East Suffolk Council
Future ambitions
Our ambition is to become a carbon neutral council, in terms of our assets and operations and to help Suffolk as a whole achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, but we hope to achieve so much more:
- Meet our target of carbon neutrality by 2030
- Expand our use of nature-friendly grounds maintenance practices with a target to create 100 such Conservation Areas by summer 2021.
- Trial alternatives to the use of glyphosate sprays
- Replace existing operational fleet with electric vehicles
- Encourage local communities and town/parish councils to plant trees and orchards where appropriate
- Encourage communities to recycle items which cannot be recycled through the household bins
- Encourage use of pavement recycling bins
- Encourage more self-sufficiency
- Ensure that new council-owned housing developments are built to a high standard with a minimum carbon footprint and minimum running costs
- Ensure new leisure facilities are built to exemplar environmental standards
- Restore, optimise and advertise sustainable infrastructure across East Suffolk
One of the most important aspects of being environmentally responsible is communicating with, and listening to, local communities and town/parish councils. To improve the environment, we must all work together in partnership and increase personal choice and responsibility.
To deliver and lead on the above, the council will educate, lead by example and introduce new policies.
Upcoming presentations
- Development of a planning guide to encourage environmentally responsive behaviour by developers
- Suffolk Waste Partnership presentation on waste/recycling and the challenges going forward
- Bio-diversity presentation looking at how changes in behaviour can be made to encourage and protect our wild heritage
Cllr James Mallinder, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Chairman of East Suffolk’s Environment Task Group, said:
“Taking action on climate change is a priority for East Suffolk Council and the Environment Task Group helps us to keep focused, engaging with all ward members and council officers. We are committed to working with local community groups, residents and businesses to continue to build on policies as further priorities and initiatives develop.
"I am particularly interested in getting young people involved and give them a voice in what we are doing, as ultimately they will be inheriting the legacy we are trying to achieve.
"Whilst we don’t have all the answers, we do believe that one of the keys to tackling climate change is to embrace partnership working and collaborations. We also want to encourage individuals in our communities to get involved by setting up their own initiatives as small changes really do make a big difference over time. We all need to take action.”