Year three 2022 to 2023
Theme 1: Policy and Engagement
1. Recognise climate change as a corporate commitment for the Council.
Ensure Climate Change is a key priority for the Council in the revised Corporate Plan, including measures to monitor and publish carbon data, lower carbon emissions at the Council and monitor and publish borough wide carbon emissions data.
Executive Services — September 2022
Investigate carbon literacy training for TMBC staff and members.
Executive Services — March 2023
2. Work with partners to address climate change issues, lower carbon and adapt to the effects of climate change.
Work with KCC and attend Climate Change Network (CCN) meetings to ensure collaboration and help meet targets in the Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy.
Executive Services — Ongoing
Continue to feed into the Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy via the Climate Change Network.
Executive Services — Ongoing
Continue to work with the Tonbridge and Malling Climate Change Forum to galvanise support for climate change initiatives and promote the climate change agenda.
Executive Services — Ongoing
3. Monitor Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council's carbon emissions.
Complete the 2020/2021 carbon audit.
Executive Services — July to September 2022
Complete the 2021/2022 carbon audit.
Executive Services — July to September 2022
Produce a TMBC carbon emissions pathway report.
Executive Services — July to September 2022
Determine hierarchy of action plan actions, based upon emissions reduction impact.
Executive Services — July to September 2022
4. Monitor Tonbridge and Malling Borough’s carbon emissions.
Review Borough wide emissions data.
Executive Services — July to September 2022
Theme 2: Sustainable Development
Continue to pursue planning policies in the Council’s emerging Local Plan that will facilitate the delivery of sustainable development through location, orientation, and design, and through the integration of measures such as Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), water efficiency and habitat creation.
Planning Policy — Ongoing
Through the grant of planning permission, the Council will seek to deliver sustainable development outcomes in line with the adopted development plan, national policy, and material planning considerations.
Planning Policy — Ongoing
Theme 3: Transport
1. Support the improvement of walking and cycling infrastructure in the borough.
Complete preparation of the new active travel strategy which will include cycling and walking infrastructure recommendations.
Planning Policy — Summer 2022
2. Improve the environmental standards of licensed taxi’s operating in the borough.
Start the taxi licensing policy renewal process.
Licencing — March 2023
Provide wider information regarding taxi EV charging provision.
Licencing — Ongoing
Continue engagement with KCC through the CCN regarding future taxi licencing.
Licencing — Ongoing
Theme 4: Ultra Low Emissions Vehicles (ULEV)
1. Provide electric charging points across the borough.
Progress the phase 2 programme of electric vehicle (EV) chargers in selected car parks as soon as practicably possible. Phase 2 will allow potentially up to 106 chargers across other council owned car parks.
Technical Services — March 2023
2. Decarbonise TMBC vehicle fleet.
Undertake a vehicle replacement schedule (transitioning to ULEV) for all parking vehicles, in line where possible with the capital renewals programme and expected lifespan.
Technical Services — Ongoing
Theme 5: Air Quality
1. Continue the full implementation of a borough wide anti-idling Campaign, to reduce emissions from idling engines.
Continue the anti-idling and school area monitoring project work, following the successful DEFRA grant for new sensors and signs.
Environmental Protection — March 2023
Theme 6: Habitats and Biodiversity
1. Strengthen local protection and enhance protection of species, habitats, and ecosystems.
Continue to monitor existing roadside nature reserves and add further if identified and brought forwards.
Leisure Services — Ongoing
Proceed with Reed Bed creation at Haysden Country Park.
Leisure Services — March 2023
Proceed with Holly Hill hedgerow creation.
Leisure Services — March 2023
Proceed with the planting of spring and summer bulbs across the borough.
Leisure Services — March 2023
Coppicing at Taddington Valley Woodland.
Leisure Services — Ongoing
Plant TMBC match funded 1000 trees and/or whips on TMBC land.
Leisure Services — October 2022 to March 2023
Continue with the lakeside revetment works in liaison with volunteers.
Leisure Services — Ongoing
Theme 7: Housing and Energy Conservation
1. Reduce the carbon emissions of residential homes.
Assist with removing barriers for private sector households by working with Kent County Council to target promotion of the second round of ‘Solar Together’ a collective solar group purchasing scheme.
Housing — Ongoing
2. The Council is working in partnership under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator Wave 1.
Deliver retrofit energy efficiency measures to up to 200 TMBC area Clarion homes focussing on hard-to-treat Wimpey No Fines. Clarion to provide £4.5m match funding across three local authority areas in the Wave 1 scheme.
Housing — March 2023
3. Sustainable Warmth Funding
We will seek to signpost eligible households to the Sustainable Warmth scheme managing agents.
Housing — Ongoing
4. Support our residents
Financial assistance is available to assist circa 10 low-income vulnerable to cold households to access affordable warmth in the home while also encouraging these households to take action to reduce carbon emissions.
TMBC will signpost households for advice on how to reduce energy usage in the home, for example, the Simple Energy Advice website.
Support any new provision of council owned temporary accommodation within the borough with feasibility studies to advise on potential for improved energy efficiency and any renewable potential.
Housing — Ongoing
Theme 8: Waste Minimisation and Recycling
Continue with Kent Resource Partnership (KRP) re-use campaigns.
Street Scene — Summer 2022
Progression of waste and recycling contract, rolling out to flats and bin stores.
Street Scene — Ongoing
Development of KRP website and collaborate with national partners such as WAP and Recoup (plastic specific).
Street Scene — Ongoing
Theme 9: Community and Business Engagement
1. Support local businesses and encourage sustainable growth in the economy.
Aim to identify external funding to deliver future rounds of the green business grant scheme.
Executive Services — March 2023
Launch a further round of Local Shops and Parades Fund Scheme.
Executive Services — March 2023
Promote the climate change strategy and its objectives via the council’s e-bulletin.
Executive Services — Ongoing
Work with KCC to promote and support the Lower Carbon Across the Southeast initiative.
Executive Services — Ongoing
2. Raise awareness of climate change, providing regular updates and information.
Refresh the climate change webpage to provide a better resource for promoting climate change work, and information to the public.
Communications — Ongoing
Seek to develop and provide more case studies to evidence and promote positive climate change work and opportunities in the borough.
Communications — Ongoing
Provide a climate change progress report / news release.
Communications — March 2023
Theme 10: TMBC Estate
1. Reduce the environmental impact of the council’s activities, increasing the sustainability of all our operations.
Complete construction of Leybourne Lakes facility which includes solar panels and lake source heat pumps.
Property Services — Summer 2022
Embark on the wider decarbonisation of TMBC owned estate, with an initial focus of emissions intensive sites.
Property Services — 2022 - 2030
Procure a carbon descent plan for Larkfield Leisure Centre and Tonbridge Swimming Pool, bringing forward options to members.
Property Services — March 2024
Evaluate Solar PV options to reduce energy crisis impact and electricity emissions at Larkfield Leisure Centre.
Property Services — Winter 2022
Develop a digital post room using the councils new corporate document management system.
Property Services — March 2023
2. Progress the digitisation of services and reduce the amount of paper used internally and sent out externally to clients.
Look to review the TMBC device policy to be more efficient with the devices used e.g., power of devices and amount used.
IT — May 2023
Contribute towards the working arrangements officer study group.
IT — December 2022
Reduce the number of multifunctional printing devices across TMBC.
IT — September 2022
Continue to contribute towards service efficiency through the digital strategy.
IT — March 2023
Mobile working solutions and the digitisation of paper records and business processes involving printing (correspondence, surveys, inspections, interviews, records management, my TMBC app etc), to improve efficiency and reduce carbon footprint.
IT — Ongoing