East Suffolk Council
East Suffolk Environmental Policy
The East Suffolk Environmental Policy was revised in 2017 to bring the policy in line with the priorities set out in the East Suffolk Business Plan.
The policy sets out our priorities and current objectives, with an action plan to monitor future progress towards achieving the objectives.
It builds on previous environmental policies and efforts and is focused on delivering the aims of the Business Plan and meeting Suffolk’s ambition of being ‘The Greenest County’. It also outlines our commitment to delivery of the Suffolk Climate Change Partnership Action Plan.
The East Suffolk Environmental Policy and Action Plan adopts the three main priorities of the business plan (enabling communities, economic growth and financial self-sufficiency).
Each priority has three environmental objectives supporting it, with corresponding actions below that. Splitting the action plan into these three sections will allow us to track the progress of the council in terms of meeting the criteria of the East Suffolk Business Plan.
Enabling communities focuses on the sustainability of community assets and households, empowering individuals to improve their own ‘green behaviours’ and support their wider communities through action which benefits people and nature while making efficient use of natural resources.
Economic growth emphasises the importance of local businesses enhancing their competitiveness through strong environmental management and unlocking the full potential of the environmental advantage of operating in East Suffolk. This theme also concentrates on increasing the resilience of our businesses against severe weather conditions caused by climate change.
Financial self-sufficiency sets out the Council's commitment to the responsible use of our natural resources, sustainable strategies for council assets, as well as protecting and enhancing our districts biodiversity.
The policy and action plan will be monitored and updated regularly with a summary of progress published annually.