Action on Climate Change is not new for Wealden; we have been taking action to address, mitigate, and adapt to Climate Change for a number of years.
For example, in 2011, our offices in Hailsham were renovated to high sustainability standards, achieving a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. This included a comprehensive energy efficient retrofit. The offices now benefit from air source heat pumps, solar photovoltaic (PV) energy generation, passive ventilation, solar shading, cycle storage, and dedicated car-share bays.
Wealden District Council has adopted its new Council Strategy which aligns the council’s three priorities under our vision and mission statements.
Declare a Climate Emergency
Wealden District Council declared a Climate Emergency in July 2019 and made a commitment to pursue efforts to reduce emissions for the council, and for the district to be net zero by 2050 (or before).
Following the declaration, a Climate Emergency Plan was prepared, setting out 43 actions Wealden District Council could take to meet its targets. Cabinet adopted the Climate Emergency Plan and prioritised 23 actions in December 2019.
Read our Climate Emergency Plan (item 10).
We are currently developing our new Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan. This is likely to be adopted by the council in autumn 2024 and will outline our net zero road map.
To view the background reports, the declaration and the adopted Climate Emergency Plan, visit:
The Climate Emergency Report sets out baseline carbon emissions data for Wealden as a district, and for the council. Total net emissions for the district in 2017 were 636 KtCO2e (kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent). Almost half (47%) are from the transport sector. Domestic buildings account for 35% of emissions and non-domestic buildings account for the remaining 18%.
Emissions from council activities are included in the district figures but only account for around 0.2% of the emissions for the district. We will be working to reduce our own carbon emission alongside taking actions that have a wider impact.
The report also models future emissions for the district and the council to show how we can achieve Net Zero by 2050. The modelling shows that we cannot achieve our goals through one approach alone. We will need to work across multiple pathways, and with a wide range of partners, to successfully deliver Net Zero.
Potential decarbonisation paths for Wealden District.
Achieving our targets will require some national changes – a shift in government policy, grid decarbonisation and technological advances will all be required if we are to achieve Net Zero. Carbon capture, storage and sequestration will also form part of the solution. Carbon offsetting in all forms must be done carefully to avoid harm to existing habitats and wildlife.
Data on carbon emissions for each local authority area is released each summer by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Data on the Council’s own emissions will be gathered, and a report prepared annually.
Select to view progress reports for 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Wealden District Council’s actions
We are committed to protecting and improving our natural environment, reducing our emissions and enhancing quality of life for our residents. Working with our partners, businesses and the community, we are taking action.
Wealden has introduced several measures to mitigate Climate Change and the council has progressed both regional and local projects. For example:
- The Council’s Housing Service continue to explore low carbon heating options as part of its Housing Decarbonisation Plan. Over 188 air source heat pumps to properties off the gas network have already been installed.
- The council has focused on energy efficiency improvements as part of its planned programmes of work and offered energy efficiency advice to its tenants.
- The council worked with a local contractor to install roof mounted Solar PV system at the Crematorium. This is estimated to generate enough power to meet 60% of the Crematoriums electricity needs.
- Installing solar panels on all council owned retirement living homes and air source heat pump at Grant Hill retirement home.
- The council was successful in securing funding from Sport England to decarbonise the leisure centre in Hailsham. The project is in early discussion phase for adding solar panels onto the leisure centres roof.
- The council has also been successful in securing home upgrade grant funding to support owner occupiers and landlords to insulate and install low carbon heating systems- Home Energy Grants, loans, and discounts.
- Joint Waste and Recycling Partnership working in partnership with Biffa, East Sussex County Council, Rother District Council and Hastings Borough Council to reduce the carbon impact of waste collection and street cleansing services.
- Since August 2023, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) has replaced diesel in all of Wealden District Council’s waste collection and street cleansing vehicles, operated by the council’s contractor Biffa. The alternative sustainable replacement fuel HVO is cleaner and reduces carbon by up to 90% compared to regular diesel, saving up to 1,800 tonnes of CO2 per year.
- Solar Together Sussex – a photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage group buying project to support local homeowners to buy and install renewable energy technologies. Over 1100 registrations were received and 200 local homeowners have accepted the offer.
- East Sussex Energy partnership working to improve the energy efficiency of local homes and tackle fuel poverty.
- Wealden is in the process of changing its fleet vehicles across departments to electric vehicles. All 6 community officer vehicles are now fully electric and 1 out of 3 of the housing vans are electric. More vehicles are to switch in the coming years.
- Wealden is continuing its development of publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charge points. The council has successfully secured grant funding to deliver EV charge points in 11 of the Councils car parks.
- To support local walking and cycling activities the council successfully secured funding to make significant improvements to the Cuckoo Trail.
- In 2019, Horsted Green Park, Wealden’s latest open access countryside area, officially opened. The council continues to look for opportunities to create new green spaces for residents to enjoy the outdoors.
- The council secured funding for the creation of approximately 8 new community orchards. This will help improve the natural environment and increase biodiversity.
- In late 2023 a motion was passed to investigate river damage and preservation in Wealden’s rivers and waterways.
- The council works in partnership with Southern Water and is an active member of their stakeholder group.
- The council has recently consulted on its taxi conditions to try and encourage the use of electric vehicles. A new Environment Framework is also being developed to promote sustainable options to event organisers and to reduce carbon emissions of events being held in the district.
- Work is currently being undertaken to create a sustainable procurement policy to ensure all council purchases consider the environmental impacts as well as economic and social affects.
- The council has started working with a consultant, New Local, who specialise in community power. The work will help us build our community network and become a community powered council.
- The council is currently creating our new Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan. This will deliver change that will lead the council towards our goal of becoming a carbon neutral district whilst ensuring the protection of our environment.
Annual Emissions Report
The council publishes its Annual Emissions Report each year following the 2019 Climate Emergency Plan.
This report presents the annual emissions data for both the council’s own operations and those arising in the district and provides an update on the priorities set out in the Climate Emergency Action Plan.
The role residents can play
Local authorities are responsible for approximately 2-5% of their local area’s emissions (in Wealden it is roughly 2%).
However, a large proportion of the emissions cuts needed will rely on people, organisations and businesses taking up low-carbon solutions – decisions that are made at a local and individual level.
Through its place-shaping and leadership role within the community, the council can influence a range of emissions and help to deliver wider local action to reduce emissions.
The council aims to influence carbon reduction through waste prevention, energy efficiency, investment in renewable energy, sustainable transport, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, housing standards, housing retrofitting and more.
- Direct control: adopting best practice in our own operations.
- Indirect local influence: working with our partners to delivery community initiatives, awareness raising and behaviour change.
- Indirect national influence: lobbying central government to bring forward policy and release funding.
Track our journey
Follow the council’s journey to becoming net zero by following us on Facebook and find project updates and inspirational ideas on our dedicated interactive Climate Change pages at Let’s Talk Wealden.
Keep an eye out for our new Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan. This is likely to be adopted by the council in summer/autumn 2024 and will outline our carbon neutral road map.