libraries has been paused with the council’s Labour deputy leader Mohammed Jamil telling the BBC the authority was “working with groups to find a solution” on how to keep them going.…
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“Nine in 10 councils in England to levy maximum council tax increase
Highest possible rise for third year running comes as cash-strapped authorities try to repair finances and, for some, avoid bankruptcy”
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/mar/17/nine-in-10-councils-in-england-to-levy-maximum-council-tax-increase
I’ve an idea. How about scrapping expensive net zero posturing? Budgets could be restored to balance almost overnight, and the need for cuts in vital services obviated.
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“Extra funding for council’s climate change plans”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1lp0n2jrp0o
A council has agreed to spend an extra £6m on reducing greenhouse gas emissions at a faster rate.
It will bring Dorset Council’s target to become a carbon neutral authority forward by five years to 2035.
With the new funds total spending on climate projects at the council over five years is likely to reach £25m, much of which is expected to come from the government.
Council leader Nick Ireland, who leads the authority’s climate change programme, said he was “confident” it could meet its own targets five years early....
Point of order – funding doesn’t come out of thin air “from the government” – it comes from taxpayers. And it should be borne in mind that the government itself seems to be short of money, if yesterday’s spring statement from the Chancellor is anything to go by. Meanwhile:
“Hundreds of jobs at risk as council cuts wage bill”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg8wvyyjyvo
Hundreds of jobs could be lost at Dorset Council as it looks to cut £12.5m from its pay bill.
The authority is also preparing to use artificial intelligence to help it operate more efficiently.
Unison, the union, said “hundreds of jobs”, many from lower pay grades, would be lost over the next four or five years.…
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“Low carbon heat plans for 150 homes approved”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c14xkevy680o
Plans to heat more than 150 homes using low carbon energy have been approved.
Upper Heyford Parish Council applied to build a central energy centre, on land off Somerton Road in the village near Bicester, Oxfordshire, which is currently used for agriculture.
Under the proposal, 134 bore holes would be drilled to accommodate pipework and approximately 21,699 ft (6,614m) of trench work would connect the pipes to the energy centre.
Cherwell District Council unanimously approved the scheme during a planning meeting on Thursday.
In addition to heating 153 homes, the centre would also provide low carbon heat to the Barley Mow Public House, Upper Heyford Reading rooms and Upper Heyford Village Hall....
Interestingly, and perhaps surprisingly, Oxfordshire County Council objected to the application.
Missing from the BBC report are any details regarding the costs of the scheme and any projected savings. Without that information we cannot tell whether this is a wise investment or a foolish waste of money. The level of blandness in Councils is rather disturbing:
...Council leader David Hingley said it was “an environmentally sound, sustainable proposal”.
“It appears to have some level of local support and it’s the sort of thing that should be supported,” he added.
It appears to have some level of local support? How much support? 10%? 50%? 80%? As a comment, that’s utterly meaningless. But never mind – “…it’s the sort of thing that should be supported“.
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“Council to spend £10m to decarbonise buildings”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjdxz003rmzo
Finances have been approved for a £10m project to decarbonise buildings owned by Oxfordshire County Council.
Twenty buildings owned by the authority will have work done to put them on the “pathway to net zero”.
At a council meeting on Friday it was agreed that the procurement process could start for the project.
The council estimates the programme will generate potential savings of 333 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Wantage Fire Station, Abingdon Fire Station, Berinsfield Library, Thornhill Park and Ride and Witney Resource Centre are among the buildings set to see decarbonisation works.
The project will include the electrification of heating systems, building fabric improvements, efficiency upgrades and the installation of electricity-generating technology.
The council has secured £360,000 of government funding for the project, which it has match funded with £10m….
That would be this Oxfordshire County Council:
“Oxfordshire county council faces £25m shortfall”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj3mkx4n4xeo
A budget black hole has grown to £25m at Oxfordshire County Council.
The authority said in October that it had a shortfall of £13.9m for the financial year 2025/2026.
But since then extra pressures have arisen, including the rise in employer contributions to National Insurance announced by the Chancellor….
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On the face of it, if the claims about savings to be made are accurate, this looks like a reasonable rate of return, and therefore largely unobjectionable. But are the claims accurate? Will there be a post-completion review a year or two down the line? On what basis are the savings calculated? Will the BBC return to all these stories and let us know if the claims made turn out to be accurate?
