Community and business engagement
Individuals, households, communities and business all have a role to play in lowering carbon emissions and tackling climate change. We have a leadership role which can be used to inform and influence decision making, enabling changes in behaviour which will address climate change issues. We will secure debate at a range of forums including, the West Kent Partnership, the Local Strategic Partnership, our business engagement events, the Parish Partnership Panel and Tonbridge Forum.
We will work in partnership to raise awareness of climate change, providing updates and information. Assistance and advice will be available via our website and social media, to ensure that messaging about climate change is reaching everyone to enable them to reduce their carbon footprint.
We will progress the digitisation of services which will include the way we interact with our clients, such as actively encouraging residents to switch to paperless billing. We will reduce the amount of paper both internally as well as paper that is being sent out to clients.
We will work with our contractors, such as Urbaser (waste and recycling providers), the Tonbridge and Malling Leisure Trust (who manage the leisure centres) and our grounds maintenance contractors to bring forward their action plans to address climate change issues.
We will also encourage and promote excellence and best practice within the borough. There are many examples within the borough including at East Malling Research Station where NIAB EMR is leading innovation in sustainable use of water for agricultural use. Promoting such initiatives will stimulate debate and share learning across sectors.
Lower Carbon across South East – LoCASE
We play a key role in supporting local businesses and contributing towards sustainable growth in the economy. A number of initiatives are already underway that contribute towards carbon reduction, resource efficiency and climate change resilience.
In Tonbridge and Malling 24 SMEs have received and used grants for low carbon and energy efficiency measures. The types of businesses gaining grant money include construction and manufacturing firms, consultancy and business services, as well as property and distribution businesses. Grant money has helped these SMEs to improve their heating and lighting, research and development (IT and software, and machinery) and for the purchase of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (KCC LoCase, 2019).
We will commit to delivery of the Economic Development Strategy to encourage sustainable growth in the borough and promote the take up of LoCASE and other grants to address carbon emissions and the impact of climate change.