How the Council provide funding for community climate action

The Council has provided   funding for community climate action  . In January 2023 some organisations receive funding boost from   UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF)  .

1.   Eight local projects  benefit from the Lancaster district’s share of money allocated through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
2.   Twenty two local projects  are the latest to benefit from the Lancaster district’s share of money allocated through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF)

Development of a Climate & Nature Strategy

The Climate and Nature Strategy will be a roadmap of information, case studies and actions to support the district in ensuring a liveable and vibrant future for people and nature. This strategy will set out how we will meet national, regional and local climate objectives, reach net zero, and guide a just and equitable transition to a climate resilient, environmentally sustainable climate neutral place and economy which is biodiversity rich and ecologically diverse. It will include actions at a range of scales from large regional actions to actions any one can do in their everyday life. 

Development of a  Local Area Energy Plan :

• The Plan will identify the most cost-effective pathway for our district to reach net zero and help us deliver local benefits.

Growing Our Food Futures

• Complete a holistic allotment review (council owned and independent) in Lancaster District
• Develop a strategy for making better use of these spaces for community needs (for food growing, developing community skills, sharing healthy food with those going hungry).
• Coordinate strategic work around developing a more resilient local food economy, including developing a producer forum to support the development of ideas that facilitates agro-ecological transitions.
• Complete feasibility work for a community farm to host Lancaster’s FarmStart scheme long term. This will be a key asset in the District to build local food growing capacity
• Complete feasibility work around a Lancaster District food hub (that is created and piloted in 2024-2025); developing a key piece of infrastructure needed to build community wealth and allow more direct trading between local food producers, processors, retailers and consumers.

New Low Carbon Technology – Product Development, Manufacturing & Commercialisation Pathway:

• Collaborate with the East Lancs Chamber (RedCAT initiative) all Lancashire Chambers, and the AMRC NW Low Carbon Smart Building Demonstrator
• Support low carbon technology businesses and advanced manufacturing companies to develop and commercialise new products, scale and attract new customers.
• Drive new technology development and secure new low carbon manufacturing for Lancashire communities, creating jobs and products for export. Ultimately building the profile for Lancashire as a low carbon technology leader in the UK.
• Working across 3 core areas:
  • Helping the initial innovations progress to be ready for commercialisation, researching markets, competitors and sourcing customers,
  • Preparing for, finding and accessing funding as needed, through VC/Equity, loans, and grants sourcing,
  • Working to land the manufacturing of those technologies within our local supply chains, in the most suitable, supportive locations.
• The aim being to drive forward low carbon innovations in Lancashire to commercialisation, helping environmentally game changing industries, creating jobs, global exports and the technological solutions needed to solve the world climate crisis.

Business Support for Net Zero Transition & Decarbonisation

• Develop a package to provide assistance to the whole scope of the local business community - but with built in emphasis to address those firms with the highest carbon footprint/environmental impact
• Support provided by 3 partners, led and overseen by East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce – in partnership with the AMRC & UCLAN. 
• To provide expert assistance from the ground up, from baseline support provided by the Chamber – carbon footprinting, energy saving action planning, prioritising activities and full implementation support, on a 1 to 1 and 1 to many basis.
• From the AMRC: in-depth decarbonisation planning and showcasing best practice technologies.
• From UCLAN: associated behaviour change and skills stimulation, supporting net zero future proofing within companies.

Green Tech Transition – Skills for Life:

• Facilitate the transition of the Lancaster District to be an area of excellence for Green Technology (including cleantech/green electech), development and manufacturing of technology to mitigate climate change, increasing the prosperity and wellbeing of the area whilst significantly contributing to the transition to Net Zero
• Utilising the experience of the existing team and expanding with dedicated resources to allow continued engagement with the local technology base identifying skills gaps and proposing/developing appropriate solutions to allow for clean growth. 
• Tech Lancaster is established in the area as a technical training company and has excellent working relationships with partner organisation such as the DWP allowing them to reach most sections of society, inspiring positive change.
• Support the development of key local green tech businesses by developing a locally highly skilled workforce.
• Bring inward investment into the area by promoting the greentech/cleantech startups to locate in the district
• Produce a report on existing Green Tech Business in the District and what skills are required to enable growth.
• Produce a report on Green Tech Job of the future and the skills required to attract these companies to our District.
• Produce a report on existing Green Skills training provision within our District and beyond including a gap analysis with business needs.
• Facilitate engagement events to raise awareness of green skills in the community, inspiring all ages, gender and diversity the green tech jobs are achievable

Skills Fix:

• Establish pathways to competence in retrofit activities for individuals and assisting contractors in meeting the requirements of PAS 2035.
• In Partnership with JT Construction Training (based in Heysham) deliver a full wrap around service to support both contractors and individuals obtain their pathway.
• Presently there is insufficient number of suitably trained employees and trust-marked registered installers to meet the requirements, creating a substantial skills gap that must be filled by individuals possessing the necessary skills, knowledge, training and experience to carry out roles within the retrofit sector.
• Demand for accredited contractors to provide and install retrofit solutions is significantly higher than the current available supply and we seek to improve this by delivering pathways.
  • Individual’s Development Pathway – improve Retrofit Skills by obtaining quality, relevant accredited qualifications and skills required through - Plan, Do, Check, Act programme (see attached)
  • Contractors Accreditation Pathway –Assist contractors in obtaining Trustmark approval by implementing – Plan, Do, Check Act programme.

Lune Valley Community Swimming Pool

• UKSPF funding is match funded as part of wider package of works to upgrade several elements of the swimming pool building by reducing energy consumption and improving the reliability of the equipment.
• Following an Energy Audit of the pool building by a specialist consultancy firm, there will be a number of investments: replacement of air handling unit, water pump improvement, automatic chlorine dosing system, LED lights and sensors, insulating pipework and installation of Solar PV.
• Replace the asbestos roof to secure long term safety, improve insulation and provide a strong structure on which to install PV panels.

Tunstall Village Hall

• This project will erect a series of solar panels on the land of the Village Hall to provide the necessary energy to power electrical vehicle charging points on the land owned by the Hall situated on the front car park.
• This project will be of great benefit to the communities and visiting motorists as it would provide the only charging points in a radius of 4 miles of the village.

 Fraser Village Hall

• Refurbish the existing kitchen to make it attractive and usable for event hire and community engagement.
• Install solar panels, on the south facing roof, linked to a sustainable heating system, removing the need for the current electric fan heaters.
• Install two EV chargers in the hall car park to be used by local residents and many tourists visiting the area for countryside walks, who use the car park

    climate-emergency@lancaster.gov.uk