APPENDIX 1
Climate Local Mansfield District Council: Our Commitments and Actions
Foreword
The aim of Climate Local is to help Councils across the country capture the
opportunities and benefits of action on a changing climate through saving on
energy bills, generating income from renewable energy, attracting new jobs
and investment in “green” industries, reducing flood risks and managing the
impacts of extreme weather.
On the 5 June 2013, Mansfield District Council signed the Climate Local
Commitment. In signing this commitment, we have set locally-owned and
determined actions to reduce carbon emissions, and determined to publish
these, along with our progress, enabling local communities to hold us to
account. To ensure that the Council continues to make progress over the
coming years, we will regularly refresh our commitments and actions to
ensure they are current and continue to reflect local priorities.
In these times of austerity it also makes financial sense to ensure that the
Council continues to link energy reduction to financial savings and continue its
progress to date to achieve efficiencies to lead by example by working to
reduce carbon emissions from its own properties and services. As a major
consumer of energy with a number of successful energy reduction projects
being completed since the Council’s Carbon Management Plan was put
together in 2010/11, the Council continues to set a good example as a
community and business leader to take a leading role in contributing to the
achievement of the Government’s reduction targets.
Cllr Philip Shields
Portfolio Holder for the Environment
1.
Introduction
All councils within England have a duty to work towards reducing carbon
emissions within the UK by 34% by 2020 and by 80% by 2050. In all Climate
and Energy policy documents published by the Government, energy efficiency
and increased use of renewable energy are seen as central to achieving
carbon emissions reduction aims.
Mansfield District Council was a signatory of the Nottingham Declaration on
Climate Change that made public the Council’s commitment towards actively
addressing climate change. In doing so, the Council placed climate change as
one of its core priorities in its Corporate Plan 2010-2020: “Develop a high
quality, clean, green and pleasant environment”.
Mansfield District Council signed the Climate Local Declaration on 5 June
2013 in recognition of the important role that local authorities have in tackling
climate change and its continuing commitment to generate further interest in
energy efficiency and climate change initiatives.
In signing the Declaration the Council pledged to set locally owned and
determined targets of both mitigation and adaptation and publish these.
Performance against these actions will be monitored and progress against
them reported regularly. The Council will also regularly refresh these actions
to ensure they are up to date and reflect local priorities.
Climate Local sets out a series of local commitments covering:
Mainstreaming Climate Change
Energy
Local Economic Growth
Natural Environment
Planning and the Built Environment
Transport
Waste
Health and Communities
As part of the flexibility of the Climate Local Commitment, the Council is able
to choose the actions that are most important based on current activity in
these areas and how developed the approach to each is.
Mansfield District Council’s vision is to create a positive image of Mansfield
which supports people, businesses and investment in the area, and improves
confidence, pride and dignity so that everyone can enjoy a good quality of life
in their neighbourhood through the three values of quality, respect and
openness.
The Council’s corporate priorities as contained in the 2012/13 and 2013/14
Corporate Plan which are relevant to Climate Local are:



Vulnerable People - Supporting the most vulnerable people in our
District to help them live independent and fulfilled lives.
Housing - Ensuring there is an adequate supply of good quality, well
managed housing which is accessible and affordable to those who
need it.
Protecting the Environment - Delivering a local plan for the provision of
housing, commercial and retail development and ensure a high quality
and sustainable environment.
The Council has therefore set its Climate Local priorities for the following four
main areas:
 Corporate Commitment and Skills;
 Estate Manager and Housing Provider;
 Community Leadership;
 Climate Resilience.
To make the most of the resources available to the authority and to ensure an
effective approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation in the Council
and the District the action plan below will support the commitment to help local
people and businesses to be more informed about their energy use. This will
ensure the Council delivers services that are resource efficient, runs efficient
buildings on clean energy and builds on the good progress made to date.
2.
Corporate Commitment and Skills
Commitment 1: Demonstrate political and strategic commitment to acting on
climate change
Justification: By continuing to put climate change mitigation and adaptation at
the heart of the Council’s vision the Council is able to demonstrate its
commitment to acting on climate change. The Council is also well placed in
the community to inform local stakeholders of the most effective options
available to allow others to drive their own actions forward.
Continuing to act on mitigation and adaptation to climate change, will also
help to improve the efficiency of council services and reduce energy costs
further.
Specific actions
Measure
Timescale
Secure continued
Ongoing
 Provide briefings and
political commitment
member training on the
and responsibility for
benefits and opportunities
taking action on climate
of tackling climate change,
change
highlighting the contribution
that positive action can
make to other Council
priorities (e.g. Economic,
Environment,
Regeneration).
Set sustainability
guidance within the
Local Plan (including
defined Allowable
Solutions)
Using the planning
system to promote
renewable energy
development and a low
carbon economy
Continue to be an active
member of the
Nottinghamshire
Climate Change
Partnership and
Nottinghamshire and
Derbyshire Local
Authority Energy
Partnership.
Set specific energy
reduction targets for the
main corporate buildings
 Submission of Sustainability
Statements showing how
the development would
contribute to mitigating and
adapting to climate change
and to meeting targets to
reduce carbon dioxide
emissions
 Adopting planning policies
that actively encourage
renewable and
decentralised energy
generation at all scales (e.g.
on-site renewable energy
requirements for new build.
 Representatives to attend
all meetings and remain
actively involved in all
projects (energy saving,
climate change, fuel
poverty) that are run as a
result of both partnerships.
Preferred Options
- early 2014
 Report on progress against
targets set annually, as part
of the Carbon Management
Plan Review 2013/14 and
set energy reduction targets
for the top twenty highest
use buildings.
November 2013
for 2013/14
Energy reporting
to be completed
by the end of July
annually.
Ongoing
Ongoing
3.
Estate Manager and Housing Provider
Commitment 2: Improve the energy efficiency of corporate buildings
Justification: The Council provides a range of services which are delivered
from a variety of buildings, therefore to ensure the Council meets its 35%
carbon emissions reduction target set in the Carbon Management Plan 2011
by 2013/14 from 2008/09 and to improve the Council’s resilience to rising and
volatile energy prices, energy efficiency in corporate stock has to be
improved.
A significant proportion of energy consumption relates to maintaining
comfortable internal temperatures. Improving heating systems and control of
these are also essential to help manage energy use as well as changing the
way that buildings are used and managed, plus investigating the use of
renewable technologies.
Specific actions
Set specific energy reduction
targets for the main corporate
buildings (top 20 users)
Measure
 Report on progress
against targets set
Timescale
November 2013
for 2013/14
Continue to run a revolving

