By 2027 Sutton will be a sustainable, green borough, with everyone taking responsibility for their impact on the environment. View our Corporate Plan PDF.
Our ambitions:
Reduce the Council’s and borough-wide carbon emissions
Help people make sustainable transport choices
Keep Sutton a great place to live, enhancing the natural environment by caring for landscapes and wildlife
How will we do this?
Deliver our Environment Strategy and Climate Emergency Response Plan and renew every year to reflect latest climate priorities, funding opportunities and innovation. This includes updating our Air Quality Action Plan
Develop a Climate Financial Strategy to identify the funding needed to combat climate change, and seek to secure around £1m per year of external funding
Explore options to make Council buildings more energy-efficient and climate-friendly, and implement a programme of changes. We will also support 50 Sutton businesses to reduce their impact on the climate through our new Green Enterprise Partnership in Sutton town centre, and use the latest technology to support our climate ambitions
Lobby the Government to deliver on their national commitments on the environment, including providing funding to councils to support decarbonisation at a local level
Take action to encourage and enable people to make sustainable transport choices in Sutton, including: delivering the Town Centre Public Realm Masterplan; delivering four new school streets around the borough by 2024; reviewing opportunities for 20mph areas and heavy lorry bans; developing and delivering cycle parking, cycle hangars and cycle lanes and continuing to deliver a cycle training programme; continuing the e-bike trial until October 2023 and working towards delivering a permanent solution; encouraging the uptake of Freedom Passes; exploring the use of pool cars, scooters and e-bikes for Council staff; and exploring innovative sustainable transport solutions, including demand responsive transport
Identify opportunities to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points in order to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles; explore options to convert the Council's small vehicle fleet to electric vehicles; require council contractors to use electric vehicles where suitable
Minimise waste and work towards a 'circular economy' by: reviewing the Council's waste and recycling policies and strategies; focusing on key areas to improve recycling (including flats, and the street environment); and taking other measures to make it easier for residents to reduce waste, repurpose and repair items
Continue to provide a 'Library of Things' to allow customers to borrow household items such as drills, sewing machines, carpet cleaners and ice cream makers, in order to encourage reuse of items and reduce waste
Continue to educate and enforce on fly tipping, littering, dog fouling and other environmental crimes
Expand the Sutton Decentralised Energy Network (SDEN)
Develop and deliver flood alleviation schemes in Worcester Park, Rosehill Park and Beddington (subject to funding)
Continue to deliver the SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems) programme in the borough’s schools
Convert all street lights to LED across the borough over four years, delivering significant financial savings and reducing carbon
Work with the Conservation & Access Management Committee and landowners to ensure that each habitat defined in the Beddington Farmlands restoration management plan is restored in full by the end of 2023
Continue to plant more trees and hedgerows across the borough, and work with residents and other stakeholders to identify spaces for tree and hedgerow planting and bid for external funding
Work with schools to encourage awareness of the environment and climate change
Upgrade playgrounds, tennis courts and other parks facilities to encourage active lifestyles and work with sports bodies and clubs to provide a range of sports and leisure activities across the borough
Sustain and enhance our existing parks and open spaces, and develop a new mini park (GreenSpaces project)
Deliver a community led-project at the Limes Avenue Recreation Ground to increase green space where this is currently lacking
