Cotswold District Council powers up climate commitment
Proactive steps like installing EV chargers and supporting residents to make their home greener has seen Cotswold District Council rise up national rankings in one of its top priorities – climate action.
A recent assessment shows the council has nearly doubled its climate score through its response to the climate emergency, placing it in the top 15% of councils nationwide according to the latest Council Climate Action Scorecards.
This progress places the council second in Gloucestershire for improvement and demonstrates the positive impact that the council’s strategic initiatives are making.
The scorecards, developed by Climate Emergency UK, assess local authorities across key areas of climate action. The council showed notable improvements in categories including building and heating, transport, biodiversity, and collaboration and engagement—a testament to the dedicated work of council officers and elected members.
Key initiatives contributing to the council’s improved score include:
- Innovative transport solutions, including installing electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure across public car parks.
- Home energy efficiency and Cotswold home solar schemes: encouraging residents to install energy efficient products such as solar panels and heat pumps to their homes
- A £1.3 million energy retrofit programme, which delivered major upgrades to council-owned buildings including the leisure centres.
- Increased recycling rate to 59%, now one of the top-performing councils in the country
- An ecologist employed in the planning team to scrutinise planning reports for improvements to biodiversity in new developments
- The launch of the Cotswold Connected Community and Food Programme, allocating £40,000 in grants to support community fridges, new allotments, and food waste education.
- Collaborating with residents through the new Cotswold Climate Action Network
Cllr Mike McKeown, cabinet member for climate change and digital, said:
“This result reflects the hard work and commitment of our officers and members. We’ve embedded climate action into everything we do, from infrastructure to community engagement, and we’re seeing the results.
“Looking ahead, there is still much to do. Two of our largest sources of emissions are the waste collection fleet and gas heating in council buildings. We are working to transition the fleet to electric vehicles and to remove gas heating from our properties. We are also updating our Local Plan to introduce stronger climate-friendly policies for new developments.
“By acting now, we can reduce the costs and disruption from climate impacts. This is about building a better, more resilient Cotswolds for everyone who lives, works, or visits here.”
The council remains committed to building on this momentum and continuing to lead by example in tackling the climate emergency.
For more information on the Council Climate Action Scorecards, visit: Cotswold District Council Climate Action Scorecard | Council Climate Scorecards