energy efficiency fund, through
an invest to save programme
for 2013/14, including the use
of external funding streams e.g.
Salix, and income generated
from FITs and the RHI.
Indentify external funding
opportunities e.g. Salix
Finance, Energy Performance
Partnerships, Heat Contracts to
allow further CO2 savings to be
realised.

Identify suitable properties
where renewable technologies
e.g solar PV, ground source or
biomass heating could be
installed as part of the
Council’s rolling PPW
programme, and benefit from
the income through RHI and
FITs


Investigate changes to
electricity and gas metering
legislation to ensure the
Council is compliant with smart
meter requirements
Determine the best course of
action for improving the energy
efficiency of corporate and
commercial properties owned
and rented out by the Council.



annually.
Invest in the main
Mansfield District
Council Civic
Centre and
dramatically reduce
emissions from this
building by 500T
CO2 annually.
Carry out a full
review of corporate
energy and
maintenance
contracts to
determine where
these could be
implemented.
Review all
corporate and
commercial
properties and
identify those that
are the most
beneficial for the
installation of Solar
PV.
Identify corporate
sites suitable for the
conversion to
renewable heating
sources.
Numbers and
locations of gas and
electricity meters
which need to be
changed.
Identify corporate
properties that have
an EPC rating of F
or G and prioritise
work to improve the
efficiency of these.
Identify corporate
properties with EPC
ratings of D or E
and carry out
improvement works
to these (as
Summer 2014
Spring 2014
Summer 2014
Autumn 2014
Ensure all
relevant meters
are changed by
31 March 2014
Prior to the
changes in
Building
Regulations in
2016
budgets allow)
Commitment 3: Improve the energy efficiency of homes using technologies
(like insulation) to improve the energy rating of our housing stock, improve
thermal comfort and reduce fuel costs while influencing the design of new
buildings to ensure they are as energy efficient as possible.
Justification: A significant proportion of housing energy consumption relates to
maintaining comfortable internal temperatures. Insulating a property (with
cavity wall, loft, external/internal solid wall insulation) reduces the amount of
energy required to maintain internal temperatures and is one of the main ways
to improve the efficiency of a building. Improving heating systems and control
of these are also essential to help manage energy use.
Specific actions
Pursue ECO funding to allow
further insulation works to be
undertaken in Council stock
Continue the work of the Warm
Homes Healthy People
Programme and DECC funding
projects from 2012 within
private housing stock.
Investigate the potential for
installation of renewable
technologies in Council
housing stock.
Measure
 Summary of
completed ECO 1
projects (including
cavity wall, loft,
solid wall and hard
to treat insulation
work).
 Report to
summarise the
outcomes of the
January to March
2013 programme
and the follow on
programme in
Autumn 2013
 Solar PV on
Housing Stock
through capital
investment and
external funding
sources.
 Carry out
consultation with
tenants who have
had renewable
technologies
installed.
Timescale
December 2014
(end of ECO1)
Before 31 March
2014
Summer 2014
Ongoing as new
technologies are
trialled.
Commitment 4: Empower residents and promote energy literacy to ensure
the most vulnerable understand their energy bills, usage and options to
reduce fuel poverty.
Justification: In the East Midlands, it is estimated that 19% of households are
in fuel poverty which is above the national average of 14% (DECC Statistics
2010). It is anticipated that this level will rise unless action is taken to prevent
it because of the increasing cost of energy.
Specific actions
Continue to provide a service
to help vulnerable residents
with fuel debt, tariff switching in
conjunction with the Warm
Homes Healthy People
(WHHP) and DECC funding
scheme e.g. through the
Affordable Warmth Officer
Pursue Energy Company
Obligation (ECO) funding.
Deliver Green Deal trials with
local partners.
Measure
 Service set up and
running.
Timescale
Ongoing to
December 2013

