(Title Image: EVO GT via Flickr under Creative Commons Licence CC-BY-2.0)
While all eyes are currently focused on the coronavirus pandemic – more on this next Monday – next week, Bridgend Council’s cabinet will discuss a report on how they’ll respond to the Welsh Government and Senedd’s climate emergency declaration last year (pdf).
The Welsh Government is committed to delivering a carbon-neutral public sector by 2030, with a five-year plan currently under development.
BCBC – as a community leader, service provider and estate manager – will have a crucial role to play.
The report lists some of the measures being taken or explored further by the council including investment in walking & cycling routes, plans for mine water heating in Caerau, the proposed Bridgend town centre district heat network and energy efficiency programmes on the council’s estate.
To take this further and ensure buy-in from councillors and the public alike, BCBC proposes further measures including:
- The establishment of a cross-party council committee to scrutinise and oversee the council’s climate emergency response, alongside a dedicated officer.
- A Bridgend Climate Emergency Citizens’ Assembly.
- Development of a Climate Emergency Action Plan, including costings, performance monitoring and regular reporting.
- An annual Bridgend Sustainability Summit.
Details are a bit scant at the moment, though presumably there’ll be further announcements as and when these measures begin to take shape.
The estimate annual cost of £215,000 will come out of existing Communities Directorate budget.
