Powys County Council has retained a prestigious environmental accreditation, placing top of the local authority list for green credentials in Wales.
The council is celebrating after retaining its Green Dragon Level Five and continues to have one of the highest levels of environmental accreditation for any local council in Wales.
Its environmental management system (EMS) was audited against the Green Dragon environmental standard – a five-tier standard designed to achieve environmental management for businesses and local government in Wales.
The council has been working progressively to a more environmentally way of working since it adopted the Green Dragon Standard, which saw the it become the first council in Wales to achieve Level Five. The standard focuses on the internal working practices of the council.
Green Dragon auditors observed many examples of good practice including:
- The use of low energy LED spotlights to significantly reduce energy consumption at Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery, Brecon;
- The introduction of the BUSiness travel scheme to encourage staff to travel on buses across Powys for work purposes;
- The introduction of rain water harvesting at Kirkhamsfield Depot, Newtown for vehicle washing to reduce water consumption;
- Rhayader Leisure Centre introducing an energy reduction plan to reduce consumption;
- Work by Brecon’s library and high school on an exhibition on energy use in Brecon to help library users understand the importance of environmental management better.
Cllr Ken Harris, Cabinet Member for Waste, Climate Change & Welsh Language, said: “Retaining Level Five is a huge accomplishment for the council. We are a large organisation and have a significant impact on the local environment but we are committed in reducing this impact by minimising waste production and energy consumption.
“I’m delighted that our hard work and efforts has seen us retain this highest level and I would like to thank all those involved in making this achievement possible. We will continue to look at ways to reduce further impacts we have on the local environment.”