Before March
2014


Boiler and heating
system
replacements.
Energy Audits
Work in partnership
with the
Nottinghamshire
and Derbyshire
Local Authority
Energy Partnership
and other local
partners to lever in
ECO funding to
retrofit housing
stock and private
properties.
 Set up trials within
the private sector
housing and private
rented housing to
take advantage of
ECO and Green
Deal finance where
available (including
with Ashfield District
Council) and use
these trial areas to
determine how the
Council intends to
move forwards in
the future.
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
4.
Community Leadership
Commitment 5: Help local businesses and community groups to reduce their
energy consumption and costs (increase economic viability of local
businesses) and help to develop local jobs and opportunities in the energy
and sustainability sector.
Justification: Supporting local voluntary organisations and businesses to
reduce energy use and costs benefits the long term economic sustainability of
Mansfield, and helps to develop skills and job resilience for local people.
Unemployment, particularly amongst the young (18-24) is higher (9.2%)* than
the national average (6.2%), however new areas of work, including the
upcoming Green Deal and ECO, could offer training and employment
opportunities for local people.
* - statistics from Nomis (official labour market statistics)
Specific actions
Provide SMEs with business
support to make cost savings and
improve environmental
performance by becoming more
resource efficient through the
Council’s Regeneration Team
Where possible, the Council will
seek to negotiate local jobs,
apprenticeships, work experience
and subcontracting through
energy related employment
opportunities e.g. ECO funded
partnerships in both Council
Stock and private properties
Measure
 Signposting
community groups
to external sources
of support and
funding
 Promoting
awareness of FITs
and the RHI among
the local population.
 Local employment
and training to be
included in the
procurement
process where
possible.
Timescale
Ongoing
Ongoing
Commitment 6: Support countywide and regional work towards developing a
low carbon transport system that enhances our local economy and delivers
multiple benefits, such as reduced carbon emissions and improved air quality.
Justification: Improvements in sustainable travel will have a positive
contribution to the health and well being of the local population, help improve
and enhance the local area, and enhance the travel choices available for
residents and visitors.
Specific actions
Measure
Timescale
Work with local organisations to
 Build links with local 2013/14
promote sustainable travel
businesses, health
authorities to
ensure joint working
Promote the use of sustainable
travel choices by residents and
visitors and encourage the use of
more sustainable travel choices
by Council staff.
5.
to improve take up
of sustainable travel
options.
 Develop a Travel
Plan for the Council
(including a cycle
and walk to work
policy).
 Implement
measures that
minimise the need
for travel (e.g.
through the
planning system,
promotion of ICT
and car clubs/car
pooling).
 Promote walking
and cycling through
investment where
possible in
infrastructure, and
engagement and
education with
motorists and the
wider public.
2013/14
Ongoing
Ongoing
Climate Resilience
In order to adapt to the risks and opportunities that our changing climate
will present, we also make the following commitments:
Commitment 7: To better understand, manage and mitigate the risks to
Mansfield from a changing climate.
Justification: Surface water flooding has been identified as one climate
change risk (through work previously undertaken on National Indicator 188),
and for this reason the Council will identify flood risk areas, helping vulnerable
people and communities in those areas to prepare for future events.
Other risks need to be identified e.g. drought, heat waves which may affect
local communities in the future.
The natural environment is an integral part of the district’s past and future,
lying as it does in the heart of the Sherwood Forest area with key natural
assets including the Oak Tree Heath SSSI (a rare example of lowland heath
land and a donor site for others in Nottinghamshire) and Quarry Lane Local
Nature Reserve including therefore needs protecting against future climatic
changes.
Specific actions
Measure
Timescale
Ensure the Council is prepared
Ongoing – to
 Ensuring continuity
for the impacts of Climate
be led by the
Change and acts as a
community leader by helping
others to understand the risks
and opportunities.
plans are in place so
that key Council
services can continue
the be provided in the
event of extreme
weather.
Identify areas at risk from future  Number of
surface water flooding and work
communities
with these communities to build
implementing a flood
resilience to these events.
resilience strategy in
conjunction with the
Nottinghamshire
County Flood Risk
Management Plan.
Ensuring that parks and
 Completion of the
recreational facilities are resilient
Parks Strategy.
to projected seasonal changes
in ground conditions through a
sustainable planting policy,
creating planting that is low
maintenance and drought
 Retention of 4 Green
tolerant.
Flags at the Council’s
main parks.
Introduce water harvesting and
 Assess current water
conservation measures to
use in parks and public
improve the use of scarce water
spaces and identify
resources.
water reduction
projects, roll this out
across the Council after
April 2014.
Supporting Information
Carbon Management Plan 2013 Review
Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA) Report 2013
Carbon Emissions Reduction Strategy 2013 Review
Environmental
Health
Manager
Ongoing –
FRMP and
flood risk and
hazard maps
by April 2014
Consultation
from Autumn
2013 and
completion by
Summer 2014
2014
April 2014