“Mayor reveals schools receiving green scheme money”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgn4pewq4lo
The mayor has revealed which London schools will benefit from his £2.9m Greener Schools programme, which aims to install solar panels, heat pumps and other technology across the capital.
A total of 38 schools in 16 boroughs will receive funding through the pilot, with councils contributing an extra £9.6m to the project, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
City Hall said it believed the scheme could save schools an average of almost £15,000 on their energy bills as a result of the measures, which also include insulation and LED lighting.…
Almost £15,000 savings? Hmmm. “It is believed.” “Could.” These are weasel words mean “will”. How close is “almost”?
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“Firm admits ‘uncertainty’ over tidal power plan”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c705ryw5r07o
An energy firm says there is “material uncertainty” over its plan to generate tidal power off the UK coast.
Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre (PTEC) has been working since 2012 on a proposed array of underwater turbines near the Isle of Wight, supplying enough power for a third of the homes on the island.
In its latest annual accounts, the company said it needed additional investment as well as a favourable government contract.
It says uncertainty over those matters “may cast significant doubt on the company’s ability to continue as a going concern”.
PTEC has been working on an initial 30MW demonstration project, supported by a £1m loan from Isle of Wight Council.
However, it previously said it had been “forced into hibernation” after failing to win government contracts….
[My emphasis].
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“London councils yet to spend £130m in local climate funds
Exclusive: Local authorities have spent less than £40m out of £170m collected since offsetting scheme began in 2016″
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/26/london-councils-yet-to-spend-130m-in-local-climate-funds
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Price of electricity on iamkate national grid site is – 1.76/mwh and had been lower earlier this morning. She explains ‘many forms of renewable generation are subsidised through the contracts for difference scheme and can still profitably generate power even when the price is below zero’. The cost of electricity coming down the interconnectors must be way down to balance the grid to a negative value or is it some secret mathematical averaging ?
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James – I don’t understand how this works. Renewables on CfDs can presumably bid negative infinity and still get their agreed strike price plus inflation – even if the grid price is negative.
The confusing part is how gas generators are able to supply electricity at negative prices. Perhaps they are being paid from a different pot to provide stability services?
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Here’s what o3-mini says on the subject:
There are a few reasons why gas-fired generators might be willing—or contractually obligated—to operate even when the wholesale price is negative:
Gas plants, like many power plants, have technical and contractual constraints. They have startup and ramping costs, and in many cases, it’s more cost‐effective to continue generating than to shut down and restart later. Operating at a negative price might still be preferable to incurring the additional costs or risks associated with turning off the plant.
Gas plants often participate in markets beyond just wholesale energy—such as providing frequency regulation, reserve capacity, or other ancillary services. Their continued operation helps maintain grid stability and reliability. By remaining online, gas generators can capture revenue from these services, which may offset losses incurred from negative wholesale prices.
Some gas-fired units operate under long-term contracts or have gate agreements (tendered bids) with grid operators that require them to run unless there is a compelling economic reason not to. These contracts or obligations might stipulate that the generator must produce power regardless of short-term price fluctuations, perhaps with pre-arranged compensation mechanisms.
Many generators hedge their production using financial contracts. As a result, the spot market, even if negative, might only be a part of the overall revenue picture. A gas-fired plant might absorb a short-term negative price if it’s receiving fixed or otherwise hedged revenues from forward contracts.
When a significant share of renewable energy is on the grid—and under certain conditions where renewable output is very high—the marginal price for additional generation can turn negative. Gas plants, despite their higher operating costs compared to renewables with subsidies, might be needed to balance the grid. Even if the spot market price is negative, grid operators may incentivize such plants via additional payments, or simply because system security demands a certain amount of dispatchable (and flexible) generation.
In summary, while a negative wholesale price might seem counterintuitive for a fossil-fuel plant, a combination of technical, contractual, and system-operational reasons makes it worthwhile (or necessary) for gas generators to continue operation under such market conditions.
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Thanks Jit, all very complicated and expensive. We are forecast to have overnight temps dropping to 1c with wind speed 3mph, the east coast is forecast for 14mph so we shall see if the sea can support the land. I’ll be chopping a few logs after church !
