Adopted by Council: 29th September 2020
Planned Review Date: May 2024
Crewe Town Council recognises its operations have impact on the environment in a number of ways and is committed to identifying, monitoring and reducing such impacts. In addition, its duties enable it to protect and at times enhance the local environment both directly and by influencing others. The Council will make best use of its position and powers to do this.
The Council acknowledges its duty to consider the conservation of biodiversity when carrying out its functions, under the provisions of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, s40.
The Council will recognize and support Cheshire East Council’s Environmental Strategy 2019-24 which is currently in draft form.
The Council accepts that “sustainable development” will not be possible unless “Climate Change”, the global temperature rise, is tackled and that this is of growing concern to it’s residents, particularly the young.
This Policy supports and amplifies the aims of the Council’s Corporate Strategy “Taking Crewe where it wants to be”. “A Town to Enjoy” is one of its 5 key priorities which includes the statement “Improving the quality of the Public Realm, recognising climate change issues and protecting the local environment and heritage”.
It will also be linked to other Council policies including Equality; Community and Social; Quality; Treasury Management (Investment) and Procurement, which will ensure environmental considerations are central to the ethos of the organisation.
The Council will therefore work with partners to help our Town achieve it sustainability ambitions. To be successful, everyone must play their part and the Council will help them realise there are wider benefits of tackling climate change which can improve lives, not diminish them.
To achieve this, the Council will:-
- Embrace the concept of sustainability and acknowledge the need to reconcile environmental, social and economic demands.
- Comply with all relevant environmental legislation and where possible set standards which are more stringent than the legal minimum.
- Undertake periodic audits to ensure up to date assessments of environmental impacts are maintained and the progress of action plans are monitored. As part of this it will measure the organisation’s carbon footprint and take the necessary actions to reduce it.
- Ensure that Councillors and employees receive training to enable them to understand and control the environmental effects of their work.
- Require where appropriate, its suppliers to provide environmental assessments of their environmental impacts and life cycle analysis of major products.
- Have regard for both the natural and built environments and will strive to protect and where possible enhance them.
- Although the Council is not a large energy user it will take any opportunity to manage energy with a view to minimising its consumption.
- Ensure its operations minimise pollution of land, water and air.
- Minimise the consumption of natural resources and consume material goods with consideration and in moderation.
- Seek to minimise waste, re-use or recycle where possible and ensure disposal has the minimum environmental impact.
- Reduce emissions from travel and machinery.
- Direct its efforts to make the Town sustainable, through like-minded community groups and will investigate the “transition town” approach.
Responsibilities
The Town Council is ultimately responsible for setting it policy and ensuring it is adhered to. Many of the responsibilities for environmental and sustainability functions are delegated to its Planning and Environment Committee. Member Audits may include compliance of environmental policies and procedures in it planned audits.
The Town Clerk and Officers are responsible for implementing this policy and as far as is reasonably practicable, will ensure that:-
- Appropriate environmental operating procedures are developed and reviewed.
- Any work carried out will comply with the requirements of this Policy and relevant operating procedures.
- Noise Pollution is kept to a minimum.
- Environmental accidents are investigated and resolved and preventative measures are enforced to prevent reoccurrences.
- This Policy is reviewed regularly to ensure relevance and currency.
Everyone of us has the ability and responsibility to contribute to this!
Every one of us will benefit!
