St Edmundsbury Borough Council has earned praise for its green credentials after winning a coveted silver rating in recognition of its environmental performance.
The borough was handed the rating in the East of England Environment Index. The award, sponsored by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), has allowed the council to compare its performance to other organisations in the eastern region and, of the public sector bodies which entered, the borough council came top.
In the overall ratings, St Edmundsbury’s performance also matched that of large corporations such as Ford Motor Company and Speedy Hire Plc.
To win the rating, the borough council filled in a self-assessment listing details such as actions it takes to tackle climate change and cut carbon emissions. Information was also given about recycling and waste management initiatives, decreasing water consumption and measures the council takes to encourage environmental awareness in its staff.
The self-assessment was then examined by a judging panel, who gave it an overall rating of more than 80% compared to an average of 68%.
Cllr Peter Stevens, portfolio holder for environment and street scene, said:
“We are delighted that the efforts we make at St Edmundsbury to protect our environment have been recognised externally. Keeping both our own borough clean and green and minimising the impact we have on the wider environment have long been a priority for us. We have a huge array of initiatives in place to do just that and will be building on them still further in the future.”
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Issued by: Liz Hearnshaw, Communications Unit, St Edmundsbury Borough Council. Phone: 01284 757034. Email: liz.hearnshaw@stedsbc.gov.uk