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“Councils in England warn of mass bankruptcies as Send deficits soar
Local authorities say a £5bn shortfall in special needs funding could leave dozens effectively insolvent within months”
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/jun/13/councils-in-england-warn-of-mass-bankruptcies-as-send-deficits-soar
I have no doubt that this is a serious issue. However, I wonder whether any of the Councils affected by it will choose to review their spending on net zero?
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Sceptical councillors bite back:
“Councillors back review of climate emergency declaration”
https://nation.cymru/news/councillors-back-review-of-climate-emergency-declaration/
Councillors have backed a motion calling for a review of a decision to declare a climate emergency six years ago.
In May 2019 Pembrokeshire County Council declared a climate emergency following a notice of motion by Cllr Joshua Beynon, which called on the authority to back the global consensus that climate change poses a risk to the well-being of future generations.
He had urged county councillors to back a motion to take “bold, decisive action” to fight “truly, catastrophic” climate change and called on the council to commit to becoming a zero-carbon local authority by 2030.…
...At the meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council in May, a notice of motion by Cllr Mike Stoddart called for the establishment of a working group to review the decision made by the council to declare a climate emergency.
Cllr Stoddart’s motion said: “Given the turbulence on the global financial markets; the parlous state of the UK’s public finances; Pembrokeshire County Council’s projected funding gap; and the government’s softening of its policies on the switch to EV vehicles and heat pumps, this council establishes a seven person, politically balanced working group to review the authority’s decision to declare a climate emergency at its meeting on May 9, 2019.
“The working group will be asked to: (a) examine the effect of the emergency declaration on the level of council tax in Pembrokeshire and particularly the extent to which any such increases militate against the authority’s anti-poverty policies.
“(b) The cost of decarbonising the council’s housing stock and the effect this has had on the authority’s ability to finance the building of new housing.
“(c) The extent to which the council’s decarbonisation programme has contributed to a reduction of the risk of runaway global temperature increases, and (d) any other effects that the working group considers may have adversely impacted the wellbeing of the residents of Pembrokeshire.”
Cllr Stoddart’s notice of motion was referred to the June meeting of the council’s corporate overview and scrutiny committee, where he referred to a previous council supported notice of motion by Cllr Aaron Carey….
…“With reference to the above, I am proposing the setting up of a working group on the terms set out in my Notice of Motion so that a degree of transparency and democratic accountability can be injected into the Authority’s net zero deliberations.
“The UK is responsible for just under one per cent of global CO2 emissions and Pembrokeshire’s population of 120,000 is roughly one five hundredth of that of the UK. Considering that the public sector accounts for less than ten percent of emissions, and Pembrokeshire’s contribution is only a fraction of that, it can be seen that, if PCC ceased to exist, it would make no difference whatsoever to the earth’s climate.”
Supporting Cllr Stoddart’s call, Cllr Huw Murphy said: “I think it’s something we need to look at; ultimately can we afford it?”...
…Members, with the exception of Cllr Beynon, agreed to recommend to council to reinstate the Net Zero Working Group to review the contents of the notice of motion and, subject to the outcome of this review, review the future delivery of the Net Zero Action Plan.
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Meanwhile….
“Emissions up in Cherwell despite 4% cut target”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5ykj9875dno
Emissions from Cherwell District Council’s facilities have risen – despite a target to cut the amount by 4.2%.
According to the latest figures, its emissions total went from 4,071 tonnes of CO2e in 2022/23 to 4,119 tonnes of CO2e in 2023/24.
The authority said it was “committed” to doing more to tackle the problem.
It added the rise was down to more visitors to its leisure centres, and an increase in the carbon intensity of the UK electricity grid, among other factors…..
…and an overall 5% increase in the carbon intensity of the UK electricity grid – something that will be affecting emissions reporting by councils and other public bodies up and down the country.”…
As for that last point – really?
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“How vegetable oil could help council cut emissions”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce3nl7g54j9o
A council could reduce carbon emissions by tonnes if its fleet of vehicles switched to running on vegetable oil, its officers say.
According to a Swindon Borough Council report, the move would save 1,703 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year – the equivalent of an 81% cut in the fleet’s output.
However, the report added running all suitable vehicles on hydrated vegetable oil would mean fuel costs rising by up to £150,000….
