It doesn't cost the earth -- but it could help save the planet. Islington Council has launched a pioneering new scheme, offering council taxpayers the chance to donate their direct debit discount to help tackle climate change.<br><br>Islington Council tonight (27 February 2007) confirmed it is investing £3million in a Climate Change Fund - the first of its kind from any London borough. <br><br>Residents, organisations, and council teams can all benefit from funding for capital projects that reduce CO2 emissions in Islington, through generating renewable energy -- like wind turbines - or green transport. <br><br>And at tonight's Full Council meeting, Islington Council announced a pioneering new scheme to help residents do their bit for the environment -- by giving them the opportunity to donate their £20 direct debit discount to the Climate Change Fund.<br><br>The news comes as Islington prepares to set itself an ambitious target for cutting carbon emissions across the borough - to be unveiled at the launch of Islington's Climate Change Partnership next week (5 March 2007). <br><br>The target -- another London first - represents a joint carbon reduction commitment from private, public and voluntary sector organisations in Islington, all of whom are joining forces to make it happen.<br><br>Leader of the Council James Kempton said: "Climate change is the topic on everybody's lips at the moment. In Islington, our residents can already do their bit to help tackle it by putting out their green boxes for recycling - now we've given them another way to take action that will make a difference globally as well as locally. I and my colleagues will be signing up to donate our debits, and I'd encourage everyone to join us."<br><br>The council is offering a £20 discount to each resident that pays their council tax by direct debit for the financial year 2007/8. <br><br>This sum will be credited directly to residents' own bank accounts on or around June 1 2007 if April and May installments have successfully been collected from their accounts. <br><br>Alternatively, council taxpayers can choose to donate the £20 sum to the council's Climate Change Fund.<br><br>Cllr Andrew Cornwell, Executive Member for Finance, Islington Council, said "We're setting up a £3million Climate Change Fund to fund real action, and we're giving residents the chance to make a donation to support it -- without paying a penny over and above the standard council tax rate for their property."<br><br>Projects that the council anticipates funding through the Climate Change Fund include wind turbines, ground source heat pumps, solar thermal hot water panels, pollution absorbing materials in local streets and many more. <br><br>Cllr James Kempton said: "We're already installing wind turbines on our own council land, and I look forward to seeing lots more renewable energy across the borough, from solar panels to wind turbines, to biomass boilers and ground source heat pumps." <br><br>Full details of the proposals are set out in reports on http://pubweb/Democracy/reports/reportdetail.asp?ReportID=4923&intSectionID=6&intSubSectionID=2, both of which were approved this evening.<br><br>
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009