Climate Action and Carbon Reduction Plan 2024 - 2027

Rationale

Introduction

Climate change

International, regional, and local context

Hyper-local context: mapping our emissions

What we are doing

• Energy efficiency schemes
• Behavioural change
• Biodiversity and green space
• Active travel
• New developments
• Sustainable procurement
• Midlands Net Zero Hub (regional collaboration)
• Waste reduction and the circular economy
• Renewable energy and energy efficiency
• Wyre Forest Wild
• Wyre Forest Green Alliance
• The Transition Town Movement: repair cafés
• Equality Impact Assessment

Appendix one

Appendix two

What we are doing

The following section details actions the Council is currently taking to help reduce the carbon footprint of the Wyre Forest district and mitigate against climate change. Where investment is required, these projects will be subject to a business case.

With regards to combatting climate change, the Council currently employs a full time Trees and Biodiversity Officer, a full time Biodiversity and Conservation Officer, two full time Health and Sustainability Officers, a Community and Environment Strategic Manager, a Head of Community and Environment Services, and a full time Policy Officer that works primarily on the management of the Council’s decarbonisation projects. This equates to 2.87% of the Council’s full time workforce and 2.02% of the Council’s total workforce (which includes part time employees).

Energy efficacy schemes

Refurbishment of Green Street Depot and the Hub

The Council repurposed a former pumping station and sewerage treatment works to act as the base for frontline Council operations. The entire buildings were retrofitted to improve their energy efficiency schemes. This was achieved courtesy of a number of strategies, namely: the upgrading of all lighting to Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) with motion sensors; the replacement of inefficient heating systems; and the upgrading of insulation.

Decarbonisation of Wyre Forest House

The Council installed a ground source heat pump to assist with the heating of its headquarters at Wyre Forest House on Finepoint Way, Kidderminster.

Employment of Full Time Officer for co-ordinating retrofit

The Council currently employs a full time Sustainable Warmth project officer who oversees the delivery of Home Upgrade Grant Scheme 2, renewable energy grants, and other refurbishment related projects.

Act on Energy

Act on Energy is a charity that provides impartial energy advice to residents and small businesses across Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Coventry, Solihull, and Birmingham. Wyre Forest District Council works on various initiatives with Act on Energy to tackle fuel poverty and raise awareness about energy efficiency support, including grants and fuel bill advice through their free helpline, as well as through energy advice surgeries at community events. Examples of initiatives include support with delivering the Home Upgrade Grant Scheme (HUGS) and the utilising the Household Support Fund to assist households struggling to pay utility bills. Act on Energy also carry out training on energy issues for front line workers and volunteers, on behalf of the council. Act on Energy will work with the Councils in Worcestershire to deliver the Eco4Flex. For more information about Act on Energy and their relationship with the Council, visit the Act on Energy website.

Sustainable Warmth Funding

The Council administered over £440,000 of Sustainable Warmth to residents of the district in 2023 to help improve the energy efficiency of 47 homes across the district, read our news release for more information.

Home Upgrade Grant Scheme Phase 2

The Home Upgrade Grant Scheme (HUGS) Phase 2 is a grant scheme specifically designed for off-grid gas homes. This encompasses homes that use Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), coal, and other solid fuels (such as wood) for the purpose of heating their home. Eligible properties include those with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of D, E, F, or G, and a pre-tax combined income of less than £31,000 per annum. The government has outlined postcodes in which all properties are automatically eligible for HUGS phase 2. The Council has been awarded £1.155 million from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) for HUGS2 to deliver works to 65 homes in the district. In addition to this, the Council has a renewable energy grant which can provide additional measures to support HUGS2, such as providing battery storage for electricity generated through PV arrays. You can read more information about this scheme on Act on Energy's website.

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards

The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) scheme came into force for England and Wales in April 2018. It stipulates that all private rented and non-domestic properties must be upgraded such that they achieve an EPC rating of at least E. Therefore, properties rated F or G must be upgraded. Where possible, the government wants to upgrade as many of these properties as possible to EPC Band C. Wyre Forest District Council works with landlords to provide MEES advice. For the financial year 2022-23, the Council issued a total of 48 Notices: 18 of which were Penalty Notices (in relation to 15 properties), and 30 of which were Compliance Notices.

