A sustainable Elmbridge is at the very heart of our decision-making
Climate change impacts us all. Whether that is a heat wave in August forcing us indoors and causing drought warnings or more wet and stormy winters leading to floods and energy blackouts. Our borough is not immune from climate change, which is why in 2019 we declared a climate emergency and pledged to become a carbon neutral council by 2030. Since then, we have been actively working to reduce our own carbon emissions and to encourage our community to do so too.
As the Cabinet member for the Environment, I was pleased that we were able to put sustainability at the heart of the Council’s decision-making. We set out a ten-year action plan to reduce carbon emissions and plan how we will become carbon neutral by 2030 and in last year’s capital spending plan the Cabinet agreed to spend close to £1 million on some key projects. These included solar panel installations and a shift to a fully electric council fleet of vehicles. Projects already completed are:
- Installing electric vehicle (EV) charging points in our main town centre car parks. Cobham, Esher and recently Churchfields in Weybridge all now have EV chargers and Walton is shortly to follow this year.
- The solar panel installation on the roof of the Xcel Leisure Complex in Walton-on-Thames was made operational in December 2022; these 973 panels are projected to reduce electrical consumption by 40% and will lead to an estimated CO2 saving of over 75 tonnes per year, based on an estimated annual generation of 304 MWh.
- Solar panels have been installed at our Centres for the Community in Walton, Cobham, Claygate, Hersham and Molesey, as well as at the Village Hall in Hersham.
Our recent car park survey highlighted that 27% of respondents either owned or planned to buy a ‘plug-in’ electric vehicle in the next year, with 24% expressing that they would use EV charge points in car parks.
A sustainable Elmbridge is fundamental to our draft Local Plan which sets out how we can connect communities through active travel methods such as walking and cycling, as well as how we can build more energy efficient homes in Elmbridge. Energy efficient home design is an active element in the creation of the Elmbridge Design Code which is currently underway in conjunction with our residents.
Why are no solar panels being fitted at our day centre in Weybridge? The long side facing the bowls green is very sunny and would be ideal. The same applies to our library building. Please explain.
Dear Ms Alderman,
Since the fire that destroyed the hospital site building five years ago, there have been talks about developing a Weybridge Hub through co-operation between NHS Property Services (hospital site owners), SCC (Library owners) and EBC (Churchfields car park owners). While these discussions were taking place there was a chance that the Library re-development would house community services. There therefore seemed little point in spending money on solar panels for the current Centre if it was to be re-located.
Your councillors have made it clear to EBC that we do not want the Centre to close without there being a replacement community service; this is being addressed in a recent consultation of all the Borough’s Community Services which will determine their provision for the future.