Further Projects/ Works in Progress

Council Fleet Review

• The Energy Savings Trust have been tasked with analysing our Council Fleet vehicles to determine the best route to decarbonisation while maintaining/ improving council services. The report is due by November 2025.
• We will then be outlining a Fleet Transition Plan and working with the Midlands Net Zero Hub and others to determine and implement the necessary infrastructure upgrades required.

Climate Change Annual Statement & Greenhouse Gas Accounting

• Using the latest Greenhouse Gas Accounting Tool we have analysed the Councils footprint for the 2024/25 financial year. We are verifying the data and creating our annual statement now. We aim to publish this on our website ASAP.
• We are further examining our supply chain to properly account for our scope 3 emissions. This will likely raise our numbers in the short term, but enable us to accurately decarbonise and become a sustainable and low carbon Council going forward.

Solar Array

• A former industrial site besides the Council depot at Merlin Way, Ilkeston is being investigated for the installation of a solar array. This site is unusable for any other development making it the perfect location for solar energy generation.
• Due to sealed industrial waste on site we are undertaking a geotechnical survey. This will tell us the condition of the deposit and what can be supported on site.
• We aim to secure a combination of solar installations alongside biodiversity improvements and a welfare (picnic) site.
• The initial findings of the Fleet Review (above) suggest the solar array could provide all the power needed for an EBC electric fleet.

Sustainable & Active Travel Strategy

• All relevant policy and activity regarding sustainable and active travel in the borough has been collated into one comprehensive document. Through internal consultation across different departments we have identified 7 key objectives.
• Our next step is to liaise with Derbyshire County Council, Active Derbyshire and Sustrans to ensure we are all on the same page and identify where we can work together to achieve the best outcomes for Erewash.
• Once we have an agreed plan, this will be taken to Council for outline approval.
• A public consultation will then be launched to double and triple check we have addressed all local opportunities and concerns.

Combined Environmental Strategy

• Using the Derbyshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy and site specific biodiversity report, we will be developing a Combined Environmental Strategy. This will include large scale nature recovery projects, green/blue infrastructure plans, and green space biodiversity plans.
• Tackling this as a combined project enables us to ensure a balanced and efficient approach. For instance nature recovery plans may include wetland restoration and/or tree planting in our floodplains, while green/blue infrastructure may include sustainable drainage features such as rain gardens. These come together to not only address biodiversity and habitat provision but also act as natural flood management.
• This whole environment picture also enables us to work in partnership with others on similar and overlapping projects.

Climate Change Risk & Vulnerability Assessment

• All relevant policy, research and risk assessments (National and Regional) have been analysed and collated into an Erewash Climate Change Risk and Vulnerability assessment.
• Next steps are to collaborate with the Emergency Planning team at Derbyshire County Council, and the Local Resilience Forum (Derbyshire Prepared) to detail current emergency response, preparedness, and resilience planning.
• This will then be utilised to create a Resilience Plan for Erewash to enable us to build sustainable, thriving, and adaptive communities.

East Midlands Local Retrofit Strategy

• After a collaboration between many different stakeholder across the East Midlands a Local Retrofit Strategy has been developed. This is currently open for endorsement by the Council. This strategy will be launched on 20th October 2025 and sits with the East Midlands Combined County Authority.
• It is expected that resources, support and funding will be achieved through this strategy to progress retrofit projects across the region. Once we have more information a guidance document and Erewash Retrofit implementation Plan will be developed.

Assets Decarbonisation & Resilience Plan

• We are currently gathering all pertinent data for all Council owned buildings and land holdings to analyse their retrofit potential.
• This data will then inform the creation of an Assets Decarbonisation & Resilience Plan, consisting of a pipeline of projects, appropriate co-benefits and outcome measures, costings and timeline.
• This will likely include some level of rationalisation and/or evaluation of the use of some Council buildings to ensure they are used efficiently and enable us to provide the best service possible for the residents and businesses of Erewash.

Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project

• The LEVI project is a cross council collaboration to install electric vehicle infrastructure across the East Midlands.
• So far, pillar charging points have been tendered and the winning contract will then be conducting feasibility assessments and public consultations to determine the exact location of these charging pillars. Lamppost charging options are also being tendered, and car park charging options explored.
• The Local Area Energy Plan will be considering options for solar car ports across Erewash at appropriate car parks. These could have integrated EV charging included.
• Guidance on cross pavement charging solutions is also being updated enabling the use of home EV ChargePoint's via an in pavement channel.

Derbyshire Heartwood Community Forest

• As part of a national project to create more woodland across the UK, the Derbyshire Heartwood Community Forest (DHCF) project has been begun.
• There is grant funding available for all landowners within Erewash to undertake tree planting. This is developed and developed wholly by the DHCF team with a subsequent period of support for 15 years.
• This planting can be:
  • full woodland creation,
  • small groves,
  • hedgerow creation and infill,
  • agroforestry/ food forest creation,
  • and floodplain wet woodland.
• Please visit Derbyshire's Heartwood Community Forest for more information and how to submit your land for this project.
• We will be investigating the Councils land holdings for potential proposals for this in the coming months and years. This will be incorporated into our Combined Environmental Strategy as outline above.