The council has set a 25% reduction target of CO2 emissions by 2013 and 30% reduction by 2020. The baseline emissions for the council have been calculated and stand at 1.302 tonnes of CO2. This is made up of 63% from council buildings and 37% from transport.

Energy and water

The chart below shows our energy and water consumption at our council offices in Blandford Forum over the last two years.

Energy and water consumption

Total energy

Climate change and energy efficiency is increasingly seen to be important both politically and by the public. There is now a clear expectation from both Central Government and the public for local authorities to make these issues a priority.

We have responded by adopting the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change and we are working with the Carbon Trust and Energy Savings Trust to develop a climate change action plan. This sets out a range of measures aimed at reducing our energy consumption and impact on climate change. These programmes are being driven forward by an internal Carbon Management Team of key Managers to embed Carbon Management in the Council's operations.

Internal waste collection

The council is now recycling a significant proportion of the waste generated from the council offices. We are introducing dedicated provision of bins for paper/magazines, plastic bottles, food and drinks cans, and food waste in the small kitchens around Nordon.

We have also improved paper recycling bins for offices with clear guidelines with supporting publicity as to what waste paper goes in the paper recycling bins, how to recycle cardboard and how to recycle your newspapers and magazines.

Information technology

• Name: Kevin Morris
  Email: kmorris@north-dorset.gov.uk
  Tel: 01258 484342
  Full details for Kevin Morris