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Thank you for subscribing to this newsletter. This is a place for us to update you on what we are doing at West Devon Borough Council and what things are going on around the Borough.
It will tell you what's going on nationally and things you, our residents and businesses can be doing to reduce your carbon footprint and manage your land to improve the environment and its biodiversity.
If you have anything you would like to include in this newsletter, contact our Climate Change Specialist by email here
Council Updates
New Climate Webpages are now live
Since we have moved to a new website hosting platform, we have been working on bringing topic specific web pages which were hosted on an external website platform onto our new central hosting system. The Climate Change and Biodiversity webpages are now available on our website and can be found here.
We'll keep this regularly updated and it will be the place to go to find out what we're up to and what our plans and strategies are.
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Funding and Help
The Imperial Community Impact Fund is a new initiative designed to support local community groups and charities that are committed to making a positive difference.
There is a total annual fund of £10,000, offering grants up to £1,000 to encourage and empower local organisations working in the fields of environment, sustainability, creativity, and addressing local problems.
Community groups and charitable organisations can apply.
The focus of the fund is to provide small grants for community organisations and charities making a difference in their local community.
Application deadline for round 1 is 26 September 2024. The round 2 deadline is 20 March 2025.
Click here to find out more and apply
The funding is intended to support activities that will have positive social, economic and/or environmental impacts on the area. There is a particular focus on education, training and skills.
The programme objectives are:
- Support climate change mitigation and adaptation - through community education on sustainable practices
- Promote a just transition
– encourage and promote skills, education and training in climate solutions
– reskill or upskill people for jobs in climate solutions
- Promote general skills development
– encourage and promote skills and training for local people
– provide training and development for employees
- Improve local education
– create educational initiatives that relate to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
– create educational activities for the community
– support local academic institutions
Registered charities, CICs, charitable trusts, academic institutions, charitable companies and unincorporated organisations can apply for grants up to £5,000.
Click here to find out more and apply.
The Tree Council grants programme, Branching Out, is now open for applications from not-for-profit organisations seeking to establish trees and hedges in the 2024/25 planting season.
You can apply for grants of between £250 and £2,500 for the purchase of trees, hedging, hedgerow trees and fruit trees, together with planting aids such as tree-guards, stakes and mulch.
Projects with strong community involvement will be looked on more favourably and projects over £500 will be expected to be include different types of planting and take broader environmental considerations into account.
Schools, colleges, community groups, care homes, parish & town councils, Tree Warden Networks, Community Interest Companies and small registered charities are all eligible to apply for funding.
Groups must have a bank account registered in the name of the applicant organisation, into which the grant can be paid.
Early applications are encouraged, both to increase the chances of a grant being awarded and to ensure that planting can take place as early as possible in the tree planting season so that the trees have the best chance of establishing.
Click here to find out more.
Funding is available for organisations that want to transform their local community through projects that tackle climate change, reduce carbon emissions or that protect and enhance the environment.
Community groups, schools and colleges or small businesses involved in sustainability initiatives can apply for a grant from the new Stobart Sustainability Fund.
There is a short online application form where you need to describe your project or initiative and explain how it will positively impact the environment and support creating a sustainable world.
Click here to find out more and apply
Farm Diversification: Circular Economies. 12 September 2024
Exbourne EX20 3QU
Join us for a tour of Hayes Meadow's cutting-edge processing facility. As dedicated regenerative farmers, Hayes Meadow produce organic, environmentally sustainable beef, proudly endorsed by the ‘Soil Association’ and ‘A Greener World’.
Their farm-to-table journey has evolved from direct customer sales of their meat boxes to a diverse range of offerings, including charcuterie, pantry staples, and skincare products derived from beef tallow. This innovative approach champions sustainability by repurposing animal by-products.
Agenda
- 'An introduction to Hayes Meadow Organic' from Luppo Diepenbroek, Improving Farming consultancy
- 'Circular economies from a research perspective' presented by Claire Pearce and Amanda Burton, University of Plymouth
- 'Mobile abattoirs and making use of fifth quarter products' presented by Andy Gray, M C Kelly
- Tour of the new production unit led by Graham Macklin, Hayes Meadow Organic
- Food and refreshments
- Q&A and Panel discussion.
Please note: If the event is oversubscribed, priority will be given to farmers based within the West Devon district.
The Agri-Events series has been commissioned by West Devon Borough Council using UK Shared Prosperity Funding and delivered by Devon County Council. Our outputs across the SPF Agri-Events series relate to four different districts, therefore, for the sole purpose of reporting we will ask for your business name and postcode to establish the geographical location of your business.
Photos will be taken on the day for the purpose of reporting and marketing. If you do not wish for your photo to be taken please mention this to one of the Devon County Council staff members on the day.
For more information on our SPF Agri-Events series please use the following link: Agri-Events - Economy and Enterprise (devon.gov.uk)
Click here to find out more and register.
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On 18 July, the Climate Change Committee published its latest progress report which sets out the Committee’s assessment of how well the UK is delivering against its legal targets to reduce emissions.
Whilst emissions fell substantially in 2023, this was largely driven by increase electricity imports from nuclear power stations and reductions in home gas use, likely resulting from high gas prices.
Only one third of emissions reductions required to meet this target are assessed as credible, some sectors have increased risk due to roll backs on policy such as the zero emissions vehicle mandate.
This will need to change quickly. Ambitious action is needed beyond electricity, in buildings, industry and transport.
Technologies such as electric vehicles, heat pumps and renewables need to become normal for the UK to get back on track.
Click here to watch their explainer video and click here to read the report.
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