For the first time, all UK councils' written Climate Action Plans have been assessed and scored, creating the Council Climate Plan Scorecards, published by Climate Emergency UK
Climate Emergency UK has used 28 questions to assess all the Climate Action Plans. The criteria include: whether the climate actions are costed; if the actions are assigned to specific teams; do the actions have a clear goal; are local residents being engaged with climate action; does the Plan include strategies to decarbonise waste, planning and homes and other topics; and does the Plan cover areas such as re-skilling the workforce, climate education, governance and funding for climate action.
Stratford-on-Avon District Council's received a total score of 33%.
Dave Barber, Programme Director for Climate Change said: "The work Climate Emergency UK have done is welcome and provides us with the opportunity to learn from other Councils that have scored better in their assessment.
"However, the timing of their research was unfortunate for Stratford District Council in that it didn't reflect the Action Programme we have subsequently adopted. We are therefore optimistic, that when Climate Emergency UK revisit their scorecards we will see a significant improvement for Stratford District."
The Scorecard research carried out by Climate Emergency UK was undertaken in October 2021, which did not take into account the Climate Change Action Programme that the District Council adopted, along with Warwick District Council on 1st November 2021. Therefore the research and the Scorecard does not reflect the District Council's current state of progress.
Stratford's Climate Change Action Programme sets out clear ambitions and specific steps to deliver those ambitions.
Recent examples that have been reported to the Climate Change Panel last month include:
- A first stage Assets Decarbonisation Plan is being prepared. The Decarbonisation Plan will set out what can be done to reduce carbon emissions from the Council's assets within existing allocated resources.
- Exploring the potential for utilising 100% renewable and locally generated electricity.
- Ensuring the six Council fleet vehicles are 100% EV by the end of 2022 - or where that is not possible for operational reasons - that they are hybrid vehicles.
- Preparing a South Warwickshire EV charging strategy.
- District Council funds are invested in a fund that is working towards Article 8 status - demonstration that the fund do not incorporate fossil fuels.
- Developing an e-Cargo bikes scheme due to launch in April.
- The Place and Economy service has commissioned consultants to investigate sustainable transport options for Long Marston Airfield.
- Further successful grant bids for retrofitting homes (Sustainable Warmth Fund).
- Developing a series of Net Zero Webinars for businesses in South Warwickshire.
- Active partner in a Funding Bid for increasing the Council's capacity to deliver large scale tree planting.
- A trial of the Giki Zero scheme has been launched for District Council staff: Giki - Making it easy to live sustainably
Cllr Ian Shenton, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change said: "Over the last year, the Council's work in addressing the climate emergency has gathered real momentum. The Scorecard doesn't accurately reflect the achievements we have made or the plans that we have. It's just a snap shot at a given time.
"Whilst we know there is much more we need to do, the Climate Change Action Programme that we agreed in November is already providing a springboard for real progress."
Cllr Susan Juned, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Group said: "The Climate Emergency UK Scorecard shows that, along with many Councils, Stratford District Council needs to be doing much more to address the Climate Emergency.
"I chaired the task and finish group, which requested an action plan and as a result, we welcomed the adoption of the Council's Climate Change Action Programme in November and recognise that since then real progress has been made.
"However, we will continue to encourage the Council to deliver against its ambitions and will continue to make the case for more to be done, more quickly. Our ambition is for this district to be amongst the best in the country in tackling climate change."
The full results of Climate Emergency UK's assessments of all local authorities can be viewed here: https://councilclimatescorecards.uk/
For more information about what Stratford-on-Avon District Council is doing to tackle climate change, visit https://www.stratford.gov.uk/environment/climate-change.cfm
