£1.6 million funding to be distributed to local Climate Emergency projects

Cheshire West and Chester Council has supported 12 projects through its £1.6 million Climate Emergency Fund this financial year.

The Climate Emergency Fund has been running for a number of years, providing  a financial boost for local organisations and Council projects that will reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, reduce litter and improve biodiversity.

The fund has been set up as part of the Council’s work to tackle the Climate Emergency and both local organisations and Council services, delivering projects that meet set criteria, were able to bid for funding.

The successful applicants for the latest round of funding include the following.

Community-led bids:

•           Hospice of the Good Shepherd energy efficiency

•           Tarporley Scouts low carbon heating

•           Chester FC energy efficiency

Council and Council company bids:

•           Brio Leisure pool covers

•           Installing light-emitting diode (LED) lights at Brio Leisure Centre

•           LED lighting for 10 public libraries

•           Reducing the carbon footprint of Bishop Lloyds Palace

•           Low carbon heating and energy efficiency at the Mulberry Centre

•           Increasing household food waste recycling

•           Wildflowers to support the Council’s wildflower strategy

•           Lache community centre energy efficiency

•           Northwich library energy efficiency

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: 

“It is vitally important that we continue to invest in both our communities and our operations to make them more effective, deliver better value for money and reduce our carbon emissions. A wide range of projects will benefit from this support - from nature enhancement projects through to energy efficiency and infrastructure improvements. Each of these projects will, in their own way, reduce carbon emissions in west Cheshire and help us to achieve our target of the borough becoming carbon neutral by 2045 and the Council, as an organisation, by 2030.”

Caroline Siddall, Director of Income Generation at the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, said:

“The funding from Cheshire West and Chester Council Climate Emergency Fund towards the cost of new windows for the hospice will prove to be invaluable.

“Not only will the grant help us towards the costs of replacing windows that are over 30 years old, but the grant will also help us to reduce our carbon footprint and the cost of our heating bills.  It will cost £5.1 million to run the hospice this year and going forward these costs will only increase, and the benefits of the new windows will be a lasting legacy we are a very grateful for the support.”

This funding plays a key part in the Council’s Climate Emergency response plan which sets out how the Council, businesses, residents and communities can all play their part to tackle the Climate Emergency.

For further information on the Council’s Climate Emergency response, visit: 

www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/climateemergency

Pictured - Exterior of The Hospice of the Good Shepherd.