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“Council leaders criticised for failed housing firm”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0l4j7rk9l9o
A councillor has accused council leaders of having a “lack of oversight” after a private housing company owned by the authority lost millions of pounds.
Norwich City Council’s Labour-run cabinet agreed to put its affordable housing arm, Lion Homes, into liquidation at a meeting on Wednesday.
The company was founded as Norwich Regeneration Limited in 2015, but in 2020 it emerged it had lost £6m when homes in Bowthorpe were sold for less than they cost to build….
Unfortunately (but not surprisingly), Lion Homes’ website is now down, so I have relied on AI for the rather crucial information that the BBC report doesn’t mention:
Lion Homes, a developer owned by Norwich City Council, is actively building zero-carbon homes, particularly within the Three Score development. Their approach includes designing homes for solar gain and maximizing energy conservation, with a focus on creating a contemporary feel and incorporating sustainable features. They are also involved in the “Homes for Net Zero” research program, aiming to understand how homeowners can transition to net-zero living.
I wonder if that had anything to do with this mess?
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Mark, this link gives the beginning of the uncovering of the incompetence. A tiny excerpt:
No-one wanted to buy passivhaus homes, so the price had to be cut to that of an equivalent ordinary home. Various contractors saw the Council spin-off company as an easy mark, since it had no experience in house building and deep pockets. As far as I know, no-one has been held to account for this waste of public money.
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Jit,
What a shambles .
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But no worries – “But councillor Paul Neale, from the opposition Green Party, said the problems should not put the council off building energy efficient homes.
“With professional management, appropriate marketing and better contracting, future development contracts at Rayne Park can still be done to Passivhaus or similar levels and to an acceptable marketable price,” he said.
Mr Neale highlighted the Passivhaus Goldsmith Street development which he said worked out at about 10pc above traditional build costs.
“The premium costs at Rayne Park was way above this and are probably due to a combination of factors, some highlighted in the managing director’s and auditor’s reports,” he said.”
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OOPS – should have added this from Jit’s link –
“But the opposition Green Party said the blame should not fall on the eco-friendly design. Mr Shaw’s report also revealed other widespread problems with the project.
Build costs overran with each home costing £240,000 on average, but they sold for an average of £220,000 each.”
Makes you wonder what the “traditional build costs” would have been?
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dfhunter,
and it’s interesting that the BBC report – I suspect deliberately – made no mention of the real reasons for the company’s financial difficulties.
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“Town’s carbon emissions fallen by 57%, data shows”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c77v01ky1z7o
Two things struck me about this article.
First:
Carbon emissions in Reading have fallen by more than half over an 18-year period, new government figures show.
The Berkshire town has seen the 12th biggest reduction in emissions out of the UK’s 384 local authorities between 2005 and 2023, according to the data.…
No link is offered, nor any other justification for the claim. It might be correct, or it might not. Who knows?
Second:
……The council said it has cut its own emissions by almost 75% since 2009, adding that it only accounts for roughly 2% of the town’s overall emissions.…
Assuming that figure is broadly accurate for local authorities up and down the country, why would they even bother making an issue of their own net zero plans, given their utter insignificance, not only in the global scheme of things, but even in the national scheme of things?
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“How bungling councillors spend your money – on worthless investments and staff pensions”
There is always a climate angle. Janice Davis in TCW.
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And there’s a cost to small businesses too:
“Heat network construction disrupting trade, say shops”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg6vzn50n7o
…Hemiko started constructing its heat network in May last year.
The plant in the town centre works by extracting heat from the outside air, even in winter, to heat water which is then circulated through a network of insulated pipes to provide heating and hot water.
The works include the main facility but also digging up roads to install the underground pipes, which has caused traffic disruption.
The first buildings to be connected are Worthing Hospital, the town hall and Connaught Theatre but the plan is to expand the network to businesses and homes in the future.
Hemiko said this was more sustainable and efficient than having individual heating systems using gas.…
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Meanwhile Hemiko seem to be very pleased with themselves:
https://worthingheatnetwork.co.uk/
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“Bristol not expected to meet 2030 net zero targets”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwygq8543ywo
…The report said people in more affluent areas had a higher consumption of carbon, because of travel habits, heating, and buying more goods and services.
