On 15 October, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council’s Environment Committee agreed to adopt the council’s second Climate Change Action Plan, covering the period from 2025-2029. The plan continues the council’s commitment to tackling climate change, including actions to help move closer towards achieving its ambitious 2035 carbon neutral target, and supporting borough-wide emissions reduction. Environment Committee agenda papers 15/10/2024 19:30 - Climate Change Action Plan pages 47-68

The existing Climate Change Action Plan, adopted in January 2020, comes to the end of its 5-year term in December 2024.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council has implemented a number of initiatives during the past four years, achieving a 14% reduction in operational emissions between 2019/20 to 2022/23.

Activities have included:

• supporting the Solar Together scheme, a group buying scheme that helps residents obtain solar technology at competitive prices;
• improving energy efficiency across the borough by replacing existing streetlights with LED lighting and installing solar panels at Epsom Playhouse;
• continuing the transition of council fleet vehicles to low carbon electric vehicles by replacing three Meals at Home vehicles with electric cars; and
• recently adopting a Tree Management Plan which includes a plan for additional tree planting across the borough.

The council’s upcoming office relocation, from the old Town Hall to new offices in East Street, will also contribute to sustainability targets and reducing the council’s carbon footprint.

Councillor Liz Frost, Chair of the Environment Committee said:

“We are committed to tackling climate change, and agreeing to adopt this Climate Change Action Plan is another significant step that helps drive us towards our ambitious carbon neutral target.

This builds on the success of the previous plan and shows how external funding, and working with partner organisations and neighbouring councils, additionally helps our residents and the council to continue reducing carbon emissions that benefits the environment and thus our community.”

More information about progress made can be found at: Climate Change | Epsom and Ewell Borough Council (epsom-ewell.gov.uk)