For the financial year 2023-24, the Council issued a total of 21 Notices: 13 of which were Penalty Notices, and 8 of which were Compliance Notices.

Renewable energy grants

The Council provides grants to landlords to improve energy efficiency and thermal comfort in the private rented sector and renewable energy grants to support homeowners in switching to renewable energy generation. These efforts are primarily aimed at residents residing in off-grid properties.

Behavioural change

Raising awareness of climate change

The Council plays an important role in raising awareness of climate change and promoting activities everyone can get involved in including through the 'Greener Wyre Forest' brand. This includes promoting awareness of Act on Energy, available energy efficiency schemes and seasonal specific campaigns. Work is undertaken with businesses through advice given by the North Worcestershire Economic Development and Regeneration team who also promote energy efficiency measures and grants.

Carbon Literacy training

Carbon Literacy training provides an understanding of climate change more broadly, as well as an awareness of the carbon dioxide costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community, and organisational basis. Two Council officers will be trained in how to deliver Carbon Literacy Training by the Carbon Literacy Project in September. Once this is complete, the training can be rolled out to Council officers and members. A central aim of this training shall be to improve staff knowledge and understanding of how their role is impacts climate change, and conversely how climate change will impact and potentially alter their role within the Council.

Biodiversity and access to green space

Access to green space

Policy DM.8 of the Wyre Forest District Council’s Local Plan (2016 - 2036) states that for major developments the provision of on-site open space should have regard to the following accessibility standards:

Playing pitches should be situated “within 1.2km of dwellings or within a 20-minute drive in the rural areas of the district”. The situation of green space near to where people live can reduce car usage and increases the possibility of people using that green space for recreation, exercise/sport, and mindfulness.

As part of the Council’s Connectivity Project, a new urban park is being created at the former Woolworths site off Worcester Street to create a much needed green lung in central Kidderminster. The park will consist of a mixture of grass verges, native plants, and wildflowers. This project shall be completed by early 2025.

Pesticides

The Council has ended the use of pesticides and weed killer on Council-owned parks. The approach currently in use by Wyre Forest District Council’s Parks, Street Scene and Highways teams is to use Glyphosate in as small a quantity as possible, with individual problem plants being targeted by trained skilled operatives, using a spot applicator to negate any spread of the chemical to non-target plants or environments. There is no mass spraying within the district and there is no use that could result in the chemical entering a water body is undertaken by these teams.

On the nature reserves again the Council spot sprays and hand pulls to deal with highly invasive species such as Spear Thistle, Ragwort, Giant Hogweed and Japanese Knotweed. Whilst there will be an impact on the biodiversity around the spray site it is minimal and has less impact than the invasion of native habitat on a large scale by non-native species.

Roadside verges

The Council has a Service-Level Agreement (SLA) with Worcestershire County Council to maintain the highway verges of roads with speed limits up to and including 30mph. In support of the Worcestershire Pollinator Strategy 2020-2025, the Council are now only mowing 1m around the edge of grass verges and leaving the rest to go wild. In addition to this, the Council have also created a number of “Pollinator Patches” on grass verges across the district, which can act as vital green corridors, connecting nature reserves and creating networked ecologies.

Trees

Part 10.32 of the District Council’s Local Plan views ancient woodland and veteran trees as an irreplaceable and intrinsic feature of Wyre Forest’s ecological network. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) advises that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats (such as ancient woodland and ancient or veteran trees) should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists (paragraph 180c). In addition, landscape schemes must demonstrate that they will provide adequate room for the growth of existing trees, hedgerows, and plants.

Policy SP.28 of the Local Plan states that the existing Green Infrastructure network will be safeguarded from inappropriate development, and that all greenfield sites exceeding 1 hectare (gross) must consist of at least 40% Green Infrastructure. This figure is 20% for greenfield sites smaller than 1 hectare but larger than 0.2 hectares.

