Cabinet has formally acknowledged the progress made over the last year against the Climate Change Strategy (2020 to 2024), and further endorsed the Climate Change Strategy Action Plan 2025 to 2026.
At the cabinet meeting on 15 July, Cllr Mary Temperton, leader of Bracknell Forest Council and cabinet member for climate change, introduced the annual progress report showcasing key climate change achievements in the past year. This report demonstrates the continued progress that is being made towards a more sustainable Bracknell Forest, including:
- the development of a new Climate Change Strategy (2025 to 2030), and action plan for 2025 to 2026
- continued support to residents to retrofit domestic properties in the borough
- the delivery of energy efficiency and low carbon energy projects across the council-owned properties
- the performance of relevant planning policies that support sustainable development
- the success of initiatives to encourage waste reduction, reuse and recycling
- the delivery of the 2024 Climate Summit and Schools’ Climate Conferences, and the formation and activities of Bracknell Forest Community Climate Action (BFCCA).
The recently announced Climate Action Scorecards results for 2025 were also shared as further evidence of the positive progress made over the past year. The council achieved an overall score of 42%. This was above the average score of 41% for a single tier local authority.
When compared to the 2023 results, the council has increased its score by 15%. Over the same time period, the average single tier local authority score has only increased by 6%. This demonstrates a significant improvement in the climate action of Bracknell Forest Council in the past 2 years.
Looking ahead, the Climate Change Strategy Action Plan will drive forward climate action further over the next year, implementing phase one of the Climate Change Strategy. It spans activities across all aims of the strategy, including:
- tackling the council’s own emissions footprint
- adapting to climate change
- supporting the green economy
This is a crucial first step in meeting the council’s ambitious goals to reach net zero as close to 2030 as possible.
Cllr Mary Temperton, leader of Bracknell Forest Council and cabinet member for climate change, said:
“Climate change might be a global phenomenon, but in Bracknell Forest, we have an important role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating against the impacts that it threatens to have on the local area.
“As the local authority, we have a responsibility to drive and support climate action within the community, and facilitate this change in a way that creates a healthier, sustainable and more resilient Bracknell Forest for us all.”
More information
Full details are on the Climate Change Strategy web page.
Climate Change Strategy – Annual Report on Progress 2024 to 2025 was acknowledged by cabinet on Tuesday, 15 July 2025 and will now go to Full Council for final approval in September.
Cabinet has already approved a refreshed Climate Change Strategy 2025 to 2030 and the allocation of budgetary funds for 2025 to 2026 to specifically support actions addressing issues raised within the strategy. It is therefore felt that a detailed action plan should be developed to support those earlier approvals.
The Climate Action Scorecards are used to independently assess all UK councils on their climate action and their progress towards net-zero. The scorecards are organised by Climate Emergency UK, and scorecard results are published every 2 years. The full 2025 Climate Action Scorecard results can be viewed on the Council Climate Scorecards website.