Respect, enhance and enjoy our environment

We are a Council which sets ambitious standards for ourselves, partners and communities. We understand how our environment contributes to individual, community and global well-being and are committed to protecting and enhancing our environment to ensure we can all be proud of the legacy we will leave for future generations.

The way we live our lives and how we deliver services has an impact on the environment. The environment is one of our greatest assets and we have a duty to protect and enhance it for future generations.

Access to parks and green space locally is important for people of all ages and health and well-being are inextricably linked with the environment. We believe it is important to enjoy where we live and to make the most of living and working in such a beautiful area as the Vale. We will take steps to minimise our negative impact on the environment and to influence others to follow our lead and consider how their actions may impact on the natural and built environment.

We will continue to encourage residents, visitors and business to minimise waste, reduce carbon emissions and to consider how their actions may contribute to pollution. We want people to be able to safely enjoy our parks, towns, countryside and coastal areas and to respect the local area, its residents and visitors.

We recognise that tackling climate change and protecting our environment and natural resources is a collective responsibility and this year’s Plan has an even greater focus on how we can make the changes big and small to ensure we leave the right legacy for future generations.

Corporate Plan Commitments

Our Corporate Plan Commitments are to:

Work to reduce the organisation’s carbon emissions to net zero before 2030 and encourage others to follow our lead as part of minimising the negative impact of our activities on the environment
Work with and empower community groups and other partners to sustain local facilities including public toilets, libraries, parks, play areas and community centres
Protect, preserve and where possible enhance our natural and built environment and cultural heritage
Work with the community and partners to ensure the local environment is clean, attractive and well managed
Work with the community, developers and others to ensure that new developments are sustainable and that developers mitigate their impacts, integrate with local communities and provide necessary infrastructure

Annual Delivery Plan Actions

In 2023-24 we will:

Implement Project Zero, our Climate Change Challenge Plan and work with the community and other stakeholders to reduce carbon emissions, focusing work on energy use, transport, land and food, ensuring that our response to the climate and nature emergencies is integral to all decisions.
Work with our partners to respond to the nature emergency including implementing a new Green Infrastructure Strategy, a tree management strategy and delivery of the Biodiversity Forward Plan.
Engage with local communities and explore the potential for community energy schemes as part of the Local Area Energy Plan including the potential to use council assets.
Improve existing school buildings and deliver new buildings in line with the Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme making them low carbon and ideally zero carbon buildings to operate whenever possible.
Deliver near zero carbon, or at a minimum A rated, new Council homes and develop Optimised Retrofit Programmes to meet carbon reduction targets for the existing Council housing stock and to help tackle fuel poverty also ensuring that the Council’s housing stock continues to meet relevant standards for safety and construction.
Encourage and support sustainable changes to how people travel by increasing opportunities for active travel (walking and cycling) including Rhoose and Eglwys Brewis Active Routes.
Work with our partners to improve access to public transport through support for socially necessary bus services and the transport infrastructure including delivery of bus stop e-timetable displays and the provision of new bus shelters in Rhoose, Eglwys Brewis, Cogan, Dinas Powys and Barry.
In conjunction with the Cardiff Capital Region increase the network of locally accessible electric vehicle charging points including in Council car parks.
Implement the Road Surfacing Plan (2022 to 2025) to improve the condition of the highway for all users including buses, pedestrians and cyclists and implement the Welsh Government’s proposals for 20 mph default speed limit on restricted roads within the Vale’s local highway network.
Undertake work to ensure more sustainable transport options for the Council’s vehicle fleet and staff including cycle to work schemes andthe use of e-bikes, electric, hybrid and alternatively fuelled vehicles and implementation of the Healthy Travel Charter.
Progress the review of the Council’s Local Development Plan with a focus on the assessment of candidate sites, and the preparation of a preferred strategy and deposit draft of the future plan following consultation.
Invest in education, sustainable transport, community facilities and assets and arts and culture as a result of negotiating Section 106 payments from developers in areas where development has occurred as detailed in the annual Section 106 report.
Continue to ensure the sustainability of local facilities and assets such as certain sports grounds, parks, open spaces, allotments and public conveniences by working with and transferring to community organisations.
Deliver improvements to waste management with a greater focus on the circular economy, operation of the new Resource Recovery Facility in Barry and the final roll out of the new recycling arrangements to Penarth and surrounding areas including kerbside collection of more items for recycling Vale wide, in line with the new 10 year Waste Management Strategy.
Work with community groups to develop the ‘adopt a street/area’ concept and promote a litter and enforcement strategy recognising the role of the community in improving our local environment.
Implement the Shoreline Management Plan and the revised Local Flood Risk Management Strategy and work with communities at risk from flooding to develop local solutions.
Undertake local air quality assessments and take necessary action to ensure that national air quality objectives continue to be achieved.