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)

In the Council’s adopted Local Plan (2016 - 2036), Policy SP.23 (Protecting and Enhancing Biodiversity) sets out the expectation for proposed developments to deliver measurable net gains in biodiversity through the (re)creation of priority habitats and ecological networks, and the protection and recovery of the populations of legally protected and priority species. Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) currently stands at 10%. This means developments that meet certain thresholds must increase on-site biodiversity by at least 10%. If it is not possible to achieve a net biodiversity gain on site, this must be completed off site.

Green Flag

Whilst the District does not currently have any Green Flag parks, Kidderminster Town Council are currently in the process of selecting a park within which work shall occur to return it to Green Flag status.

Active travel

Shared transport: Dial-A-Ride

Wyre Forest Dial-A-Ride is an initiative that focuses on providing shared transport for residents with reduced mobility across the district. The Council provides a portacabin for the use of Dial-A-Ride at its Green Street Depot. The Council also supports Dial-A-Ride via regular grants.

Active travel: Cycle Forum

The Wyre Forest Cycle Forum aims to promote cycling within the area. The Forum acts as a facilitator and consultee for all matters relating to cycling. Members work to raise awareness about cycling and to ensure that new infrastructure for cyclists is convenient and safe to use. Members of the Forum include local cyclists, cycling organisations, and the local authorities; new members are always welcome. Recent activities have included development of cycling route maps, promotion of cycling at events, and running an Adult Cycle Training Scheme. The Forum is currently supporting the development of the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) for the towns of the district.

Minimum parking requirements

The Council enforces no minimum parking requirements anywhere in the district. This also applies to any new developments.

New developments

Table 2.0.1 of Wyre Forest District Council’s current Local Plan (https://www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/localplan) establishes planning for the impact(s) of climate change as a key issue facing Wyre Forest district in the context of the consideration of new developments.

Water efficiency

Policy SP.29 (Water Conservation and Efficiency) of Wyre Forest District Council’s Local Plan (2016-2036) states that: “the Council will require developments to demonstrate the incorporation of design features that will reduce water consumption. Proposals for residential development will be expected to demonstrate that a water efficiency standard of 110 litres per person per day can be achieved. New developments will also be expected to demonstrate design features that will support recycling / re-use of water through measures such as rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling, especially where a large demand for water is predicted such as industrial processes or irrigation.”

On-site renewable energy generation

Policy SP.37 (Renewable and Low Carbon Energy) of the Council’s Local Plan (2016-2036) states that “All new developments, and where possible redevelopment of existing buildings, should consider location, design, siting, and orientation to maximise the use of natural heat and light and the potential for renewable energy micro-generation. Where possible, in appropriate locations, solar panels should be fitted. All new residential, employment, or commercial developments should include electric vehicle (EV) charging points.”

Flood risk and mitigation

Much of the Wyre Forest district is classed as being vulnerable to flooding (much of which is enhanced and intensified by climate change), in particular the town of Bewdley (which lies on the River Severn), but also the towns of Stourport-on-Severn (which lies at the confluence of the Rivers Severn and Stour) and Kidderminster (which lies on the River Stour). Policy SP.31 of the Local Plan states that planning permission for development will only be granted where:

1. “The development will be safe for its lifetime taking account of the vulnerability of its users, without increasing flood risk elsewhere, and, where possible, will reduce overall flood risk in the area and beyond. This will entail evidence showing consideration of wider benefits and opportunities, including from cumulative impact assessment, to help ensure development will be safe and reduce flood risk in the catchment where possible.”
2. “The natural watercourse and flood plain profiles are not adversely affected. Where practicable, any culverted (piped) watercourses will be opened up to improve drainage and flood flows. Proposals involving the creation of new culverts will not be permitted unless essential to the provision of access.”

In addition, “A minimum 8m access strip is provided adjacent to watercourses for maintenance purposes. It should be appropriately landscaped for biodiversity benefits. The width of the strip may be reduced for smaller ordinary watercourses, where agreed by the Local Planning Authority.”

