Energy
Council writes off £24m debt
Nottingham City Council has written-off £24m of debt owed by its energy company, newly-released figures have shown.
Sunak outlines £3bn green investment package
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced £1bn will be made available to improve the energy efficiency of public buildings, including schools and hospitals.
New rural network could be the hero for net zero
Cllr Steve Count explains why 21 councils have joined forces with UK100 to create - and this week to launch - the Countryside Climate Network.
Putting local communities at the heart of the green jobs revolution
Councils are driving the climate change agenda locally, says Cllr Sir Richard Leese. They can be the catalyst for a new green jobs bonanza to help recovery, he adds.
Council to sell Bristol Energy
Bristol City Council has given the go-ahead to put its loss-making energy company up for sale.
District heating can help deliver on social housing energy efficiency pledges
Dr Tanja Groth discusses why district heating should form a key part of the Government’s post-coronavirus green agenda.
The pathway to net-zero
A Re:fit Energy Performance Contract provides the opportunity for local and combined authorities to kick off their pathway to net-zero by implementing and accelerating energy efficiency measures, says Local Partnerships director Rachel Toresen-Owuor.
The pathway to net-zero
Rachel Toresen-Owuor of Local Partnerships says when developing climate response action plans, a programme of works delivered through a Re:fit Energy Performance Contract offers a tangible first step with rapid impacts.
Salford is the greenest council in 2020 Thriving Places Index
Salford City Council has emerged as the greenest in an index of quality of life in 363 local authorities in England and Wales.
Climate emergency: the role of renewables
Many councils are developing or buying solar farms of their own. If successful this can cut carbon and emissions, and produce a good income through sound and ethical commercial ventures, says Jo Wall.
Nottingham in bid to 'stabilise' energy company
A new management team has been installed at Robin Hood Energy and governance of council-controlled companies is being overhauled after the company was threatened with having its licence revoked.
Scottish councils sign £700m contract to ‘transform waste’
Five Scottish councils have signed a contract that will divert up to 190,000 tonnes of black bag waste from landfill.
Why every local council should commit to a Green New Deal
There has never been a greater need to decarbonise, argues Cllr Elaine Hills. She says wise investments by councils can drive economic and societal change, and the Green New Deal proposal for Brighton & Hove City Council 'aims to do just that'.
Time for more than warm words
Bob Neill says the deadlock that has racked Westminster for the last three years means real action is now needed on housing, social care, energy and infrastructure.
Cornwall Council will help other authorities tackle the climate emergency
Cllr Edwina Hannaford says Cornwall Council will become an exemplar for what regional leadership can do on combating climate change.
Wiltshire leads the way in the climate challenge
Friends of the Earth put Wiltshire at the top of the list of most climate-friendly areas in England. Alistair Cunningham outlines how the council will set about achieving its aim for council and county to be carbon neutral by 2030.
It’s time to clean up our act
With more than 230 local climate emergencies declared nationwide, it’s time for our local and combined authorities to take action for decarbonisation and sustainable clean growth, writes Jonathan Werran.
If politics is local, then so is climate change
Progress in reducing emissions from heating and transport continues to lag well behind the UK's renewable power sources success story, says Michael Burton - but this is where individual behaviour and local government can make a difference.
Council energy supplier threatened with licence revocation
Nottingham City Council-owned Robin Hood Energy missed a deadline to pay watchdog Ofgem £9.4m.
Changing Tynes
Heather Jameson talks to Jamie Driscoll, North of Tyne Mayor, about the main challenges facing the combined authority, the region’s devolution deal, and putting party politics to one side to work with the Northern Powerhouse minister.
