Council sets out framework for decarbonisation

Councillors will be asked to approve a new Decarbonisation Framework that sets out how the Council will work across several priority themes in the coming years, namely: Energy and Buildings; Green Spaces, Business, Transport and Health.

Decarbonisation is the process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from the Council’s operations as well as pursuing policies and projects that support residents and organisations across Swindon to do the same.

Progressing the activity set out in the framework will make a key contribution to the Council’s long-term Swindon Plan mission to Build a Greener Swindon, summarised as: “Fully playing our part as a council and a town in combatting climate change. Working with communities to find new ways of doing things that help, not hinder, the natural environment.”

The Council will continue to oversee widespread tree planting, funded through the Government’s Trees for Climate programme, which has seen over 50,000 trees planted across Swindon since 2020 including 10,000 planted over the past year. Additionally, the local authority is working with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust on the Swindon Forest Meadows project that is creating, restoring and enhancing natural habitats across the Borough.

Swindon homeowners are also being supported to generate their own renewable energy through the Council’s involvement in Solar Together, which has helped more than 600 households to buy and install over 6,000 solar panels.

The Council is currently extending its household food waste collection service to all 11,000 flats in Swindon, with the collected waste processed into green energy and nutrient-rich fertiliser, helping to power UK homes and support agriculture.

Residents and other interested parties are currently being invited to provide feedback on the Council’s draft Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), which sets out 25 proposed schemes to develop Swindon’s walking and cycling infrastructure over the next decade.

A consultation has also recently ended on the Country Parks Strategy, which asked residents how they want to see the Borough’s iconic parklands cared for and improved over the coming years. The new strategy is due to be published in early 2026.

The priorities in the framework were shaped by input from residents who attended two ‘Let’s talk Swindon’ engagement events in October as well as by businesses and partner organisations.

Councillor Emma Bushell, Swindon Borough Council’s Deputy Leader and Ambassador for the Greener Swindon mission, said: “At its heart, our mission to ‘Build a Greener’ mission is about improving lives, making homes warmer and cheaper to run, protecting our green spaces for wellbeing and wildlife and securing clean, reliable energy for the future.

“The new Decarbonisation Framework sets out the practical ways in which we will continue to reduce the Council’s environmental footprint and support Swindon residents and organisations to do likewise.”