 
This week we launched a new website Teignbridge Climate Hub to inspire people to make changes and help Teignbridge achieve its Net Zero target.
Our Teignbridge Climate Hub provides ideas, support and suggestions for residents and businesses to cut their cost of living, lead healthier lives, and play a vital part in reducing the district’s carbon footprint.
The website has lots of zero-cost and low-cost changes for residents and businesses to make. From simple actions such as getting a smart meter or turning the boiler thermostat down, to eating more seasonally and reducing food waste, it’s a place to see how we’re all making a difference, be inspired, share stories, and get involved.
Some residents have already started making changes and are seeing the benefits:
Heather got energy savvy, grew her own vegetables, and bought from second hand shops to save money. She’s already seeing how small changes have snowballed into a big saving. Watch Heather's story.
Jenny has made changes which are small and achievable. She has turned down her thermostat and bought an electric blanket to save money on her energy bills, she also walks shorter journeys rather than taking the car. Watch Jenny's story.
Renee has made changes which suit her lifestyle. She takes advantage of community food larders and batch cooks to avoid wasting food. She also lives by the mantra ‘heat the room not the house’. Watch Renee's story.
For local businesses, the hub has lots of actions which can be easily undertaken to help reduce carbon emissions in the workplace and encourage employees to get involved.
Businesses can also take advantage of the council’s green business grants scheme which is currently open to help with costs of implementing some of the actions.
Grants are available to help buy and install equipment to reduce energy costs including LED lighting, low energy heat systems, heat pumps, solar panels and double/triple glazing of windows and doors.
Find out more and how to apply for a green business grant on the Teignbridge Climate Hub website. The closing date for applications is 12 August.
Tackling a sticky problem in Teignbridge
We're about to start some targeted work in our town centres to remove the sticky litter that blights so many of our streets and pavements.
Carelessly discarded chewing gum is a major headache for residents, businesses and the council. It destroys clothes and shoes, presents a serious hazard to wildlife and can blight the appearance of a local neighbourhood.
A piece of chewing gum costs about three pence to produce, but the cost of removal is around 10p. And when you consider that the vast majority – over 80% - of gum is not disposed of properly, this is an enormous cost to society, the environment and the taxpayer.
We've joined forces with the Chewing Gum Task Force to encourage residents and visitors to our towns to bin their chewing gum litter in the right way and keep our streets gum-free.
We are one of 54 councils across the country that have successfully applied to the Chewing Gum Task Force, now in its third year, for funds to clean gum off pavements and prevent it from being littered again. After receiving just over £18k, we'll be targeting some of the worst hit areas to remove the gum, and putting up signs to prevent further littering.
Read more
|
Striving to provide accessible facilities for all
Today (19 July) is Changing Places Awareness Day.
Changing Places make a life changing difference to around a quarter of a million people in the UK living with multiple and complex disabilities who need personal assistance to use the toilet.
We understand how important these facilities are for people and we have recently completed work to install three new Changing Places facilities across the district.
The new facilities are in Dawlish Lawn, Dawlish Warren and Decoy Country Park (opening shortly). This is in addition to the existing one at Cricket Field Car Park in Newton Abbot.
Whilst standard accessible toilets meet the needs of some disabled people there are still many needs not met. Changing Places facilities have extra features and appropriate equipment including changing benches and hoists. They also allow more room, so a disabled person and up to two carers can move around easily and provide extra privacy. Without the additional features the person with disabilities can be at risk as their health and safety is compromised.
We are continually striving to find funding to install new and update existing facilities to support people needing to use these Changing Places, and we will keep you informed when any plans for additional facilities are confirmed.
Find out more on the Changing Places website - Changing Places Toilets (changing-places.org)
|
 Customer Support Officer; Environmental Health Officer Apprentice; Loader; Head of Development Management. Leisure opportunities: Class Instructor; Swimming Teachers; Sports Coaches
Full details of all vacancies and closing dates for applying are on our jobs portal or follow us on LinkedIn.
|
