Steps taken to pave the way for a more sustainable West Northants

Residents and businesses have joined in a busy year of activities aimed at creating a more sustainable West Northamptonshire – and will soon be encouraged to get involved in helping to shape future plans to tackle climate change.

The latest Sustainable West Northants Annual Report highlights a range of successful projects that took place across the community over the past year including:

• Parishes and communities taking part in the first annual No Mow May campaign alongside several of the Council's own green spaces
• Partners, businesses and organisations coming together for the first climate change summit in collaboration with Northampton Town Council, marking the start of a five-year programme to increase awareness of climate change and support local projects.
• Residents taking part in pilot schemes to step up efforts to reduce food waste recycling and reduction
• Tree planting and community orchard initiatives at local parks and green spaces with the support of local partners and businesses.
• Active travel schemes aimed at encouraging greener transport methods and progressing a new Local Nature Recovery Strategy to help improve biodiversity.
• Supporting over 40 households to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency as part of the Northamptonshire Energy Saving Scheme.

Alongside its role as an enabler for driving forward sustainability across the area, West Northamptonshire Council has also progressed work to reduce its own carbon emissions towards achieving net zero by 2030, improve air quality within the area, retaining its Bronze Investors in the Environment Accreditation and placing sustainability at the heart of its own developments and services, including the regeneration of Northampton's Market Square, 24 Guildhall Road and Marefair Heritage Park.

The report, which was presented to Cabinet this week (19 November), is available to view on the Council's website.

And from next week people will also be able to have their say on a new strategy for addressing the impacts of climate change across West Northants. Public consultation on the draft Climate Change Strategy will launch on Monday (25 November) to give residents, businesses and other stakeholders the opportunity to help shape the final document.

The draft strategy outlines the approach the Council will take to reduce locally produced greenhouse gases and how to put people at the centre of the response to the climate emergency. Further details on how to get involved in the consultation will be available next week on the Council's Consultation Hub.

Key challenges include energy, buildings, transport, waste, nature and the economy and this work looks at how we can adapt, innovate and engage with people to overcome these challenges. It follows a pre-engagement exercise in September which asked people their key priorities for climate change in our area.

Cllr Rebecca Breese, WNC's Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling and Waste, who presented both reports as this week's Cabinet meeting, said: "We are committed to creating a vibrant, healthy environment that our residents can thrive in. We have made significant steps forward to reduce our carbon footprint, promote greener practices and support the wellbeing of our community.

"Although we have made progress, I am mindful that there is much more work to be done and would encourage all to have their say on the Climate Change Strategy consultation going live next week so that we can ensure we're focussing on the right things and meeting the needs of the whole community."