Dudley Council recently announced a 17% reduction in carbon emissions for the 2024/25 period, dropping from 13,209 tonnes of CO2 in 2023/24 to 10,978 tonnes. This decline reflects efforts to streamline the council estate and upgrade energy efficiency, particularly in street lighting and heating systems.
Cllr Ed Lawrence, cabinet member for transformation, attributed the decrease to rationalising assets and ongoing initiatives to improve energy use. “To maintain momentum, we will continue to review costs and explore new opportunities,” he said.
A key part of the emissions reduction is the extensive replacement of street lighting with LED lanterns. According to council officers, street lighting consumes 9.5 million kWh annually and generates 2,100 tonnes of CO2. The LED replacement program is ahead of schedule, aiming for completion by December 2025, with nearly 20,000 new lanterns installed by July 2025.
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However, Cllr Kathy Bayton raised concerns regarding the carbon accounting methods. She explained that the apparent reduction results partly from selling council buildings, which lowers the council’s emissions figures but transfers the energy use—and likely increased carbon footprint—to private owners. These new owners may repurpose the buildings, often for accommodation, potentially increasing overall emissions.
“This reduction in our footprint is welcome,” Cllr Bayton said, “but it feels like false accounting. Our emissions go down while the private sector’s emissions rise.”