Report highlights success stories but targets remain 'huge challenge'
Tonbridge and Malling is making good progress in cutting carbon emissions but still faces big challenges in reaching carbon neutral status, councillors have been told.
A report on the third year of the council’s climate change action plan provided updates on 50 projects to support the council’ goal of being carbon neutral by 2030. It set out successes in areas such as reducing energy consumption, air quality monitoring and building insulation.
The report also highlighted ongoing challenges, notably in reducing the energy consumption of leisure centres, building homes that are ready for a carbon neutral future and providing sufficient electric vehicle charging points.
The Community and Environment Scrutiny Select Committee (14 June) heard that the council had reduced its own carbon emissions in a range of ways. This included the introduction of energy-saving LED lighting, auto switch-off lighting in office areas, cutting printer usage, switching to energy efficient laptops and better insulation. The council has also bought its first electric vehicle (EV) and installed 28 chargers in five council car parks.
Properties across the borough have also benefitted from a range of measures including the fitting of home insulation and promoting solar panel installation. More than 30 small businesses across the borough have also been awarded green business grants to invest in carbon reducing schemes.
Leisure centres, owned by the council and run by its partner organisation tmactive, consume significant amounts of gas and electricity but have also been the focus of a number of initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint. Larkfield Leisure Centre has already had 196 solar panels installed and along with Tonbridge Swimming Pool will soon switch to more efficient LED lighting. Scoping reports on the installation of heat pumps at both centres have also been commissioned.
Councillor Robin Betts, TMBC’s Cabinet member for Climate Change, Regeneration and Property, said: ‘It’s encouraging to see the progress that has been made towards our climate change targets, and to hear how the council is progressing projects large and small to help reduce carbon emissions within its own work and across the borough.
‘While excellent progress has been made, we are not slowing down in our efforts to be carbon neutral in 2030 and will continue to work hard to find ways to reduce emissions and tackle the effects of climate change. I’m particularly excited to see solutions coming forward that will enable our leisure centres to make great strides towards being Co2 neutral by 2027. It’s a huge challenge but one I’m looking forward to.’
Read more about TMBC climate change action plans and progress reports