Title

CLIMATE CHANGE

Powering ahead on sustainability

Geoff Raw explains how Brighton & Hove City Council is working across councils and other partners to tackle climate change

There is a huge amount of interest across the community in environmental sustainability issues and that has been longstanding in Brighton and Hove.

I think the council has gone through various ways of trying to look at how it addresses the issues of sustainable development and climate change in a way that works.

It wants an approach that fulfils the obligations the UK national Government has been entering into, but does it in a way that it can make work with council finances. Each generation has been trying to find solutions which are not only good for the planet but are also financially sustainable.

It is about councils wanting to do the right thing, but trying to make sure they can make it financially sustainable within the legislation and with the buy-in of the local community.

One of our challenges recently has been that if we want to really decarbonise our city we want to try to harness the energy, enthusiasm and interest of our local community, but we also have to think about the way we work at scale. A significant part of this strategic work is being progressed through the Greater Brighton Economic Board – a partnership between representative local business organisations and local authorities that includes Brighton and Hove as instigator, alongside Adur DC and Worthing BC, Lewes DC, Mid-Sussex DC, Crawley BC, and Arun DC.

Also included are the two Brighton universities and the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership. That board has set up an infrastructure panel to look at how we can work at scale. We are looking at two areas – water and energy. The infrastructure panel is chaired by Ian McAuley who is chief executive of Southern Water, but he has also been able to draw in partners from UK Power Networks. What we are trying to do is look at water consumption.

What Ian would say is that we are as stressed a water area as parts of California and the Middle East – partly because of the climate and partly because of the population size. The current national average consumption per person per day in England and Wales is 140 litres per day, and in this part of the world we are already achieving 120 litres a day. We are looking to see if we can bring our water (usage) level down yet further.

But that means we have to look at something communities and businesses can buy into and that we have a strategic plan for bringing that about within a five to 10-year horizon.

Geoff Raw is chief executive of Brighton & Hove City Council

CLIMATE CHANGE

Durham tightens HMO rules

By Paul Marinko | 29 July 2025

Durham CC’s Reform administration has tightened Homes of Multiple Occupation (HMO) rules after its leader revealed they were looking at such measures to addr...

CLIMATE CHANGE

Rising to the rough sleeper challenge in Peterborough

By Kelly Slack | 29 July 2025

A new initiative unique to Peterborough offers temporary accommodation in new homes for up to 17 people with multiple and complex needs. Kelly Slack explains.

CLIMATE CHANGE

How tech can help support underserved residents

By James Townsend | 29 July 2025

Technology offers on-demand, scalable and sustainable solutions that can work alongside councils to bridge the gap for diverse communities, says James Townsend.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Why legislation alone won't end the postcode lottery of youth work support

By Leigh Middleton | 29 July 2025

In order to create consistent, high quality and sustainable youth work provision there needs to be legislative reform, together with clear guidance on what ‘...