Our successes so far
In Wyre we have so many reasons to celebrate; from our beautiful habitats, unique wildlife, local food and welcoming communities. It is important to recognise the amazing achievements we have gained both internally within the council and also in the wider borough.
Council operations
- Successfully completed a public sector decarbonisation scheme at Fleetwood Market, including a whole building retrofit and installation of solar panels and air source heat pumps.
- Secured Phase 4 Low Carbon Skills Fund of £177,728 to create Heat Decarbonisation Plans and detailed designs for Council buildings heated by gas.
- Switched to use a more sustainable fuel called Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) for our vehicle fleet to reduce carbon emissions.
- Certified as the first Bronze level Carbon Literate Organisation in Lancashire following ongoing staff training, including senior leaders.
- Purchased four electric vans and an electric car for our authority fleet, installed electric-operated bin lifts in our waste collection vehicles, and optimised fleet vehicle routes.
- Installed LED lighting throughout our Civic Centre, and implemented an ongoing plan of lighting replacement throughout our other sites.
- Improved the sustainable management of our own green spaces, including meadow creation at Branksome, Stanah and Larkholme Grasslands.
- Encouraged sustainable staff commuting, via a cycle to work scheme, secure cycle storage and discounted bus and tram travel.
- Introduced an internal decision-making tool to identify any climate change impacts for projects and reports, and mitigate any negative effects.
- Installed pool covers within our leisure centres to minimise energy waste and secured £141, 212 for Fleetwood Leisure Centre from the Swimming Pool Support Fund.
- Adopted a Single Use Plastic policy.
Wider borough
- Leading a £40m Wyre Beach Management Scheme, constructing sea defences to protect 11,000 properties and key infrastructure from the threat of sea level rise and coastal erosion.
- Offered businesses the opportunity for fully funded specialist sustainability advice through the Chamber Low Carbon UK Shared Prosperity Funding project.
- Wyre Council and local partners; Fleetwood Town FC Community Trust and GoVelo Ltd, launched an Active Travel programme to get people in Wyre walking, wheeling and cycling more.
- Successfully secured £1.3m for a social housing decarbonisation scheme to improve Regenda housing stock in Wyre and engaged residents on other energy saving and retrofitting schemes.
- Planted approximately 19,342 trees as of April 2024, bringing us 77% towards our target to plant 25,000 trees by 2025.
- Installed 23 electric vehicle charging points on nine of our council car parks, in addition to four dedicated taxi charging points.
- Invested in the Wyre Catchment Natural Flood Management project, a government pilot working with local farmers to slow and intercept flood water upstream to Wyre.
- Established the Our Future Coasts innovation project in partnership with the government, to use nature-based solutions along the coast to restore our saltmarshes and protect communities from flooding.
- Supported Wyre Rivers Trust and Dynamic Dunescapes projects to improve local biodiversity, and achieved Green Flag awards for five of our parks and green spaces.
- Introduced a ‘Sustainability and Low Carbon theme’ to each town centre regeneration framework, highlighting key projects for each area.
- Continued to engage with schools and volunteers with climate change and conservation activities, including Young Wyre in Bloom.
- Promoting green events and activities across the borough in our regular Great Outdoors programme.
Suggestions
We understand the need to continuously improve and reach new successes if we are to reach net zero. If you have any suggestions for actions you would like to see the council taking in response to climate change, please complete the form below.