A TOWN which aims to win the race to carbon neutrality has been awarded tens of thousands of pounds to help it reach the finishing line.

Bishop Auckland Town Council has secured a £33,670 Rural Community Energy Fund grant towards a study looking for potential reductions in carbon footprint across the town.

The funding, managed by the North East, Yorkshire and Humber Energy Hub and administered by the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority, will focus on publicly owned buildings in the town, how carbon footprint reductions can be made and whether they are suitable for roof-mounted Solar PV systems.

Mayor of Bishop Auckland, Councillor Joy Allen, said: “We declared a climate emergency in 2019 and adopted a target of being 60 per cent carbon neutral by 2030 and ultimately becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

“It is our ambition to become the first carbon neutral town in County Durham and pledged with Investors in the Environment to reduce our own environmental impact and work towards accreditation with them.”

The council and mayor has worked with local charities, churches and Bishop Auckland Climate Action, supported by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s rural energy officer to explore sustainable opportunities to achieve its ambitious target.

The council plans to establish a working group, with representatives from a range of organisations, to support the study. Once the result are in, it will encourage and support eligible buildings to consider and take up renewable options.

Councillor John Clare, Durham County Council’s Climate Champion, said: “To decarbonise County Durham is something that will need everybody’s cooperation – at international, governmental, local and even personal level.

“So it is wonderful to see this success by the Town Council which has shown, not just environmental vision, but admirable initiative, in applying for and achieving this grant.

“Yet again, we see Bishop Auckland setting the standard – as an exemplar and a challenge – for the rest of the county.”