People in Hartcliffe and Withywood produced on average 36% fewer emissions than those in Redland, for example.
Most air pollution in the city came from cars, vans and gas boilers.
But the report said that increasing the use of green electricity would be “the most significant driver” of cutting carbon between now and 2030….
Air pollution? Do they mean pollution, or do they mean CO2 emissions?
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No mention of log burners I notice. Had to google “gas boilers add to air pollution” & got this from 2021 –
Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit | Gas boilers and NOx: the hidden…
Seems it’s “nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission from gas boilers” that is the culprit.
Won’t be long before we can’t burn anything to keep warm/cook/wash.
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“Council to ‘risk’ switching fleet to vegetable oil”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4wvzneyzzo
A council which cannot afford to switch its vehicles to electric says it will now “risk” a move to vegetable oil instead.
The move by Swindon Borough Council will cut emissions by 80% but will add £150,000 to its annual fuel bill.
The council predict that the efficiency of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) will balance out the extra spend.
Chris Watts, the council’s cabinet member for the environment and transport, said the authority hoped the move would be as “cost neutral as possible” but it remained a “risk” as they were “quite new at this”….
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Perhaps they could get on with providing local services at the cheapest possible price instead.
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dfhunter; there’s an ironic sting in the tail of the concern over NOx emissions from gas boilers. Such emissions are far greater when hydrogen is burnt in air, due to its much higher combustion temps (aiui). A study some years ago concluded that domestic hydrogen boilers would have to be fitted with exhaust treatment systems, analogous to those used on cars. One more nail in the coffin of hydrogen heating.
It also raises concerns over plans to burn H2 in power stations.
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Is the worm turning in local authorities?
“Reform councils ‘save taxpayers £40m’ by scrapping net zero”
Whether the savings are more than hype, we wait to see. Scrapping things like EV chargepoint rollouts may cross a line out on a spreadsheet, but if it’s a grant with strings attached, Ms. Reeves will be wanting the cash back.
Telegraph link.
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“Schools, care homes and sports clubs sold off to pay spiralling council debt”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq87497v8ypo
Communities across the UK are paying for spiralling levels of council borrowing with a fire sale of publicly owned facilities, a BBC study has found.
Schools, care homes, a boxing gym and even an Olympic legacy equestrian centre are among hundreds of buildings being sold as struggling councils seek to reduce a debt pile totalling £122bn.…
Yet in Councils up and down the land, expensive and pointless net zero projects still reign supreme.
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“Greater Manchester launches public building retrofit fund for decarbonisation”
https://www.publicsectorexecutive.com/articles/greater-manchester-launches-public-building-retrofit-fund-decarbonisation
Public sector organisations across Greater Manchester can now apply for a share of a new £28 million Public Building Retrofit Fund, designed to make buildings warmer, cheaper to run, and less reliant on fossil fuels.…
…The initiative supports Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2038 – 12 years ahead of the national target. Heating buildings currently accounts for 9% of the UK’s total emissions, making this fund a key step in tackling climate change locally.
The fund builds on Greater Manchester’s existing investment of £120 million in retrofitting 225 schools, leisure centres, and public buildings, as outlined in its five-year environment plan….
Note that the existing spend of £120 million is an investment, not a cost. Isn’t it always?
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The art of lying while telling the truth.”Heating buildings currently accounts for 9% of the UK’s total emissions, making this fund a key step in tackling climate change locally.”Public buildings make up less than 10% of the total so this fund will make hardly any difference at all.
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“Greening the Public Sector 2025”
https://events.publicsectorexecutive.com/greening-the-public-sector-2025/register
Phase 3 of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is allocating £1.425 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25 for public sector organisations to implement low-carbon heating systems and reduce emissions. [My emphasis].
With 52% of CO2 emissions from transport attributed to cars and taxis, the public sector must reconsider its decarbonisation strategies. Concerns are mounting about the UK’s ability to meet its 2050 Net Zero target, necessitating urgent action and innovation in green technologies. The public sector should lead by example, leveraging a £1 trillion market opportunity by 2030. Recent investments, including £24 billion for green initiatives and the reinstated 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, indicate progress. [My emphasis].
The new Labour government aims for 100% clean energy by 2030, enhanced energy efficiency, and increased renewable energy. Their plan includes creating millions of green jobs and the electrification of transport.
