Conservative-run council wasting energy and money, new figures reveal

10.11.58pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 24th Aug 2009

LibDem council by-election candidate Rebecca Trimnell, with evidence of the Civic Centre's energy waste

Council buildings in Plymouth are wasting lots of energy, according to environmental information released to the local Liberal Democrats. Four council buildings use double the amount of energy that they should.

Under new rules brought in last October, all public buildings over a certain size have to display signs showing how energy efficient they are. Every building is graded, from 'A' to 'G'. An 'A' grade is best, and means the building is very efficient, using 25 per cent or less energy than a typical building of its size and type. At the opposite end, a 'G' grade is given to the most wasteful buildings, where energy use is at least 50 per cent more than it should be.

The rules apply to 13 of the city council's buildings and these have now been assessed. Four were given the bottom 'G' grade. Not a single one secured the top 'A' grade. All four of the poor performers - Stirling House, Frank Cowles Home, Woodfield Day Centre, and Plymouth Guildhall - were deemed to be using twice the energy that they should.

Windsor House and the Civic Centre also used more energy than would normally be expected for buildings of their size and type. The best performer, winning the council's only 'B' grade, is the City Museum and Art Gallery.

The figures, obtained using the Freedom of Information Act, also reveal that, put together, the 13 buildings emit a total of 6,697 tonnes of climate change-causing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually. That is the equivalent of someone flying across the Atlantic Ocean almost 10,000 times.

The Civic Centre alone emits 2,110 tonnes, with the next biggest contribution made by Windsor House, at 996 tonnes.

Commenting on the findings, Rebecca Trimnell, the Liberal Democrat candidate in the council's Ham by-election, said, "In its manifesto for last year's local elections here in Plymouth, the Conservatives promised to be 'in the lead' on green issues and called for the council to be a 'shining example' on the environment. Well, hollow words and empty pledges do not combat climate change.

"A Liberal Democrat-run council would act to make council buildings more energy efficient. That would be good news for the environment, but also for taxpayers because at the moment they are paying for energy that is being wasted. Ending energy waste makes environmental sense and financial sense.

"If elected in the Ham by-election on 3rd September I will be able to take this message directly into the council chamber."