Since joining South Derbyshire DC in May last year, there has been one theme that stood out and that is our green agenda.
It all started in 2008 with an accreditation we proudly still hold today – ISO14001, the international standard for environmental management.
In 2019, and like many English councils at the time, we declared a climate emergency. Our Climate and Environment Strategy followed in 2020 and in 2021 the South Derbyshire Action Plan for Nature, produced in partnership with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, was published. In September, the council declared an Ecological Emergency in response to the ongoing threat to wildlife and ecosystems. Our approach goes beyond climate to consider sustainability and nature recovery.
We are proud our work in progressing our net zero targets has been recognised externally, having recently achieved a top 10 national position and ‘best district' status across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
Green partners
Being in the National Forest is big for us. Around one third of the forest is within the South Derbyshire area. We have a strong partnership with Forestry England. It manages 144 acres of woodland at Rosliston Forestry Centre, with us owning and managing the remaining 10 acres, visitor centre and forest lodges. A hub for environmental education, the centre hosts regular school visits and activities.
One of our most recent partnership initiatives at Rosliston has seen us team up with East Midlands Butterfly Conservation and the National Forest Company to spearhead a project to establish local habitat to support the longevity of the iconic Purple Emperor butterfly species in the UK.
When writing about partnerships we cannot ignore our biggest partner – Toyota. It has been making cars in Burnaston, to the North of our district, for more than 30 years. It is a world leader in developing zero emission transport solutions and has committed to making its plant zero carbon, even incorporating a nature reserve.
Future plans and actions
Our new Council Plan and Local Plan are placing climate and environmental action as highest priority. We recently started work on the feasibility of developing a new civic and leisure centre to replace the facilities in our main town, Swadlincote. One of the driving forces was the carbon footprint generated by these council assets and the environmental benefits of replacing them with decarbonised facilities.
South Derbyshire through Toyota and JCB are world leaders in hydrogen technology for use as an alternative fuel source. We are part of this evolution, currently trialling in partnership with D2N2 (the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership) two hydrogen powered refuse vehicles. If successful, this technology, together with electric vehicles, could provide a zero-emission future for our entire fleet.
The future
While we have a strong legacy of industrial revolution-era boom of coal mining and clay and pottery sites, our major employment is now manufacturing. The future is green.
We are part of the East Midlands Freeport which is driving economic regeneration by incentivising low-carbon investment in manufacturing and logistics. We are also part of the recently announced East Midlands Investment Zone which will also focus on green industries. These economic opportunities are linked to environmental sustainability – the heart of the future of industry and modern life.
I am thrilled to be a part of this wonderful council and the opportunity to help create an environmentally sustainable district for the future.
Justin Ives is chief executive of South Derbyshire DC
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