Tips for Town & Parish Councils
Consider Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
Points of consideration for Town and Parish Councils
- What land do you own that would be most suitable for Electric Vehicle charge points?
- What demand for use do you have in that area? How do you know?
- How many EV charge points do you think your area needs?
- Is there an adequate electricity source nearby?
- Is there enough space to install charge points? Keep in mind that parking bays are wider and longer to accommodate the charge point.
- How much, if any, will you charge users?
- Will there be an enforceable time restriction on the EV charge points so that they are not considered as the sole use of residents?
- What kind of charge point do you want? How will you raise funds for this? Is there a business case that needs to be made? You may want to research Salix funding.
- Who will manage the back office system? You may want to research renting out spaces for private companies to put in charge points.
- Are there other town and parish councils you can contact to discuss their case study? Chalford Parish Council is one that has successfully installed.
- As cycling is a low carbon way to travel are you installing bicycle racks? Are there cycling maps available?
Understand the parish’s carbon emissions
See the Impact parish carbon foot-printing tool and a video on how to use it. The tool provides a visual representation of parish carbon footprints, enabling identification of areas where initiatives can make most impact.
Learn from case studies of Parish Council actions
Consider the case studies of good practice assembled by the National Association of Local Councils.
Declare a climate emergency
By declaring a Climate Emergency a local council acknowledges the need to act on the causes and impacts of climate change. See the APSE research paper which provides an understanding of what declaring a climate emergency can do.
Communities across the district are coming together to take climate action. Local climate action groups can support parish councils to build positive community solutions. See the map of groups and guidance available from Transition Stroud.
Prepare an action plan
A climate action plan provides a roadmap of the activities that the council and community will undertake to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and restore nature. See this guide on the actions that could be built into a local plan.
Address the climate in Neighbourhood Development Planning
A NDP can play an important role in addressing local solutions to climate change. See the guidance available from CSE.
Find out more
The Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) is organising a virtual summit in March 2022 to discuss the latest advice and guidance relating to climate change. It’s open to clerks, deputy clerks and responsible financial officers.
Tell us what you’re doing
Whether you’re just starting out, or have a well-established plan, we’re keen to hear from you! Contact us through social media #StroudDistrict2030.