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Energy policy / carbon management action plan

Energy policy for physical assets

Energy policy for Warwickshire County Council physical assets Jan 2011 (pdf, 316Kb)

There are multiple objectives in delivering our Energy Policy:

  • Economic (to reduce costs, stimulate innovation and create a better demand/supply relationship);
  • Environment (concentrating on the long-term issues of climate change);
  • Security (concentrating on worries about insecure fossil fuel supplies);
  • Social (concentrating on marketing the value of energy conservation, contributing to an improved quality of life through helping to create a better environment);
  • Legal (to comply with environmental legislation and environmental management systems). Leadership (to lead the county on promoting sustainable energy issues).

Warwickshire County Council has a long term climate change target in line with the 2050 national target:

Contribute to meeting and exceeding the county target to reduce emissions of CO2 by 80% (baseline 2002/3 – 52,000 tonnes per year).

This target will be achieved through five policy areas:

  1. Avoiding unnecessary costs on energy, water and carbon emissions.
  2. Improving energy efficiency, increasing the amount of renewable energy and managing the risks associated with insecure energy supplies.
  3. Maintaining accurate and comprehensive data systems for performance reporting and providing feedback to staff and members.
  4. Developing finance mechanisms that reduce energy, water and carbon emissions.
  5. Aligning our policy with sub-regional and national climate change and energy strategies, adapting organisational systems to ensure targets are met and partnership working.

Carbon management action plan – revisited

Warwickshire County Council was a pilot authority in the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Management Action Plan (CMAP) programme in 2004, one of only 16 local authorities in the UK.

The CMAP provided the framework for carbon reduction measures for the following 5 years. Baseline CO2 emissions were calculated from buildings (electricity, gas and heating oil), street lighting (electricity), business miles and transport fleet (petrol and diesel).

In March 2009 we were again approached by the Carbon Trust to participate in a follow up to the 2003 pilot - the Carbon Management Action Plan – Revisited programme (CMAP-R).

Cabinet were presented with a summary report on the CMAP –R on the 22nd April 2010. They noted the infrastructure investment and behavioural change work undertaken to date and agreed the challenging target of 15% reduction in Corporate CO2 emissions (measured on per full time equivalent (FTE) headcount) by 2015 from our baseline in 2002/3.

Briefing Paper - "Expensive Energy - it's a people thing" (Heads of Service, 17 Jan' 2012)

The paper signals that in coming years energy prices are highly likely to rise substantially - not only for direct heat, power and transport fuels - but also for the many fossil fuel chemicals that enable the world in which we live. Cheap energy has given us the prosperity most of us enjoy. Expensive energy challenges that prosperity and the possibility of not returning to continued economic growth. For us this impacts on all those the public sector exists to serve - families, communities, our local economy and jobs. Acting as 'critical friends' - the following responses were received ...

Dave Clarke, Treasurer, Warwickshire Police Authority (formerly WCC Strategic Director of Finance) called the paper ... “A helpful and enlightening explanation of the issues associated with the biggest medium term risk facing the world economy.”

Andrew Gabbitas, Executive Director, Rugby Borough Council said ... “… I think faced with [these issues,] that leaders and decisions makers would rather be seen to be trying to do something rather than sitting back and waiting for something to turn up”.

Click here to read the full document

Briefing Paper - "Expensive Energy - it's a people thing" (Original / Full Doc' September 2011)

This slightly longer 'original' paper was completed in September 2011. It includes a Part 2 supplementary paper which highlights rising road transport fuel prices in Warwickshire, the many products made from fossil fuel chemical derivatives - and an overview of how communities and local authorities around the world are beginning to tackle the issues.

Click here for the original write up (part 1) Click here for the original write up (part 2)