One example [of climate action] is the pilot project retrofitting 8 council properties on Abbey Road in Fartown. Labour Cabinet members trooped up there for a photocall with Labour Leader Keir Starmer. It looks like some good work has been carried out there, but it is a one off pilot project with no plan to be replicated and no funds to do it again. In the Green Group Budget Amendment we proposed using the Energiesprong approach used by among others Nottingham City Council. With no funding coming from central Govt this offered a self funding and economically sustainable model. Labour rejected it.
There are other examples 6 years on from the All Party Passivhaus report that recommended making the Passivhaus Standard the norm for Kirklees new build housing projects, Labour are finally doing a 6 house pilot project. We have no idea really what will be learned from the pilot that can’t be gleaned from just asking more forward-thinking Councils like Exeter City Council that started on the Passivhaus approach 15 years ago. It is another example of timidity and tokenism when we need real leadership.