Cabinet approves funding of £100K to address the climate emergency

Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Cabinet has today, Monday 6 November agreed to establish a Stratford-on-Avon Community Climate Change Fund.

The new fund will come from the climate change reserve and allow the District Council to formally invest in initiatives proposed by community organisations to enhance local climate change agendas.

Cllr Susan Juned, Leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council said: "The Stratford-on-Avon Community Climate Change Fund is an important step forward in our response to the Climate Emergency that this Council declared in 2019.

"There is lots of excellent work going on within our communities across the District to help reduce carbon footprints and minimise the effects we all have on our fast-changing climate.

"As soon as the scheme launches, I hope to see many community groups applying for funding to make Stratford-on-Avon District, sustainable now and for the future."

The £100,000 Community Climate Change Fund will provide the following groups with the opportunity to apply for grant funding:

• Town and parish councils
• Properly constituted community and charity groups operating within the Stratford-on-Avon District

Community Climate Change Fund applications will be assessed against their fulfilment of one of the below criteria:

• Criteria 1 - Bids should demonstrate how they will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The ratio of CO2 saved relative to the cost of the bid will be used as a guide to bid assessment.
• Criteria 2 - Bids should demonstrate how they will contribute to providing climate change adaptation, building resilience to the impacts of climate change. Bids looking to increase climate change adaptation must not result in an operational increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
• Criteria 3 - Bids should demonstrate that they have explored all other funding options.

Successful bidders will be required to enter into a legally binding agreement with the District Council prior to funds being released. They will also be required to report back on the delivery of their projects.

Cllr Juned continued: "The Community Climate Change Fund will be delivered in a phased approach and launched annually.  This allows lessons to be learned from earlier phases and this approach also allows for the criteria of the fund to be updated in line with any emerging policy changes and shifting priorities as the impacts of climate change continue to worsen."

It is proposed that the initial amount made available in the first phase of the Community Climate Change Fund is £50,000, with the potential to review the amount made available in future phases.

It is proposed that the fund will be launched at a Local Climate Engagement event in the District to provide interested parties with the opportunity to formulate project ideas - more details on this to follow in due course.

The Cabinet also agreed the Climate Change Reserve Eligibility and Financial Approval Procedure, to assist in the delivery of the District Council's Climate Change Action Plan.

The Climate Change Reserve Eligibility and Financial Approval Procedure (CCREFAP) sets out the criteria that climate change projects being developed by the District Council must meet to be eligible for funding from the climate change reserve.

The criterion is based on the actions set out in the District Council's CEAP, and combined will result in the District Council meeting its overall climate change ambitions.

This criterion is outlined below:

• Physical interventions that generate renewable energy, reduce waste or reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, transport, commercial and industrial processes.
• Community initiatives/interventions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or promote greener lifestyles.
• Providing resources to deliver the Climate Change Action Plan eg staff or consultant support.
• Funding towards measures which provide adaptation to Climate Change.
• Research including feasibility studies.

In 2019, the District Council declared a climate emergency and announced three climate ambitions that it would work to achieve by the year 2030.
The District Council has an earmarked climate change reserve of approximately £1.2million to deliver the Council's climate change ambitions.