Sustainable development case studies

Lea Castle Village

The proposed Lea Castle Village development, situated to the northeast of Kidderminster, is a good example of sustainable planning in action. It is a planned development of 1400 new dwellings. In addition to easing housing and accommodation pressures in the district, the development aims to work in relative harmony with nature, for example by retaining existing woodland and hedgerows. This will be accompanied by the planting of native trees and shrubs to ensure the provision of a substantial green buffer and green infrastructure in and around the proposed site. An area of acid grassland shall be created. Acid grassland is an increasingly rare and ecologically important habitat that was once abundant in the area of the Wyre Forest district. Much of the Wyre Forest district falls within National Character Area (NCA) 66 – Mid Severn Sandstone Plateau. In the profile of this NCA, the area now comprising the Wyre Forest district is described as being once abundant in heathland and acid grassland, therefore this is a key native habitat for this area that should, where possible, be recreated and regenerated. This will also have ramifications for the district’s net zero ambitions as acid grassland is particularly effective at sequestering carbon and can is an important carbon sink. Furthermore, allotments and a community orchard, both of which improve local sourcing of food and reduce food miles, shall be provided within the development. With regards to active travel and sustainable transportation, pedestrian and cycle links shall be created connecting the development to the neighbouring village of Cookley as well as Broadwaters, an area at the north-eastern edge of Kidderminster.

For these plans, the Wyre Forest District Council staff working on this project with Homes England were accredited with a Building with Nature Design Award on 11 June 2021.

Comberton Road Development (Woven Oaks)

This is a proposed development of around 1400 new dwellings that has just completed its consultation phase. The plans also involve the construction of a community hub, primary school, retail outlets, sports pitches, and potentially a GP surgery. The site will be connected with existing developments via the establishment of pedestrian and cycle paths. Local bus routes shall be diverted through the proposed development to ensure public transport provision for those without a private automobile. Furthermore, allotments or a community orchard shall be added, whilst the natural features of the site (and its hedgerows) shall, in accordance with Kidderminster East Green Infrastructure Concept Statement, be retained where possible. Finally, a linear wetland nature reserve shall be created along the tributary (of the Hoo Brook) that runs along the Western edge of the site. In addition to reducing flood risk and improving the buffer zone between the development and the water courses, this proposed wetland shall also provide another area for recreational use, and potentially also for more natural forms of play via the provision of trim trails on site.

For these plans, the proposed development was accredited with a Building With Nature Design Award on 22 July 2022.

Sustainable procurement

Wyre Forest District Council’s most recent Procurement Strategy has a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) section that cites “prioritising lower cost over greener alternatives” as a potential risk to the sustainability of a contract. The procurement strategy also goes on to cite the inclusion of environmental considerations to reduce the carbon footprint as a key action to take in procurement exercises. The environmental and social value element of a tender evaluation will typically constitute upwards of 10% of the total score but is becoming more prominent as time goes by. This is aided by the division of larger tenders into separate lots.

Midlands Net Zero Hub (regional collaboration)

Both Wyre Forest District Council and the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership are partner to the Midlands Net Zero Hub. This is an organisation run by Nottingham City Council and funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero that seeks to encourage decarbonisation projects across the East Midlands and West Midlands regions. The Council regularly meets with a representative from the Midlands Net Zero Hub to discuss the progress of the Council’s decarbonisation, and to discuss the potential for new renewable energy projects in the region.

Waste reduction and the circular economy

The following section details the various actions the Council has undertaken or is in the process of undertaking that can be situated within the domain of waste reduction, recycling, and the Circular Economy more broadly.

Birchen Coppice Community Fridge

Wyre Forest District Council has contributed to the establishment of a community fridge at St Peter’s Community Church in Birchen Coppice, Kidderminster. It is open Sunday from 9.30am -1pm, Monday 9.30am-12pm and Thursday 7pm-10pm. Food can be donated by individuals, food businesses and supermarkets and this food is then available to any members of the community to take.

