The roadmap to further reducing the climate impact of council services is set for an important update.
Published: Friday, 27th March 2026
Cherwell District Council’s Climate Action Plan 2026-2027 is ready to be presented to the executive committee at its meeting on Tuesday, 7 April.
The plan commits the council to further reducing its carbon emissions - the main cause of global heating - through changes to its buildings, vehicles, staff behaviours and procurement activities.
It will build on work done since the council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019, committing to ensuring its own operations and activities are net zero by 2030.
Councillor Tom Beckett, Portfolio Holder for Greener Communities, said: “Cutting emissions means reducing waste, whilst improving the use and production of energy. It also means playing our part as a council to tackle the impacts of climate change, including flash floods, droughts, and wildfires that affect communities and ecosystems. As a council, it’s vital we demonstrate local leadership and encourage other organisations to follow suit.
“Since we declared a climate emergency seven years ago, we’ve been proactive in reducing emissions from our leisure centres and are making good headway with our vehicle fleet. This new Climate Action Plan is continued evidence of our ambition to seek out every opportunity we can to ensure a greener and more secure district for future generations to enjoy in the years to come.”
Upcoming actions to reduce the council’s emissions include: completing the rollout of hydrotreated vegetable oil to replace diesel in the council’s bin lorries; preparations for the infrastructure to support more electric vehicles in the council’s fleet; and further works to transition to low-carbon heating in the council’s buildings.
Building works are set to include a solar-panel wall at Spiceball Leisure Centre. At the same time, the plan also commits Cherwell to exploring opportunities to increase biodiversity and nature recovery across its estate.
The Climate Action Plan 2026-2027 also identifies a series of measures which the council supports to help the wider district reduce its emissions. These cover areas such as supporting local community energy projects, improving the energy efficiency of people’s homes, promoting active travel, and making it easier for people to switch to electric vehicles.
In recent years, the council has proactively sought external funding to slash the environmental impact of its buildings, with major government grants allowing it to improve the energy efficiency of its leisure centres.
Works have included replacing fossil-fuel-based heating systems with low-carbon alternatives, such as air-source heat pumps, and implementing other efficiency upgrades, including insulation.
Collectively, these efforts will support the council in reducing its own emissions, enhancing climate adaptation, and positioning it well to meet its net zero target.