Mayor Dave’s Climate Change Fund provides £400k for sustainable solutions

Last night, Bedford Borough Council's Climate Change Committee praised the Mayor's Climate Change Fund for providing almost £400,000 in funding for community buildings and vulnerable residents. This has amounted in almost 60 tonnes of CO2 saved per year from this fund alone. This forms part of Mayor Dave Hodgson's commitment to achieving a net zero carbon council by 2030.

The Climate Change Fund was one of the first things Mayor Dave introduced when he was elected in 2009. The aim of the fund is to reduce carbon emissions by match funding (50%) energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy installations on community buildings. In 2022 the fund was widened to include a wider range of applications to help tackle rising fuel costs as well as the climate impact.

Some of the recent projects it has helped to fund include solar panels on the King's Arms Church, LED lighting and solar panels for Kempston Town Hall, insulation, lighting and heating in St Cuthbert's Hall, and solar panels with battery storage for Great Denham Community Hall.

Mayor Dave said "This is now one of our most long running and successful schemes that has helped so many community buildings and vulnerable residents. Our partnerships with these organisations have helped lower their energy bills as well as reducing carbon emissions across the Borough."