The fridge project has come about via a partnership between community champions, Wyre Forest District Council and Worcestershire County Council’s teams in waste and public health. Community fridges can be a great way of combatting food waste, loneliness, food poverty, and the cost of living crisis more generally. This project is also part of the wider Food Share Wyre Forest network.

Textile collections

Wyre Forest District Council promotes and advertises Anglo Doorstep Collections via the Council website. Anglo Doorstep Collections provide a free, charitable, and transparent collection service for textiles, clothing, footwear, and small household items, on its website providing a straightforward and convenient method for rehoming surplus cloths whilst simultaneously supporting a charity of your choice with each collection. In doing so, this has the potential to reduce household waste in the years to come and strengthens the drive towards a more Circular Economy. Visit Anglo Doorstep Collections website for more information..

Food waste collections

The Council will be commencing commercial food waste collections by March 2025, and domestic food waste collections by March 2026.

Refill Scheme

The Refill scheme is an initiative that aims to reduce plastic waste by increasing the availability of water stations where people can refill reusable bottles. Wyre Forest District Council has worked closely with Refill to help establish water stations at a large number of commercial and non-commercial locations across the district.

Supporting food banks

Wyre Forest District currently has two active food banks: one at Franche Community Church and another at Swan Shopping Centre in central Kidderminster. The Council recognises the crucial role these establishments play in supporting people, and also in the additional context of reducing food waste. For these reasons, the Council plays an active role in supporting these food banks. Actions include providing a large business waste recycling bin for Wyre Forest Food Bank with a view to increasing their recycling rate and reducing the amount sent to landfill. 

Public recycling bins

To reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and to engender greater respect for the local area by reducing littering, the Council has placed additional recycling bins in parks and public spaces across the district.

Sustainable food initiatives

The Council also supports numerous sustainable food initiatives as part of the Greener Wyre Forest

Single use plastics elimination

Both Kidderminster and Bewdley have been officially awarded the status of Plastic Free Communities in progress. Single use plastics are carbon intensive in terms of their manufacture and are also notoriously hard to dispose of once finished with. They can take anything from 20 to 500 years to break down. Furthermore, plastic never truly biodegrades – it only photodegrades, meaning it remains in the ecosystem in the form of microplastics. This becomes increasingly problematic for organisms higher up on the food chain (including humans). This is due to a process called biomagnification whereby increasingly larger quantities of microplastics are concentrated in the organisms at each successively higher level of the food chain. Therefore, Wyre Forest District Council unanimously agreed to the passing of a motion banning the use of single use plastics across all Council occupied properties at the Full Council meeting held July 2019.

Adopt a Street

In order to incentivise the reduction of littering in local communities, the Council currently runs an “Adopt a Street” programme whereby residents can commit to adopting an area of public land in their area and in doing so pledge to collect litter on that site at least three times per year on dates of their choosing. If the litter pick is going to be a large one then residents can contact the Council in advance and they shall be provided with free litter picking equipment and bags as well as free health and safety guidance for litter picking. At least 169 streets have been adopted in the district so far via this scheme. A list of adopted streets can be found on our Adopt A Street web page.

Renewable energy and energy efficiency

The following section details the projects that the Council is undertaking in order to encourage energy efficiency and decarbonise the district as much as possible. This can be achieved by making non-renewable usage more efficient, generating more green energy, and redistributing waste heat/energy via district heat networks. The map below depicts the locations of such projects, with the circles representing the approximate locations of agreed connections for the proposed Kidderminster District Heat Network, the orange rectangles representing locations earmarked for PV installation (Wyre Forest House and Green Street Depot), and the blue triangles representing the possible locations of wind farms.

Kidderminster District Heat Network

Part 16.28 of the Local Plan (2016-2036) stipulates that “The Worcestershire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) obtained HNDU (Heat Network Delivery Unit) funding and commissioned a heat demand mapping and energy master-planning study.

In addition, the Local Plan also goes on to state that “New large scale development should install a decentralised energy and heating network if it is feasible and viable to do so as part of the development. If a district heat network already exists new development should connect to this network unless satisfactory evidence is provided to demonstrate that this is not viable or feasible.”

