Environmental Policy

 

The council has a significant ability to maintain and improve the local environment.  The council is responsible for enforcing national legislation in a number of important areas, such as planning
and environmental health. It also provides services that help to protect the environment such as collecting household waste and providing recycling facilities. Furthermore, throughout many of its functions it acts as a focus to inform, facilitate and motivate local groups and individuals. Finally, the council is a large local employer and landowner.

There are seven specific commitments the council makes to maintain and improve the environment:

1. Energy and Water Conservation
The council will pursue energy and water management policies based on conservation and clean technology. It will implement a programme of carbon emissions reduction whilst encouraging the
production and use of renewable energy throughout the district. Furthermore it will implement these principles in the design and management of its buildings.

2. Waste and Recycling
The council will continue to develop and promote responsible waste management and recycling schemes, both within the authority and throughout the district, taking account of the Cheshire Waste Management Strategy.

3. Conservation and Resources
The council will pursue the conservation and restoration of its heritage and promote sympathetically designed and constructed developments. Similarly environmentally sensitive methods of land management, which do not threaten wildlife, open space and public access, will be adopted. The council is committed to environmental
sustainability when producing specifications and purchasing products.

4. Prevention of Pollution
The council will monitor and control its own potential for causing pollution and take any suitable measures in its power to ensure pollution by others is minimised.

5. Amenities and Landscape
The council will protect, enhance and increase the geodiversity and biodiversity of the local environment, including public open space,
countryside and wildlife habitats.  The council will also increase the public’s awareness of these biomes.

6. Traffic and Transport
The council aims to provide a cleaner and safer environment, attempts will be made to minimise the use of cars and to minimise the pollution from all vehicles.

7. Sustainability and Community
Involvement The council will adopt, where appropriate,
principles of sustainable development into its own work and into relevant policies. Wherever possible, it will inform and involve the wider community in these activities.

 

To achieve these commitments the council undertakes to:

• Comply with and, where appropriate, exceed the
  requirements of relevant environmental
  legislation.
• Achieve continual improvement in its
  environmental performance.
• Reduce our impact on climate change by
  reducing carbon dioxide emissions through the
  implementation of a carbon emissions reduction
  programme.
• Maintain a certified environmental management
  system that sets out a framework for
  environmental objectives and targets.
• To continually assess the environmental
  management system, addressing any non
  conformances raised during audit.
• Ensure that its own employees and the public are
  aware of this Policy and to report regularly on
  progress towards achieving its commitments.

 

Download the Environmental Policy (215kb)  

Adopted by Cabinet, 9 March 2008

Download the EMAS second update (140Kb)