Register to join discussions on electric vehicles, alternative fuels, and green technology, focusing on how the UK can collaborate to achieve Net Zero.
One of the speakers at the “Alternative Fuels and Solutions” section is Ed Gemmell, leader of the Climate Party:
https://theclimate.party/candidates/ed-gemmell
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Either that, or abandonment of the target.
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“‘Solar panels should make huge savings for schools'”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgl19k3w3j1o
“Should”, rather than “will”, I note.
…The funding is part of a £200 million programme to decarbonise almost 20,000 homes, businesses, and public buildings across the West Midlands Combined Authority area.
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Good grief!
“Council brings forward carbon neutral plans”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz9jne1257jo
Stafford Borough Council has announced plans to bring forward the date it becomes carbon neutral by five years.
It comes after the local authority declared a climate emergency in 2019 and previously set a target date of 2040 to achieve net zero carbon emissions.
Green councillors Doug Rouxel and Emma Carter proposed changing the target to 2035 and during a full council meeting on Tuesday the change was approved.
Fellow Green Party member Tony Pearce, the council’s cabinet member for climate action and nature recovery, said: “Good progress has been made but the fact is global warming is progressing at a faster rate than anticipated.”
He added: “We now have a climate change strategy and action plan. We need and want to be more ambitious than we have been previously.”…
Need to be more ambitious? Because global warming is progressing at a faster rate than anticipated? STafford’s more ambitious plans will delay that, will they? The hubris is off the scale.
…The council’s opposition group leader, Jeremy Pert, raised concerns the proposal had not been costed.…
Well, quite. But why worry about the cost to the taxpayer when there’s a planet to save? And oh yes – Stafford Borough Council is one of the Councils the government plans to scrap. Is this a desperate attempt to get Miliband to intervene on their behalf? Or just an exercise in virtue-signalling futility?
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“Council proposes spending £350k to change bin lids”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr5qjlgqjd5o
Leaving aside that waste of money, the final sentence was caught my eye:
…It previously agreed to change its general waste collection from fortnightly to once every three weeks in a bid to reduce carbon emissions.
Well, that at least might save some money, but is collecting general waste only every three weeks really a good thing? All to save a minuscule amount of CO2 (not carbon, BBC) emissions.
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“Council set to delay net zero target to 2045”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gv18ve9zjo
Cornwall Council is set to delay its ambitious net zero target by 15 years, shifting its goal from 2030 to 2045.
The move follows advice from council officers and was discussed at a meeting of the sustainable growth scrutiny committee.
The committee heard that Cornwall’s emissions have reduced by 2–3% annually since 2019, far below the pace needed to meet the original 2030 target and a report stated this “illustrates the scale of challenge we collectively face to decarbonise the economy.”…
,,,Cllr Peter Channon added: “We’ve had a reality check… Cornwall is not an economically sound county. People can’t afford it and this must be taken into account.”
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Just in case anyone thinks net zero is dying:
“Council seeks to ‘turbo charge’ push for net zero”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgy82nyzggo
A council has said it is accelerating plans to become carbon neutral by 2035, five years earlier than previously announced.
The Liberal Democrat leader of Dorset Council, who is also the environment portfolio holder at the authority, said it was “for future generations”.
Councillor Nick Ireland’s comments come as the political consensus on climate polices has fragmented, with opponents now branding them too difficult and expensive.…
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“Council unveils first fully electric bin lorry”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c39r8rd9xl8o
Can you spot what’s missing from the article? Any mention of the cost.
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“Industrial battery at council waste centre never used”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2lp152qeqxo
An industrial-sized rechargeable battery installed at a council waste and recycling facility three years ago to help power the site has never been switched on.
Councillor Chris Watts, of Labour-run Swindon Borough Council, blamed the previous Conservative administration for the stalled project at Waterside Park waste and recycling plant.
He said the battery was never connected to the National Grid as planned due to “financial pressures” but there were now plans to do so.
Swindon Conservative group leader Gary Sumner said: “Our understanding is that the 2.5-MW solar farm and the 850-KW battery at Waterside were correctly installed and signed-off by senior council officers as fully operational.”...
…Meanwhile, Sumner continued: “We have asked council officers questions and have yet to receive any responses.
“We sincerely hope councillors have not been misled, and if we have then someone needs to be held accountable.”
