A COUNCIL has said the journey to becoming greener and cleaner has only just begun, despite being ranked the second cleanest town in England.

In the Clean Cities Index by environmental publisher ENDS Report, an in-depth environmental study, Worthing was beaten only by Exeter in the rankings, which is based on a range of environmental factors, including air quality, climate, and green behaviour.

Brighton came third in the index.

Despite the high ranking, Councillor Edward Crouch, Worthing Borough Council's executive member for digital and environmental services, said there is still more work to be done.

The Argus: Solar panels on the roof of Splashpoint in WorthingSolar panels on the roof of Splashpoint in Worthing

He said: "It is fantastic news to be ranked so highly and gaining recognition for being such a clean town and is recognition for all the work that has been done by the council, businesses and residents.

"Together with Adur District Council and other neighbouring authorities, we have worked incredibly hard to become more environmentally friendly, but that work is only just beginning and the journey to become even cleaner and greener still has a long way to go.

"We are very fortunate to live where we do but there is so much more we can still do to improve our record even further and ensure the town and surrounding areas continue to get even cleaner, now and for future generations."

Worthing Borough Council has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030, with plans to create more than 200 sustainable flats on a brownfield site, create a pioneering district heating network powered using waste heat from sewers, and embark on a series of tree planting and regeneration projects.

The index was created following an extensive data project, drawing on data on built-up urban areas, rather than individual local authority districts, with more than 30 environmental factors compiled to provide a list of the cleanest and dirtiest urban areas in the country.

Jamie Carpenter, editor of ENDS Report, said: "The Clean Cities Index is intended to start a debate about the state of the environment in our biggest towns and cities, and shine a spotlight on some of the wide environmental disparities that exist between them.

"We need to ‘level up’ our cities so that all city dwellers, from Brighton to Burnley, and from Milton Keynes to Manchester, can enjoy a clean and green living environment. While we have seen welcome progress against some environmental indicators, this has not been uniform, and much more needs to be done."

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