ADEPT awards – Delivering Clean Growth Winners
Kent County Council has been recognised at a national level for its work in supporting sustainable and clean growth.
The Low Carbon Kent team, chiefly through the partnership work with the Low Carbon Across the South East (LoCASE) Project, was unanimously voted winners of the Delivering Clean Growth category at the President of the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) Awards.
KCC Cabinet Member for Environment Tony Hills said: “I’m delighted to see this scheme, which has helped almost 1,300 businesses go green, recognised at these awards.
“LoCASE has been running since 2016 and the money we have given out aims to help businesses invest in or develop low carbon technology, which in turns helps boost efficiency and grow their companies in the low carbon, renewable and environmental goods and services sectors.
“It is helping create real opportunities for businesses to not only make immediate financial savings from low carbon technology, but also contribute to mitigating their medium to longer term impact on the environment.”
The judges said KCC “stood out from the rest by the scale and extent of its achievements in linking targeted activities across the South East LEP region to stimulate demand, support supply and nurture innovation for sustainable clean growth”.
KCC’s submission also highlighted its leading role in Clean Growth South East and the Kent Environment Strategy, and highlighted how local businesses and communities are intrinsically linked in realising Net Zero ambitions.
Mr Hills added: “Our Kent REVS electric vans scheme offers trials of the vehicles to any organisation using major Kent roads and there’s also two major circular economy initiatives Low Carbon Kent are also delivering.
“It is this potential to transform our businesses and economy that makes us very proud to continue to lead this innovative and now nationally-recognised suite of support.”
The award, presented yesterday (Thursday) at the virtual 2021 ADEPT Spring Seminar, AGM and Annual President’s Awards, celebrates excellence in the delivery of environmental services.
Entries were judged on the innovation of their submissions and the extent to which it has improved the natural environment in their area and/or the efficiency of service delivery.
The scheme, administered by Kent County Council, not only supports businesses in Kent and Medway but extends to Essex, Thurrock, Southend-on-Sea and East Sussex and this success is down to the strong partnership collaborations across the South and East.
The LoCASE Project is a partnership between Kent County Council, East Sussex County Council, Essex County Council, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, Thurrock Council and the University of Brighton.
KCC has been given the green light to extend this programme to include LEP areas across the South right up to Hampshire as part of an ambitious multi-LEP collaboration.