Dartford residents are being asked to help shape a new common sense strategy to tackle climate change by participating in a council consultation.
The consultation will be opened on Friday 2nd February for eight weeks, and will aim to gain a greater understanding of communities’ and stakeholders’ views on climate change, the draft climate change strategy, and how they would like to work with the council in the future.
The strategy is tailored to our borough and the way we live, and will focus on Dartford Borough Council’s eight key priorities, including: aiming to reduce organisational carbon emissions to net-zero, supporting the shift towards cleaner modes of transport, and supporting the generation of renewable energy across the Borough.
Steps have already been taken towards a greener Dartford, with the Council winning two energy efficiency awards in 2023. New planning policies have been implemented to improve the environment and homes have been insulated to keep them warmer during cooler days. Community orchards and wild flower meadows have been created and green grants are offered to communities to fund projects that would help reduce or offset carbon emissions.
Leader of the Council, Jeremy Kite, said: “Planet Dartford has already done so much work in making the Borough environmentally friendly and it’s not looking to stop any time soon. Unfortunately people often associate environmental challenges with protest and disruption, but here in Dartford we want positive contributions within our town. As a council, we’ve done a lot already and have managed to reduce our output by 55%, but we only represent a small part of the borough. It’s not about throwing orange paint, it’s about throwing light on what we should be doing.”
Residents can get involved by completing the ‘Dartford Borough Council Net Zero Strategy Consultation’, which can be accessed using this link: https://online1.snapsurveys.com/interview/0482849e-c38c-4cdb-a3ee-ac57cd02b958.