Net Zero council 2030

• Developing and using local, low-carbon and energy efficient energy sources, potentially installing solar panels on buildings including the Winter Gardens, Palatine Leisure Centre, Moor Park Health and Leisure Centre, Starr Gate Tram Depot, the Sandcastle Water Park and Layton Depot, and exploring wind turbines at other venues
• Establishing a 12MW to 14MW solar farm and battery storage facility at the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone
• Building 30 EPC A-grade efficiency-rated properties at Grange Park with air source heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage, together with retrofitting the @theGrange community centre with an air source heat pump and roof-mounted solar panels
• The Stanley Buildings in the town centre are set to be renovated into a thriving business hub, with UK Shared Prosperity Funding being used to fund the installation of a heat pump and solar panels
• Solaris Centre, a former lido, was re-developed as a showcase for renewable energy technology in the early 2000’s. The wind turbines have been replaced, and a server has been installed which allow waste heat from computer processing to be used to warm the building

• Bus electrification – The council has secured funding from the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme. Plans are in place to install chargers at the bus depot and introduce new electric buses from Spring 2025
• Electric Vehicle charging – The council has been provisionally awarded £1.708M in Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) funding to deliver affordable public charging infrastructure for residents without off-street parking
• Active Travel – Active travel includes journeys made by walking, wheeling or cycling/scooting. The council is committed to promoting active travel for both its health and environmental benefits
• View the local transport plan programme

We want our suppliers to meet our needs for goods, services and works whilst also helping the local community, environment and economy. Our social value policy and procurement strategy sets out how we want to improve procurement and use our buying power to help achieve net zero.

The Sustainable Food Agreement is a draft council declaration that aims to reduce the carbon footprint of the council's catering services. The declaration sets out actions to be taken by Blackpool Council over the next few years that aim to encourage a shift towards less carbon intensive and healthier diets. It also calls upon the government to make food sustainability more accessible.

The actions cover topics such as:

• Sustainable local sourcing of products
• The encouragement of increased vegetarian or plant-based diets
• Green accreditation
• Removal of ultra-processed food
• Calculating emissions data on consumption

The council strives to cultivate a climate-conscious and active culture amongst our employees. 

Travel plan

Blackpool Council is committed to encouraging our staff to make a shift in the form of transport that they use to commute to work.

To support this goal, a staff travel plan is currently in production. The plan is made up of 4 different strategies related to sustainable transport options for Blackpool Council employees. Those strategies for change are: 

• Encouraging sustainable travel choices
• Improving the promotion and communication of sustainable options
• Encouraging and promoting the health benefits
• Supporting the reduction of unnecessary car journeys to reduce carbon emissions

The plan aims to reduce the amount of carbon emissions produced when council staff commute to and from work.

Internal training

The importance of climate-conscious work practices is made clear when someone starts working for the council. All staff are encouraged to take part in our online climate training module, Tackling Climate Change.

This module gives staff a thorough overview of climate issues, focusing on what climate change is, the evidence for it and what steps can be taken both at home and in work to make a difference.

Carbon literacy

Carbon literacy is defined as 'an awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis'.

Carbon literacy training is offered to staff, helping them understand the effects of climate change and how reductions in carbon emissions can occur through cultural change.

Making procurement staff more climate aware

As a council it is important that the climate is considered throughout all aspects of the procurement process. In an effort to ensure that the council are engaging in sustainable procurement, staff are encouraged to consider the climate and sustainability implications throughout process. 

The council has adopted the General Impact Assessment (GIA) tool to shift the organisation towards a ‘climate first’ approach, in line with our climate and net zero commitments. The GIA evaluates the environmental and social impact of a proposed project, policy, or aspect of service delivery.

Project managers have access to an excel spreadsheet, in which they are asked to input details of a project based on a range of environmental and social factors. This then produces a ‘donut chart’ which visualises the anticipated environmental and social impact of a project.

The tool aims to help project managers where they can take action to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of their projects. It also supports proactive thinking about opportunities to increase positive environmental and social impacts.

It is now encouraged across the council that all reports, where appropriate, include a copy of the GIA to show that environmental and social impacts have been considered. This allows our cabinet and scrutiny committee members to better consider climate and environmental issues and therefore make more informed decisions.