Published: 22/03/2017
COPELAND Council has reaffirmed its commitment to a cleaner, greener environment.
At yesterday's full council meeting, Copeland's members endorsed the new Environmental Policy, which says the borough's drive for regeneration and investment must be coupled with a focus on sustainable growth.
Copeland's portfolio holder for the environment, Coun David Banks, said: "We must lead by example, being environmentally responsible in every service we deliver - as well as encouraging a low carbon economy across the borough."
The policy includes a key target - reducing the council's own carbon footprint by five per cent by 2020. This is on top of previous reductions - the council has already achieved a Cumbria Business Environment Network Gold Award for the last two years, and the Beacon Museum has Green Museum status.
Coun Banks added: "We are fully aware of our responsibilities to the environment and we continue to want to better ourselves in this area. We choose to be leaders in this, and to have environmental awareness flow through every decision we make and everyone we work with. This policy helps us to crystallise that and I look forward to the continuing improvements it will bring."
The council will take the policy into account in its decision making and service planning. The policy will also be used to direct the council's support for partner organisations and and to encourage staff, councillors, partners, suppliers and residents to minimise their own environmental impacts.