A Council officer is currently collaborating with a representative from the Midlands Net Zero Hub and a private partner to develop a feasibility study for this project. The project has already received multiple letters of support from major heat off takers in and around Kidderminster.

Swimming Pool Support Fund

The Council was successful in its bid for Phase 2 of the Swimming Pool Support Fund. As a result, Wyre Forest Leisure Centre in Kidderminster is the recipient of £25,000 of Exchequer funding for the installation of a pool cover.

Electric vehicles (EVs)

Policy SP.37 (Renewable and Low Carbon Energy) of the Council’s Local Plan states that: “All new residential, employment or commercial developments should include electric vehicle charging points.” Furthermore, the Council has cited “Installing Electric Vehicle Charge Points in all three Towns” [Kidderminster, Bewdley, and Stourport] as a key strategic priority in the Council’s Corporate Plan (2023-27). This will be achieved via two initiatives. Firstly, the Council has awarded a contract to a private firm for the installation of 132 off street chargers at 16 Council-owned car parks across the district. This EV chargepoint rollout will consist of 110 Fast (three phase) 11kW AC chargers and 22 Rapid DC 50kW chargers. These will all be installed by December 2024. This will bring the total number of publicly available EV chargepoints in the district up from 85 (the number as of July 2024) to 217. This will also increase the number of public chargers per 100,000 Wyre Forest residents from 83 to 213.

Secondly, the Council officers have been acting as a network team sub-group to assist Worcestershire County Council in the identification of potential sites for on-street public charging via the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) scheme. In accordance with the remit of the LEVI funding, areas without good access to private off-street parking (e.g. driveways, garages, private parking spaces) shall be prioritised. As a result of this work, a ‘long list’ of 88 potential sites across the district has been compiled, 25 of which are ‘equity sites’. These are sites with a lower commercial value that require a higher LEVI subsidy and thus are designed to improve EV charging coverage and equality of access to EV charging infrastructure. As a result, these sites are often situated in areas of high rurality and/or high deprivation. This list is now with the LEVI board who are currently whittling it down to a short list of sites into which chargers will be installed, this list will be released early September 2024. Between 85 and 140 charging sockets will be installed in the District via the LEVI scheme, bringing the total number of public chargers to between 300 and 357 (following the completion of the off street chargepoint rollout by December 2024).

It is anticipated that 8-10% of the chargers installed will be 50kW DC rapid chargers, with the rest being 7KW fast AC. This is because the fast chargers will primarily be used when cars are parked at home overnight when the unit cost of electricity is lower. The slower charging has the additional benefit of putting less strain on the grid at any one time. Whilst the Council’s off street charging installation rollout is primarily restricted to the three main urban areas of the district, this scheme will incorporate slightly more remote villages in the district, such as Wolverley, Cookley, and Chaddesley Corbett.

Solar Together

The Council is running a Solar Together scheme in the Wyre Forest district to provide homeowners with affordable installation of solar panels, battery storage systems, and EV charging units. Solar Together is a group buying scheme open to homeowners and small businesses who want to reduce their energy bills and carbon footprint. To find out more visit our Solar Together page. The scheme falls within the Council’s Corporate Plan priority: a clean, safe and green place to live work and visit to “help people make their homes more energy efficient”.

Retrofitting of existing fleet using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil

Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is a form of low-carbon biofuel that is derived solely from vegetable oils. It can be produced from common crops such as rapeseed and soybean, and thus qualifies as a both a renewable and carbon neutral fuel source. The hydrotreatment aspect ensures higher levels of purity. Although far from being means emission free, HVO has the potential to drastically reduce the carbon emissions associated with Wyre Forest District Council’s fleet. It is classed a form of renewable and carbon neutral energy. The Council is currently looking into replacing diesel with HVO as the primary fuel for the Council’s fleet. However, it is important to stress that HVO is very much a steppingstone interim measure that will be in effect whilst Wyre Forest District Council is in the process of electrifying its fleet.

