Working with residents, communities and businesses to help make Cheltenham net zero by 2030

Our Climate Emergency Action Plan: Pathway to Net Zero sets out our aim to achieve the 2030 target by working with residents, communities, businesses, public and voluntary organisations. This will require mitigation through reducing our carbon footprint, and adaptation through improving our infrastructure and achieving a cleaner and greener sustainable environment.

We strongly believe that in order to ask others to make the necessary changes to their organisations and lives, we must be seen to be leading on making these changes ourselves. By seeking to set ever higher standards and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we can position ourselves to offer advice and share best practice, signposting to other leaders along the way, making it easier for others to follow.

Our climate emergency declaration called for devolution of power and money to local councils to expedite further net zero initiatives. We will continue to play a leading role in partnership with others across Gloucestershire to champion and support net zero initiatives. Cheltenham’s new Climate Impact Assessment Tool will make sure that we are appropriately considering climate factors, from biodiversity to air quality, in all of our decisions. The tool will help shape projects which optimise positive impacts on the wellbeing of residents and the environment we all live in.

To support our climate emergency agenda, we will look to implement innovative service improvements to our waste, recycling, street cleansing and grounds maintenance services and deliver a clean, green, sustainable environment for Cheltenham’s residents, communities, businesses and visitors.

Goals

9 Work with others to help make Cheltenham Borough net zero by 2030

9 Make Cheltenham Borough Council net zero by 2030

9 Deliver a modern and fit-for-purpose strategic waste facility that will provide more efficient and environmentally sustainable management of waste and recycling service to better meet the future requirements of the Environment Act 2021

9 Implement improvements to the waste and recycling service to further improve Cheltenham’s environment-focused approach

What we will do to help make Cheltenham clean and green

9 As part of its net zero carbon commitment and strategic asset management plan, the council is reviewing its land holdings, to establish opportunities to support the establishment of publicly-accessible EV charging points across the town. To date, some 40 locations have been analysed and identified as being potentially suitable for such charging points and the council is in discussion with EV charging providers about the arrangements for installing the infrastructure.

9 Work with residents, communities, businesses, public and voluntary sectors, including Gloucestershire County Council, to take forward the actions set out in the ‘Climate Emergency Action Plan: Pathway to Net Zero’

9 Implement changes to continue to reduce fuel use in our waste, recycling, parks and gardens services

9 Lobby Government to ensure local councils have the funding and legislative framework to take forward our net zero ambitions

9 Through our £10m green deal fund, take forward climate emergency investment opportunities that support the net zero agenda and contribute to the financial sustainability of the council

9 Embed our newly-approved Climate Change Supplementary Planning Document in the planning decision making process and deliver biodiversity net gain

9 Implement behaviour change initiatives to reduce waste, increase re-use and recycling

9 Work with local amenity and friends of groups to enhance biodiversity in our public spaces, parks and gardens to further improve Cheltenham’s environment

9 Review our environmental services, in partnership with our service provider Ubico, and the way we commission these services to meet the demands of the future and our climate emergency agenda

9 Reduce energy consumption across council-owned buildings

9 Explore options for a modern and fit-for-purpose strategic waste facility

9 Develop an Ecology and Biodiversity Supplementary Planning Document to further support sustainable development

9 Work with the CheltZero partnership to fund businesses to carry out carbon footprint reporting and develop carbon reduction plans

9 Develop and deliver a town centre hub for safe bicycle parking

9 Work with Planet Cheltenham to develop the ‘Retrofit Street’ project to address fuel poverty including engagement, education, job creation, and training

9 In partnership with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, undertake feasibility for launching two heat networks, which could warm hundreds of homes and businesses in the town

9 Install electricity infrastructure in key locations to remove reliance on generators for events

“Cheltenham Borough Council and Podback recognise that innovation is needed to meet the challenges of the future and our collaboration with Cheltenham, the first authority to sign up to the Podback initiative, demonstrates forward thinking and a real commitment to implementing new initiatives for its residents by launching one of the first kerbside collections of coffee pods.”

Rick Hindley, Executive Director, Podback

“We are delighted to have partnered Cheltenham in the installation of 200 electricity and gas sub-meters, providing the detailed evidence base which the authority will use to drive down energy use across its property portfolio and helping the council to meet its net zero carbon ambitions by 2030.”

Alex Warren, Group CEO for Stark

Key Priority 3

Increasing the number of affordable homes through our £180m housing investment plan

Working with Cheltenham Borough Homes and other providers, we will continue to increase the number of affordable, carbon net zero homes through our £180m housing investment plan, which will help create more sustainable communities and reduce homelessness.

With this investment we will look to maximise opportunities for wider regeneration and how we can further support the local supply chain. We will focus on sustainable, green investment in both new and existing homes, ensuring we can continue to support tenants and communities and contribute to the wider regeneration of Cheltenham.

We will also make best use of government homelessness and rough sleeper grant funding opportunities to help prevent homelessness and tackle rough sleeping.

Goals

9 Increase the number of new affordable and carbon net zero homes

9 Adopt a ‘fabric-first’ approach to improve energy efficiency of existing council homes

9 Support and enable resilient communities through shared community investment plans with Cheltenham Borough Homes

9 Prevent homelessness and rough sleeping

What we will do to increase the number of affordable homes, increase town centre living and reduce rough sleeping

9 Increase the supply of affordable homes through our £180m housing investment plan where we have already spent £35m delivering 136 homes, with a strong pipeline set to deliver significant numbers of additional affordable homes over the current and following four years

9 Invest in safe, secure and energy-efficient homes, building on the successful investment of £22m in home improvements over the last three years. This investment will continue from 2022-23 with over £10m allocated each year for the next three years for further home and neighbourhood improvements

9 Continue to take a ‘fabric-first’ approach with improvements to existing homes, ensuring they are as energy efficient as possible by improving the insulation before low carbon heating is installed

9 Continue to strengthen our partnership with Cheltenham Borough Homes through a number of improvement initiatives, to ensure we maximise value for money and improve tenant, resident and community outcomes

9 Commission services to reduce homelessness and strengthen pathways so that rough sleeping becomes brief, rare and non-recurring

9 Enable development and regeneration opportunities to support more town centre living

“They helped me out of a very tricky situation following a divorce six years ago, they have given me a home and let me live as if it is my own. They have always been quick to respond if I have had an issue. I am very satisfied.”

Council Tenant

“Daunting as first house on my own but everything’s lovely and the houses are great”

New Council Tenant