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Aberdeen Budget 2020: £100m investment to tackle climate change

by Jamie Hall
04/03/2020, 1:43 pm Updated: 04/03/2020, 1:44 pm
An artist's impression of how Union Terrace Gardens could look after the works
An artist's impression of how Union Terrace Gardens could look after the works

Councillors have voted to invest £100 million as part of a bid to tackle climate change.

Elected members committed to a range of measures to safeguard the environment, with plans to improve air quality and introduce more greenery, including around 60 trees in Union Terrace Gardens, across the city.

At the council budget meeting, the administration outlined plans to earmark £5m for electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles to drive forward its proposal for a low emission zone in the city centre.

Around £15m will be invested in an environmentally-friendly heat network in Torry, while £3m will go towards tackling fuel poverty by investing in housing stock.

A total of £1m will go towards cycling and walking infrastructure. And £2.4m will be invested in digital technology to improve services and reduce the need to travel.

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Council co-leader Douglas Lumsden said: “This council is overseeing the most significant period of transformation in the city’s history – socially, economically and environmentally – and this budget builds on that.

“It responds to the challenges around climate change in a direct way by investing in measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“We are committing £100m to continue moving us to a net zero carbon local authority.

“The council will look to begin a programme of providing electric vehicle charging points as we embark upon this ambitious programme for the energy capital of Europe.”

Mr Lumsden added: “We are continuing to transform as a council as well as a city.

“We are revolutionising how public sector services can be accessed, allowing people to interact with us in new and more direct ways.”

The council also announced a raft of measures in its housing budget to support its climate change goals.

Nearly £200,000 will be spent on cavity and loft insulation to help reduce heat loss and tackle poverty, while £7.7m will be spent replacing heating systems. Rent is set to increase by 4% as a result.

The council’s housing spokeswoman Sandra Macdonald said: “The 4% rent increase ensures the budget includes significant investment in our existing stock to improve healthy homes with £5m of investment.

“This is on top of the £22m of repairs and maintenance in our stock.”