A COUNCIL has set out its key priorities which centre around improving water quality and cutting pollution.

Adur District Council said it will work with the community, partners and government agencies to meet its environmental commitments to be carbon neutral for the emissions it controls by 2030, and for the district to be net zero carbon by 2045.

Its planned approach for the next 12 months and the coming years are set out in a report prepared for Adur’s joint strategic sub-committee.

Work is soon set to begin to improve the health of the River Adur and the marshland alongside it following the purchase by the council of Pad Farm and New Salts Farm.

Further south, the council will continue to be a "leading player" in the Sussex Bay project to restore the offshore kelp forest and manage it as a location for fishing, recreation and tourism.

It said biodiversity will also be improved with the planting of more trees in parks and open spaces.

In addition, residents will be asked to suggest roads where new trees should be planted, with the community taking on responsibility for helping to water and care for them.

Work will be done on council properties to make them more sustainable, including the installation of solar panels and ground source heat pumps.

Meanwhile, officers will launch food waste trials to measure their effectiveness at reducing the amount of rubbish sent to landfill and will explore ways to cut the emissions of refuse and recycling vehicles. 

To reduce air pollution, the council is working with West Sussex County Council to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points across the district. It is also working with the county council to improve cycling and walking paths and facilities, to encourage more people to swap four wheels for two.

Councillor Neil Parkin, leader of the council, said: “By investing in our countryside, our waterways and our environment, we’re investing in the future for Adur.

“We’re working hard with partners and the community to build a district that is more sustainable, more resilient and more self-sufficient, which all of us will benefit from.”

Among the other priorities for the council are:

  • Drafting a new local plan to encourage the regeneration of areas of the district, including extra infrastructure, so the benefits are felt by residents.
  • Bringing new business to the district and helping people gain the training and skills needed to find work.
  • Investing in homes managed by Adur Homes, improving poor quality properties and renovating run-down empty housing so it can be used again, in particular on the Southwick Estate.
  • Helping find homes for people on the waiting list by investing in new council and affordable housing, while also reducing homelessness through the building of new emergency and temporary accommodation.
  • Supporting sports groups, clubs and societies in the community, to encourage more people to get and stay active.