Location
Europe
Company size
187
Industry
Target
Ashfield District Council commits to becoming Net Zero emissions for Scope 1 and Scope 2 by 2030, from its 2019 baseline year.
Ashfield District Council is a local government authority in Nottinghamshire, England. It is responsible for providing a range of public services to the residents of Ashfield. The council does not have any prominent subsidiaries. The exact employee count is not publicly disclosed, but it is estimated to have hundreds of employees. The council operates primarily in the Ashfield district, which includes the towns of Hucknall, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, and Sutton-in-Ashfield.
Employee Commuting Promote car sharing to reduce single occupancy car journeys.
Procurement of Good and Services, and Capital Goods Assess ADC’s procurement framework to include considerations of travel distances, methods of transport and fuel type to transport goods and services to the Council.
Increase the number of available electric vehicle charging points for council staff and prioritise ULEV car parking spaces.
Increase the share of ADC’s ULEV fleet, including the share of electric machinery, such as strimmers and lawn mowers.
Business Travel Consider ULEV pool cars for business travel use and other carbon reduction options. Encourage, and assist (where possible) low carbon modes of business travel (Ex: train travel compared to single occupancy car travel).
Promote low carbon and sustainable procurement, including the addition of required net-zero and sustainability related questions and KPIs. Consider review of Contract Procedure Rules/Sustainability Policy, and implement Procurement Guidance.
Reduce energy consumption, particularly gas, for example through employee behavioural change campaigns and investment in new technologies. Ensure ADC’s estate is as energy efficient as possible, including through invest to save practices where available (Ex: SALIX finance) and Investigate electricity storage for the ADC estate to allow maximum use of locally generated energy.
Ensure low cost technologies, for example replacing any residual non-LED lighting as suggested in the NCC Energy Services audits, are rolled out across ADC’s estate to reduce energy use. Timescale: Medium term
Investments As the largest proportion of ADC’s emissions, consider undertaking a detailed analysis of investment emissions. Investigate ways to reduce investment emissions (for example sector investing in) and implement into ADC policy. Additional Council Actions Consider establishing Green Champions who actively promote actions towards ADC’s carbon reduction ambitions within their own work and service area.
Carry out Carbon Literacy/Awareness Training for ADC employees. Assess alternative investment/income sources for taking climate action Ex: Carbon offset funds and green bonds/investment. Area Wide Actions Implement Towns Fund or other funding projects to facilitate improved infrastructure, including encouraging increased walking and cycling, investigating methods of reducing transport emissions within the ADC area, such as increasing the uptake of active travel, reducing the need to travel by car, reviewing the available public transport and improving low carbon transport infrastructure provisions (Ex: EV charging and cycle lanes).
Reduce the amount of waste generated in the area (Ex: Reuse, reduce and recycle), alongside eliminating waste going to landfill, refining the Council’s approach to waste to ensure it meets the Government’s Waste Strategy, and aim to exceed 2023 targets. Conclude the development of, and implement, the Local Plan, incorporating Climate Change requirements. Improve the energy efficiency of Council and private buildings (commercial & households), reduce energy demand and increase the uptake of low carbon or renewable heating sources; including bidding for relevant funding to facilitate.
Conclude the completion of the Environmental Charter. Encourage and assist (where possible) increase of local, affordable and accessible low carbon and renewable energy generation across the ADC area. Investigate methods of removing carbon from the atmosphere, such as tree planting and woodland management.
Investigate potential actions to ensure resilience to future climate change impacts (Ex: floods and heatwaves). Investigate ways to improve biodiversity across the area, such as creating a bee friendly district, improving habitat networks, increasing woodland cover and eco-friendly agricultural practices.
Waste Generated in Operations Reduce the total volume of waste generated where possible through greater reuse, and behavioural change campaigns Investigate why there has been significant increases in total volume of depot non-household waste, and aim to reduce and reuse where possible.
Continue to refine the ‘agile’ agenda to reduce the need to commute (Ex: home/flexi working) and the need to travel for business (Ex: conference calls).
Increase the proportion of renewable energy generation to help decarbonise heating for the ADC estate (Ex: shift away from gas heating sources to heat pumps), and maintain these to ensure operating effectively. Recommendations were included for 6 archetype properties as part of the energy audits.
Install solar PV systems at Hucknall Leisure Centre and Lammas Leisure Centre, as outlined in the NCC Solar feasibility studies Timescale: Medium term
Investigate the potential to include technologies to improve water efficiency, such as rainwater harvesting, grey water systems, and water efficient technologies. Improve behaviours to reduce water demand, for example through behavioural change campaigns
