ADUR and Worthing councils have been awarded more than £1.7m to help them become carbon neutral by 2030.

The projects include installing low carbon heating systems at the Shoreham Centre along with the Marsh House and Shadwells Court sheltered housing schemes, retrofitting solar panels at a variety of sites, and installing secondary glazing at Worthing Town Hall. 

The council made a bid for the money from the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which was set up in September, and the Low Carbon Skills Fund.

News of the successful bids was described as ‘really fantastic’ by Worthing leader Daniel Humphreys during a meeting of the joint strategic committee. A report to the committee said the aim was to complete all projects by the autumn.

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They should bring a carbon saving of 233 tonnes per year, which is more than 12 per cent of the total emissions from council-owned buildings.

Broken down, the grants will see £1.329m go to Adur Homes, £365,000 to Adur District Council, and £104,000 to Worthing Borough Council. Because of the nature of the scheme, match-funding of around £465,000 – £365,000 from Adur Homes and £100,000 from Adur District Council – will have to be paid.

The committee approved plans to allow for this from within the existing capital programme.

The meeting was also told that Worthing Borough Council was expected to be successful in a further bid for £485,000, which would pay for energy efficiency improvements, which included triple glazing for Portland House.