Work is under way by the council to see if the battery can be used following a visit by a specialist contractor.
The crucial piece of information omitted from the BBC report? The cost.
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Reality is slowly biting:
“Two districts admit ‘lagging behind’ on CO2 target”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8g9kw4yzeo
Two Oxfordshire councils have admitted their districts are “lagging behind” on plans to reach net zero by 2045.
South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils said they needed an annual average reduction in carbon emissions in their areas of 9% between 2021 and 2025 to stay on track.
Vale has managed an average of 3.3% reduction in annual emissions between 2019 and 2023 and South achieved 5% over the same period.
Both authorities said they were “limited” in their ability to meet the target, as a large proportion of district-wide emissions are outside their control…
Then why did they introduce the target?
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“Significant flaws’ in implementation of energy strategy”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c93dljd9830o
A report into the Department for the Economy’s implementation of its green energy strategy, has found only 1% of an energy savings target has been achieved.
The Northern Ireland Audit Office found “significant flaws” in the department’s implementation, while other key metrics were not measured for years.
So far £107m has been spent in a bid to deliver net zero and affordable energy, but the report found a “very significant risk” that two of the three key targets, to be met by 2030, will be missed.
Auditors said they were unable to conclude that the spend represented good value for public money, but the department said it remained committed to achieving the targets….
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Mark – thanks as usual for the comment & link. Stand out partial quotes –
“Of the £107m, about £85m has been spent on capital projects, while the remaining £22m has been paid in departmental staffing costs since development began in 2020.”
So £4m approx per yr on departmental staffing costs.
“The Audit Office report also picked up on the department’s fondness for public consultation.
In 2024, more than half of the strategy’s actions involved public consultation, with the auditor noting that the frequency of these and the approach taken risked jeopardising their effectiveness. The Department for the Economy said it would work to swiftly implement the report’s recommendations.”
Not sure what to make of that. Are the Audit Office saying “less involvement with the public in future please, just get on with your green energy strategy.
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dfhunter: Are the Audit Office saying “less involvement with the public in future please, just get on with your green energy strategy“?
Yes, I suspect that’s exactly what the Audit Office is saying. Mind you, I have participated in quite a few public consultations in connection with net zero-related projects and policies. The questions are always phrased in such a way as to get the answer they want, and even when that doesn’t work and they don’t get the answer they want, it doesn’t matter, because they just do what they want anyway. We might as well as save the costs and cut the farce.
As for “£22m has been paid in departmental staffing costs since development began in 2020” I suppose these are some of the green jobs we keep hearing about.
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“Football club wins funding to install solar panels”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2p0v77yj3o
A football club said it had taken a “major step forward” with the installation of solar panels and battery storage.
Newquay AFC said it had added 27 solar panels and 37.5kW (50.28HP) of battery storage at its Mount Wise Stadium in Newquay, with funding from the Community Levelling Up Programme through Cornwall Council….
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“Councils set to miss climate emergency targets”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c397mnwkgw2o
Councils in the West are not on track to meet their net zero targets, seven years after Bristol City Council became the first local authority in the country to declare a climate emergency.
A report to North Somerset Council says it is “not currently meeting the trajectory for reaching net zero by 2030”.
While total emissions have fallen in North Somerset since the goal was set in 2019, last year they increased. [My emphasis].
This was primarily because of “a significant increase in fuel use” by recycling vehicles, along with higher emissions from home to school transport….
…Ms Waite said she is writing to the government asking for more support in delivering climate objectives, with a North Somerset Council report saying there are “limited resources and funding available” to tackle the issue.…
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“Council to borrow more than £1m for solar panels”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgrk8m9r8mo
More than £1m is to be borrowed to fit six buildings with solar panels, a city council has said.
Exeter City Council estimated the initiative would save it about £100,000 every year and cut emissions.
Members of the full council voted in favour of installing solar panels at six sites including Exeter Arena sports centre, St Sidwell’s Point leisure centre, Wonford Leisure Centre, the Guildhall car park, Exeter bus station and the Senate offices, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
A report from officers said the business case was “robust” and provided long-term savings for at least 25 years.…
I wonder if the BBC will re-visit this story down the line? My money is on the 10% (£100K p.a.) saving not materialising.
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