West Northamptonshire Council releases its first Annual Sustainability Report

13 September 2023

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) demonstrates commitment to sustainability with the release of its first Annual Sustainability Report which will be discussed by Cabinet members on Tuesday, 19 September.

This report represents a significant step in the Council's sustainability journey and shows progress toward achieving key sustainability commitments, including the ambitious goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2030.

Since the launch of the sustainability pledges in 2022, the Council has established a dedicated sustainability team to oversee and drive initiatives, a staff network and a councillors net zero action group to guide, influence and involve communities, colleagues and partners.

The council has made significant progress in enhancing energy efficiency for residents and participating in initiatives with just a few examples being the "No Mow May" campaign, helping businesses to decarbonise, assisting households to benefit from government grants that enable them to move to more environmental home heating, and achieving Bronze-level accreditation in the Investors in the Environment scheme.

Building upon the early activities of legacy councils and improving the use of innovation and technology such as e-scooters and robot deliveries, as well as expanding the availability of electric vehicle charge points, the council aims to provide residents with the confidence to choose clean and green transport.

I am extremely proud of what we’re starting to achieve with sustainability being a collective responsibility of the entire council and beyond. We strongly believe that sustainability is not just about allocating a budget to a particular team, but rather about implementing sustainable practices, initiatives, and investments across the whole of the council.

While we still have a long way to go and there is so much more to do, I want to assure you that we will continue to keep you informed of our progress with complete transparency. We recognise the urgency of this matter and continue to make it a top priority for our council.Cllr Jonathan Nunn, Leader of West Northamptonshire Council

Looking ahead, the council has laid the groundwork for long-term sustainability progress through projects such as large-scale solar array deployment, energy-efficient heating systems for leisure centres, and an off-gas village competition, all of which will contribute to achieving net zero targets and Sustainability Pledges.

The Sustainability Pledges which outline WNC’s primary commitments, are:

• Net Zero the Council’s own emissions by 2030 and those of residents and businesses by 2045
• Take a community leadership role for Sustainability in West Northants
• Ensure all Council strategies and policies are aligned to and contribute to the delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Residents can view the annual sustainability report on our website.

Make your sustainability pledge, and find out more on our& Sustainable West Northants page.