Bureaucratic approach to net zero funding is hampering efforts, councils warn

Two-thirds of councils are not confident in hitting their net zero targets, with many blaming a bureaucratic bidding process for net zero funds for hampering progress, a Local Government Association (LGA) survey has found.

Survey respondents said the potential of local climate action is being "strangled" by a complex web of hard to reach Whitehall funding pots, with 60% of councils reporting to have been dissuaded from bidding into a government fund because of the time and resources needed to write bids.

Eight in 10 councils are meanwhile concerned by an "excessive bureaucratic burden tied up with national funding pots", the survey revealed.

In addition, it found that one in four councils are generally unsuccessful in bidding for net zero funds.

The survey also found that nine in 10 councils do not think there is a sufficient financing plan in place to deliver net zero by 2050, with three quarters (73%) saying the bureaucracy and uncertainty of government funding is unattractive to private investors.

The survey also uncovered that councils have little or no confidence in the approach to achieve net zero homes (85%), net zero transport (%), and in achieving net zero in a way that is fair and inclusive to everyone (95%).

Cllr Darren Rodwell, environment spokesperson for the LGA, said: "Councils are leading transformative projects across the country, but their innovation is being strangled by the national approach to the transition to net zero.

"We must rise to the challenge of climate change. With an impact on over 80% of emissions from their area – from transport and housing to renewable energy, government will not reach net zero without empowering councils to deliver local climate action in every village, town and city.

"With the right support, local areas could deliver net zero quicker and for less money, while boosting the local economy and ensuring local people benefit."

The news comes as Climate Emergency UK called for climate action to be a legal duty for councils, following research looking at how to boost local authority climate action.

The research also showed that access to external funding was one of the most important factors in encouraging climate action at a local authority.

Isaac Beevor, Partnerships Director at Climate Emergency UK, said: "Effective reporting, leadership and funding for net zero work at a council level would be much easier if climate action were a statutory duty for UK councils, like social care and waste and recycling."

Adam Carey