The new climate action timetable for 2024 onwards is coming soon - but you can read it here in the Full Council agenda from page 17 onwards.
Here is the timetable of the climate action we undertook from January 2023 to 2024.
Paper management: Ongoing review with road map for success submitted by April. To include the Town Hall, its operations, improved IT for councillors and staff for meetings, agendas, minute taking, VIC leaflets, touch screen facilities for visitors, electronic and solar noticeboard in town.
Councillor and Staff climate action training – ensuring all staff and councillors are aware of the council’s ambition and the strategy to get there.
Event check lists: Working with the Events Manager to establish best practice when planning and booking events that will help reduce our carbon footprint and share the council’s commitment to tackle climate change
Committee Carbon Emission Check Lists: A tool to show the environmental impact of proposals, allowing committees to make recommendations in line with the climate strategy
Allotments Water Saving: To harvest water and to provide water storage for general use.
Allotment Review: To work with the Allotment officer, looking at how the allotments are run and how they can help us work towards our net zero target
Market review: Working with the Market Officer to support and share with traders ideas and funding to help them become plastic free, reduce waste and build our reputation of a clean, green market. Including improvements to the planters and to create a ‘green roof’ on the market container to improve biodiversity.
Town Hall: Continuing the programme of work to make the building more efficient.
Winter meeting programme: Explore how to make the schedule of meetings more energy efficient when the dates are secured in May
Jan/Feb bookings of the town hall: Energy efficiency when using the building (To note that research can now begin in the winter 2023 with the new zonal controls for heating in the Town Hall programmed for spring 2023)
Mayoral Transport Review – exploring what are the best options when the contract is ready for renewal.
Council approved projects – The climate officer is constantly reviewing the council’s progress and will be bringing plans for 2023 - 2024 for consideration.
Climate action cannot be done in isolation and in Deal there are many groups working together. You can find out more about them on the
Deal Climate Action page but below is a summary of some of the projects the council and local residents and organisations took part in since September 2022.
If you click on the links you’ll be sent to either a webpage with the information or an agenda paper which explains the project in greater detail.
Great Big Green Week – Sept 2022We celebrated and supported Great Big Green Week in Deal, sharing local events and highlighting the work of groups in the town who take direct climate action and help share and explore the beauty of nature.
Deal Warm Welcome – October 2022 to April 2023The heart of Deal Warm Welcome was to provide a warm, safe space for people during the cost of living crisis, struggling with increased fuel and food prices. Deal Town Council funded venues to manage the centres of welcome, offering food and friendship. Although not intended as a climate action project, offering warm places to meet up and have something hot to eat and drink meant people did not have to heat their own homes as often and the website supporting the project signposted to additional help which included energy saving and better home heating efficiency.
Green Grants – October 2022 to January 2023More than £7,500 has been awarded to local groups who will be encouraging nature, enhancing the town and taking direct climate action. Projects that will be funded include improved outdoor spaces, sensory gardens and the new Deal Repair Cafe project that will help people repair and recycle goods, rather than buy new.
Water Harvesting on the allotments – December 2022A budget of more than £3,000 was approved to improve water harvesting on all three of council’s allotment sites. Working with plot holders, people will be provided with water butts and guttering to capture rain water and reduce reliance on mains water.
Climate action timetable – January 2023Full council agreed an 18-month plan on climate action as detailed above. The programme includes the introduction of the carbon emission check list for all council decisions, a review of all of the council's operations including paper use, the allotments, markets, checklists and training for staff and councillors.
Air quality monitoring – February 2023A report in to the need for the town to adopt its own air quality monitoring equipment. The report concluded that comprehensive work had already been undertaken by Dover District Council and where problems have been highlighted, action should be taken. This resulted in the Chair of the Environment Committee writing to the Kent and Medway Quality Monitoring Partnership and Network to grant an Air Quality Management Area order to Upper Deal.
The Committee Carbon Emission Checklist – March 2023Full Council has agreed to adopt the
Committee Carbon Emission Checklist. The is a specially designed process to show the environmental impact of proposals, allowing committees to make recommendations in line with the climate strategy. It will ensure everything is viewed through the prism of climate action.
Tree planting in Deal April 2023Almost £2,000 has been allocated to the Mill Hill area for new trees to be planted to enhance the area, encourage wildlife and provide shade. Work will begin in the autumn of 2023. Additionally, a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Tree will be planted in the town and £4,500 has been awarded to DDC for more trees to be planted in Victoria Park.