Local Authorities Carbon Management Programme

Through the Local Authority Carbon Management Programme (LACM), the Carbon Trust provides councils with technical and change management guidance and mentoring that helps to identify practical carbon and cost savings. The primary focus of the work is to reduce emissions under the control of the local authority such as buildings, vehicle fleets, street lighting and waste.

Participating organisations are guided through a structured process that builds a team, measures the cost and carbon baseline (carbon footprint), identifies projects and pulls together a compelling case for action to senior decision makers. Carbon Trust consultants are on hand throughout the ten months. Direct support is provided through a mixture of regional workshops, teleconferences, webinars and national events. The journey of developing a Carbon Management plan within organisations follows the proven sucess of the five steps below:

To date we have partnered with 270 organisations across the UK within this programme. These organisation have measured their carbon footprints, identified practical ways to reduce their emissions and crucially identified the resources necessary to meet their targets.

The range of regulatory drivers pushing local authorities to reduce their emissions and lead on carbon reduction withing the local area has gathered pace. The diagram below illustrates the three Climate Change National Performance Indicators alongside the new Carbon Reduction Commitment and the Energy Performance in Buildings Directive.



Staffordshire County Council took part in Phase 4 of the Local Authority Carbon Management programme and completed their plan in 2006 which sets a 2% year-on-year reduction target until 2010. The document sits within their comprehensive Corporate Change Strategy, 'A Hard Rain' (pdf, 537kb).

Oxford City worked with the Carbon Trust on Phase 5 of the LACM programme in 2007/2008. Since then they have been reviewing and refreshing their Carbon Management Plan every year to build a foundation for area wide reduction, “As well as ‘getting our house in order’, we will continue to provide wider leadership to local businesses, communities and households in reducing the overall carbon footprint of Oxford City.” Download Oxford City’s Carbon Management Plan (pdf, 793kb).

Ian Bateman, Climate Change Officer for Devon County Council receives acknowledgement from Iain Wright MP, Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.