* What is the total budget (GBP) that this local authority has to spend annually for each of the following years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023
The details of the County Council’s budget are set out in its Budget Book, which is available for inspection for each of the specified years, up until the current financial year, via the following web link:
Budgets and expenditure | Devon County Council
* How much of the total budget has been spent on carbon reduction efforts for each of the following years 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 (as GBP and as a percentage of overall budget)
and
* How much does the council plan to spend on carbon reduction efforts in each of the following years 2021, 2022 and 2023 (as GBP and as a percentage of overall budget)
Devon County Council adopted a Carbon Reduction Plan in December 2019 with a target of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030. A copy of this document is available via this link:
Carbon reduction plan – Environment (devon.gov.uk). The document contains a costed action plan showing the resource (both revenue and capital) that will be required for the specified interventions. The initial dedicated funding, specifically for the first phase of carbon offsetting, was allocated in the 2020/21 financial year, with provision made for more significant budgetary resources from April 2021. A summary response to these two questions about budget / spend for the specified years is provided in the table below.
| 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | |
| Budgeted Revenue Funding for DCC Carbon Reduction Plan |
No specific budgetary allocation |
£44,000 allocated (but £60,413 spent) | £150,000 | £150,000 | £150,000 | |
| Budgeted Capital Funding for DCC Carbon Reduction Plan |
No specific budgetary allocation |
£1,000,000 | £1,000,000 | Budget yet to be allocated | ||
In reality, the position is far more complicated than this and cannot be simply presented in the manner requested. Prior to the adoption of the DCC Carbon Reduction Plan there were a variety of initiatives being implemented which were intended to contribute to a reduction in the Authority’s carbon footprint, whilst also realising other objectives (e.g. rationalisation of the property estate, energy conservation measures, changes to street lighting etc.). This activity is funded through a combination of Devon County Council resources and grants. The effect of these measures is set out in greenhouse gas emissions data collated and published by the Council here: 2020 Carbon Footprint – Environment (devon.gov.uk). Detail of current activity relating to the carbon reduction plan is set out in the Highlight Reports to the Council’s Environmental Performance Board, which are published here: Environmental performance progress – Environment (devon.gov.uk). These reports include some financial details, especially relating to grants, which go well beyond the dedicated carbon reduction summarised in the table provided above.