Fleet/Depot electrification

The Council is currently in conversations with a not for profit regarding the creation of a business case for the electrification of Green Street Depot/Hub. This shall entail the improvements to the grid supply to facilitate the installation of EV charge points specifically for fleet vehicles, thereby providing the infrastructure to facilitate the electrification of the Council’s fleet.

Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels

The Council is exploring opportunities to generate electricity from solar panels on council owned buildings, including Green Street Depot, Wyre Forest House, as well as car park canopies at Wyre Forest House and the Wyre Forest Leisure Centre. This is subject to a business case and grid capacity/connections. This feasibility work is due to conclude in 2024. The new build Temporary Accommodation scheme in Castle Road, Kidderminster (currently under construction) will include photovoltaic solar panels to generate electricity.

Minewater Heat Scheme

The Council has recently been collaborating with company to investigate the potential for minewater heating in the district. Although a number of mine entrances were identified to the northwest of the district, the distance of these workings from population centres such as Kidderminster and/or Bewdley – circa 5 miles - is too great to be commercially viable under current market conditions. Therefore, a minewater heat scheme in the Wyre Forest District is not commercially viable at present.

Wyre Forest Wild

Wyre Forest District Council owns over 1000 acres of land, much of which is constituted by the 15 nature reserves and 8 parks under the Council’s ownership. Wyre Forest Wild seeks to position the Council as bio-custodians of this land for generations to come by securing a green future for it. This shall be achieved through the establishment of three key revenue streams: Increasing visitor numbers and ecotourism (for example, by improving active travel corridors between the reserves); the sale of biodiversity units to developers to help them achieve minimum 10% mandatory BNG (which comes into force in January 2024 for large developments), and the sale of carbon credits/ biodiversity units to companies hoping to offset some or all of their emissions. It is important to note that any carbon credits/biodiversity units that are sold shall be removed from the Council’s sequestration inventory to avoid the risk of ‘double counting’ sequestration capacity.

Wyre Forest Green Alliance

Wyre Forest District Council is an active member of the Wyre Forest Green Alliance (WFGA), a union of approximately 50 different member organisations, all of which are sustainability-oriented and are situated in the district. A full list of the member organisations can be found on Wyre Forest Green Alliance’s website. WFGA run a number of sustainability themed events throughout the year, most notably during “SustFest”, a two-week annual springtime festival with a huge range of sustainability-themed activities and events. Furthermore, the WFGA also run an annual “Greener Christmas Fair” every November. This is a great opportunity to showcase innovative and sustainable ways of negotiating the festive season – a time of year typically associated with high levels of non-recyclable waste and the consumption of large amounts of carbon-intensive animal products. The Council meets with representatives from Wyre Forest Green Alliance at least twice a year to discuss progress on the Council's Climate Change Strategies and Projects. These meetings have a significant influence on future iterations of this Climate Action and Carbon Reduction Plan.

The Transition Town Movement: repair cafés

The Council assists in the publicisation of Transition Bewdley and Repair Café events. The transition town movement is an international movement that manifests itself on a truly local scale. A core aim of the movement is to encourage circular economy principles within a particular town or urban agglomeration. This is achieved in a number of different ways, one of which is by improving the provision of locally sourced food (such as through allotments, community orchards, and even guerrilla planting). Another method through which the drive to circularity is achieved is through waste reduction schemes that encourage the repair, reuse, and upcycling of objects that would otherwise be discard and/or sent to landfill. An example of this in action is through repair cafés. These are monthly meetings whereby any member of the public can bring in broken objects and get them repaired for free, thereby increasing the lifespan of the object and reducing the frequency at which replacements are bought (thus reducing the embedded whole life cycle carbon emissions associated with the manufacture, transportation and eventual disposal of a given product). There are two monthly repair cafés operating in the Wyre Forest district: one in Bewdley and one in Kidderminster.

You can find more information about repair cafés in the district on the Let's Waste Less Worcestershire website.

Equality Impact Assessment

Our Climate Action and Carbon Reduction Plan has undergone a Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA). Read the EqIA for our plan.