PRESS RELEASE
Issued by:
Councillor Gill Gardiner
Date of Issue: February 22nd 2008
Contact numbers:
625 2738
07803 065578

Wirral's Budget investment in tackling Climate Change ‘demonstrates our commitment to this serious issue.'

Wirral Council Cabinet, as part of its budget proposals, has invested an additional £115,000 in tackling climate change and leading the promotion of Carbon Reduction across Wirral.

Cabinet member for the Environment, Liberal Democrat Councillor Gill Gardiner , said,

“This additional investment demonstrates our commitment to what's been described as the most serious issue facing us today - climate change, and recognises the ur gency required to deal with it.

“The Council is already doing a lot of good work to reduce carbon emissions in its premises and is encouraging good practice by its staff.

“However the Council can only do so much on its own. We need to work with local residents, business, partners and community groups on borough-wide climate change initiatives. Together we can do so much more.

“That's why I'm particularly keen that the Council joins t he the CRed Carbon Reduction Project.

“CRed offers the Council, businesses, schools, communities and individual citizens the opportunity to commit to greater levels of carbon reduction. It promotes low-carbon lifestyles and encourages participants to take steps to tackle climate change. This not only makes good long term sense for the environment but also with energy prices increasing all the time it makes sound economic sense too.”

“A growing number of local authorities such as Birmingham and Chester have already committed to this scheme and I'm del ighted we'll be joining them.

“The extra budget investment will allow the Council to purchase the software to run the CRed scheme and co-ordinate and implement Wirral's Climate Change 2008/9 Action Plan.

“The investment will also provide for a Sustainability Unit within the Council; the unit will be instrumental in delivering a 60% reduction in carbon emissions across Wirral by 2025”

The Council's current measures to reduce carbon emissions include: conversion of all energy sources to ‘green energy'; energy audits; water reduction schemes; heat recovery systems; a program of boiler replacements; increased insulation; pilot microgeneration schemes; and staff ‘green' travel plans. Where Building Energy Management systems have been installed, the average energy saving is 18%.

The Budget proposals will add to these measures, and help deliver the Wirral CO2 emissions target.

Details of the Budget Investment below (Council Budget extract)

Tackling Climate Change by Reducing Wirral's Carbon Footprint. £115,000

That the Council recognises the urgency of tackling Climate Change and takes a lead in promoting Carbon Reduction across Wirral.

That in order to do so, it takes part in the CRed Carbon Reduction Scheme which seeks to achieve a 60% reduction in Carbon Emissions by 2025, which is significantly higher than the government's own target.

That, as a first stage, the Council purchases the necessary CRed software and co-ordinates and implements the delivery of the Climate Change 2008/9 Action Plan, including using external resources as necessary.

That further work is undertaken on the setting up of a Sustainability Unit within the Council to improve energy efficiency and to work with Businesses and the Community to raise awareness of the urgent need to reduce Wirral's Carbon footprint, to take action to reduce Carbon emissions and to sign up to the CRed target.

That the Council continue to set an example by reducing its own Energy use, and builds on previous programmes which included the installation of a building energy management system, installation of Burner Management Units, Water reduction schemes, Heat recovery schemes, a rolling programme of Boiler replacements, increased insulation and pilot microgeneration schemes.

That it be noted as an example that the average energy saving where the Building Energy Management systems have been installed is 18%.

That further action is now taken to move to Automatic Meter Reading, which will improve the accuracy of information, improve billing, increase energy efficiency as usage can be monitored, improve budgeting and provide accurate information on Carbon Reduction to allow the Council to measure its progress against commitments to reduce Carbon emissions.

That a provision of £30,000 from the £115,000 above is set aside to fund the replacement of non-compatible gas or electricity meters as required .