In 2019, Farnham Town Council declared a climate emergency and committed to take action to reduce carbon emissions at a local level.
Councillors resolved that Farnham Town Council:
- Agrees there is a “Climate Emergency” that requires further action.
- Aims to become carbon neutral by 2030, acting directly on activities within its responsibility, and in cooperation with principal authorities.
- Continues to review its operations and the way in which it delivers services and develop an action plan to consider positive changes that would reduce carbon emissions.
- Recognises that to achieve its carbon neutral targets, it is essential for central government to provide powers, funding and other resources; so, the Council calls on UK Government and local climate change partnerships to provide the necessary support.
- Continues to encourage the local Farnham community to take all practical steps to reduce its own carbon footprint and safeguard the environment.
See Annex 1 to read the report which councillors agreed to adopt.
Some of the actions taken so far include:
Managing outside spaces
Equipment
- Transitioning to electric or gas-powered vehicles.
- Expanding the range of low noise electric tools used by the outside workforce.
- Single use oil containers are no longer used.
Farnham in Bloom
- Reducing bedding plants by ten per cent each year and including more drought tolerant perennial plants.
- Planting nearly 400 trees in two years with over 9,300 kilogrammes of CO2 captured.
- Planting 6,000m2 of open space with wildflowers.
- Enabling 90 per cent of the bulbs in our floral displays to be reused by community groups.
- Choosing spring bulbs and spring flowers to support early pollination.
- Using peat free compost and baskets and troughs with reservoirs so that no water is wasted.
- Reuse plastic trays and plant pots.
Public spaces
- Seeking advice from a national expert in hydrology, geomorphology and plant ecology on steps that can be taken to enhance the stretch of the River Wey that runs through Gostrey Meadow.
- Recycling bins installed in parks.
- Plastic flowers discouraged in cemeteries.
- Providing allotments so more people have the opportunity to grow their own.
Biodiversity
- Monitoring bugs and insects in cemeteries and parks alongside the Farnham Biodiversity Group.
- Organising environmental events such as the Big Help Out. In 2023, over 100 people volunteered to help Farnham Biodiversity Group create a 10-metre dead hedge. The hedge aims to increase biodiversity, provide shelter and a food source for wildlife.
- Supporting moth habitats.
- Installing bat and bug boxes to increase wildlife.
- Adopting ‘No Mow May’ where appropriate.
Community events
- No petrol or diesel generators used at events at Gostrey Meadow.
- Organising an annual Sustainability Festival with Farnham Community Farm.
- Sourcing recyclable plastic banners to advertise events.
- Avoiding single use plastic wherever possible.
Travel
- Providing Waverley hoppa Community Transport with £20,000 towards the purchase of a new electric bus servicing Farnham.
- Introducing a cycle to work scheme for staff.
- Offering Zoom meetings as an alternative to meeting in person.
- Complimentary shuttle buses provided for large events.
- Installing temporary cycle stands.
Town Hall
- Installing a new efficient boiler in the Town Hall.
- Move to LED lighting.
- Buying more local goods and services.
- Cutting down on paper by introducing online forms and digital invitations for events.
- Switched from plastic cups to compostable or cardboard alternatives.