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Eastbourne Corporate Plan

Sustainability and environment

Tackling the climate emergency. Since declaring a climate emergency in 2019, we have been working to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.

This continues to be a central pillar of the council's work and underpins our approach to all areas of our work. Our Local Plan, waste and recycling service, our parks and open spaces, our housing services, and our flood and coastal management all have a key role to play in tackling climate change.

Sustainability cannot be delivered without the work of a wide range of organisations, and the community. To this end we will continue to work with a range of local partners, including Environment Agency, Eastbourne Eco Action Network, Treebourne, Eastbourne Archaeology and Natural History Society, Changing Chalk, South Downs National Park Authority, Sussex Nature Partnership, Sussex Biodiversity Records Centre, Sussex Wildlife Trust. Natural England and Sussex-air

Our key areas of focus will be:

  • Promote waste reduction, and encourage people to recycle MORE, as part of a 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' approach.
  • In line with our Biodiversity and Pesticide Strategies, we will enhance the biodiversity of our public and open spaces in the borough.
  • We will reduce our use of herbicides, fertilisers and other chemicals at locations such as Devonshire Park and other council run sports facilities, replacing petrol gardening and maintenance tools with electric alternatives where possible.
  • We will work to replace our waste and recycling vehicles with new versions with lower emissions, to reduce our contribution to greenhouse gases.
  • Electric vehicle chargers will be introduced at our depots for use by council vehicles and we will also facilitate increased access to public electric vehicle charge points and car share schemes, as funding allows.
  • Our waste and recycling service will respond positively to up and coming changes in waste legislation to ensure we provide a sustainable and sufficient service for our residents.
  • The Pevensey and Eastbourne Coastal Management Scheme, where we are working in partnership with the Environment Agency, will have a key part to play in helping reduce the risk of coastal flooding.
  • Work in partnership on opportunities arising from the Seaford to Eastbourne Nature Recovery Project, launched in summer 2023 by Defra and Natural England'.
  • We will both build, and encourage others to build, through our new Local Plan, housing which is affordable, energy efficient, climate resilient, adaptable and locally sourced - including the Modular Housing Framework to increase the use of modern methods of construction (MMC) in the delivery of new council homes.
  • Our 'Educate Remind Enforce' campaign will be used to ensure robust and effective ways of dealing with litter and fly-tipping.
  • Monitor, and work with partners to improve, air quality in the borough, focusing in particular on nitrogen dioxide and particulate levels.
  • Continue to utilise the Clear Futures Joint Venture Partnership and Framework to support sustainable and transformational change.

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