Environmental Policy Statement
Environmental Policy Statement
The Gedney Hill Parish Council is committed to protecting and actively promoting the improvement of the local environment.
The Gedney Hill Parish Council will ensure that environmental priorities are integrated into the decisions it takes on all its services and will seek to:
Make the most efficient use of energy. It will endeavour to use the minimum quantities of energy possible in accordance with the safe and efficient operation of any heating, lighting, plant or machinery. It will, from time to time, review any energy using appliances and energy efficiency with a view to causing the least environmental impact. It will eliminate excessive or unnecessary use.
Encourage residents to walk, cycle and use public or communal transport as alternatives to the private car.
Minimise and where possible eliminate all forms of pollution, using biodegradable chemicals where possible, and minimising use of solvents and lead-based paints. Residents will be encouraged to avoid creating noise pollution, especially at night.
Avoid waste and encourage the appropriate conservation, re-use and recycling of resources. It will re-use and recycle materials as far as possible and, if this is impractical, disposal by a means which will have the least impact on the environment and conforms to statutory requirements. It will encourage residents to minimise waste, including the provision of separate disposal facilities for recycling glass, tins and paper.
It will ensure that the potential environmental impact of any building projects will be assessed and minimised. This will include, where possible, methods of construction which make best use of resources; designs which result in low maintenance and high energy efficiency and the use of building materials from sustainable sources such as timber.
Promote a sense of responsibility and understanding for the environment and participation in environmental issues, by raising resident awareness, by information provision and open consultation with the local community.
It will seek, where possible, to purchase from local or regional suppliers, in order to maximise input to the local community and minimise carbon emissions from transport.
Monitor, review and where possible improve performance each year with positive action on any areas of non-compliance.
Reviewing the policy
In line with the Gedney Hill Parish Council Standing Orders, all Policies will be reviewed on a 12 monthly basis for applicability in line with changes in current legislation and requirements of the council.
All policies therefore, will be reviewed and adopted at the Annual Meeting irrespective of the date on which they were initially written.