Self-Assessment Report 2024-25 p5

Planet

Our ambition:

By 2028, Mid and East Antrim will be at the forefront of balancing progression with sustainability.
We will be an emerging NI hub for innovation, environmental and cleantech skills training, and green economic growth.
Our commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 will have set a standard for excellence across the region.
Our dedication to safeguarding our natural and built heritage and preserving the environment through climate change mitigation and adaptation will ensure a thriving and resilient future for generations to come.

To achieve this, we will:

Empower, educate and work in partnership with our citizens, communities and businesses to progress the borough towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Support local communities to create an environmentally resilient and sustainable borough that is equipped to deal with emergency situations, including climate adaptation.
Protect our natural environment, enhance biodiversity and retain or increase Council’s current levels of carbon capture.
Lead by example and reduce the impact of our own operations to progress our organisation towards net-zero emissions by 2040 by embedding sustainability and climate adaptation into all decision-making.
Deliver an effective and efficient waste service that supports citizens, communities and businesses to reduce waste and promote a more circular economy.

Under this pillar:

82% of indicators were achieved or on track (9 of 11),
9% were delayed but progressing (1 of 11), and
9% were not achieved (1 of 11).

What you see:

Measure	Deliver the Mid and East Antrim Net Zero (MEANZ) Business Programme.
Status: On track	The Net Zero Insights webinar series concluded with over 200 participants across 8 sessions, with subjects including Emissions Reduction, Decarbonisation, Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Investment, Carbon Accounting and Green Practices. A companion video series featuring 5 local companies also launched in June 2025. Support from 6 Innovate UK Technical Assistance Partners enabled Council-specific workshops on Net Zero Data, Finance and Citizen Engagement. Other activities included a best practice clean-tech visit to the Midlands, launch of an Emissions Reporting Toolkit for Cleantech CGN Members, CleanTech CGN training, a HyTech NI Communications and Engagement Plan and a borough-wide Carbon Baselining Exercise.

Measure

Deliver the Mid and East Antrim Net Zero (MEANZ) Business Programme.

Status:

On track

The Net Zero Insights webinar series concluded with over 200 participants across 8 sessions, with subjects including Emissions Reduction, Decarbonisation, Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Investment, Carbon Accounting and Green Practices.

A companion video series featuring 5 local companies also launched in June 2025.

Support from 6 Innovate UK Technical Assistance Partners enabled Council-specific workshops on Net Zero Data, Finance and Citizen Engagement.

Other activities included a best practice clean-tech visit to the Midlands, launch of an Emissions Reporting Toolkit for Cleantech CGN Members, CleanTech CGN training, a HyTech NI Communications and Engagement Plan and a borough-wide Carbon Baselining Exercise.

Measure	Engage with local schools and communities to provide environmental education programmes.
Status: Achieved	We continue to make strong progress delivering environmental education to local schools and communities. Targets relating to community engagement on topics such as recycling, circular economy, energy conservation, waste reduction and sustainable living have been exceeded. Sessions have been delivered to a wide range of groups including U3A, Inner Wheel, Cairncastle Women’s Institute, Ballymena Probus Club and the Carson Project. The number of Eco-Schools with Green Flag status also increased by 5%, with an awards ceremony held in June 2025 to recognise participating schools.

Measure

Engage with local schools and communities to provide environmental education programmes.

Status:

Achieved

We continue to make strong progress delivering environmental education to local schools and communities.

Targets relating to community engagement on topics such as recycling, circular economy, energy conservation, waste reduction and sustainable living have been exceeded.

Sessions have been delivered to a wide range of groups including U3A, Inner Wheel, Cairncastle Women’s Institute, Ballymena Probus Club and the Carson Project.

The number of Eco-Schools with Green Flag status also increased by 5%, with an awards ceremony held in June 2025 to recognise participating schools.

Measure	Continue to actively engage with the Regional Community Resilience Group (RCRG).
Status: Achieved	We continue to engage with the Regional Community Resilience Group, while supporting local community groups to build resilience through the Five Sources of Resilience. We contributed to regional workshops that included government departments, academia and the community sector, helping to shape the Strategic Investment Board report which was presented to the Northern Ireland Executive, recommending stronger departmental leadership, resources and greater community sector involvement. We continue to promote the Community Resilience Toolkit and explore funding to support its wider use. Plans are underway to establish a Community Resilience Network, with 4 co-produced workshops to be delivered across the borough in the year ahead.

Measure

Continue to actively engage with the Regional Community Resilience Group (RCRG).

Status:

Achieved

We continue to engage with the Regional Community Resilience Group, while supporting local community groups to build resilience through the Five Sources of Resilience.

We contributed to regional workshops that included government departments, academia and the community sector, helping to shape the Strategic Investment Board report which was presented to the Northern Ireland Executive, recommending stronger departmental leadership, resources and greater community sector involvement.

We continue to promote the Community Resilience Toolkit and explore funding to support its wider use.

Plans are underway to establish a Community Resilience Network, with 4 co-produced workshops to be delivered across the borough in the year ahead.

Measure	Plant 100,000 trees across the borough through the Climate Canopy Project by 31 March 2025.
Status: Achieved	Almost 370,000 trees have been planted across the year, the majority at Woodburn Forest and the remainder via local schools and community groups.

Measure

Plant 100,000 trees across the borough through the Climate Canopy Project by 31 March 2025.

Status:

Achieved

Almost 370,000 trees have been planted across the year, the majority at Woodburn Forest and the remainder via local schools and community groups.

Measure	Continue to be an active member of the Energy Managers Forum.
Status: Achieved	We remain actively involved in the Energy Managers Forum. Our Energy Manager will serve as Chair for the next 2 years and will lead a joint energy procurement effort for 10 local authorities. A sub-committee has been established to oversee annual energy procurement.

Measure

Continue to be an active member of the Energy Managers Forum.

Status:

Achieved

We remain actively involved in the Energy Managers Forum. Our Energy Manager will serve as Chair for the next 2 years and will lead a joint energy procurement effort for 10 local authorities.

A sub-committee has been established to oversee annual energy procurement.

Measure	Deliver energy saving and clean energy projects within Council buildings by 31 March 2025.
Status: Achieved	We successfully delivered 8 energy saving projects this year, exceeding the target of 6. Projects included LED lighting upgrades at the Showgrounds, Larne Leisure Centre, People’s Park, Oakfield Community Centre, Carrickfergus Civic Centre, Carrickfergus Town Hall and the Sir Thomas Dixon building. In addition, 4 clean energy projects were completed, with Solar PV installations at the Sullatober Depot and Portglenone Marina, and battery storage installed at Springwell Street car park and the Sullatober Waste Transfer Station. Data logging technology and analytics platforms were also added to 7 sites to inform future investment in renewable generation and storage.

Measure

Deliver energy saving and clean energy projects within Council buildings by 31 March 2025.

Status:

Achieved

We successfully delivered 8 energy saving projects this year, exceeding the target of 6.

Projects included LED lighting upgrades at the Showgrounds, Larne Leisure Centre, People’s Park, Oakfield Community Centre, Carrickfergus Civic Centre, Carrickfergus Town Hall and the Sir Thomas Dixon building.

In addition, 4 clean energy projects were completed, with Solar PV installations at the Sullatober Depot and Portglenone Marina, and battery storage installed at Springwell Street car park and the Sullatober Waste Transfer Station.

Data logging technology and analytics platforms were also added to 7 sites to inform future investment in renewable generation and storage.

Measure	Finalise internal Council strategies and procedures to further progress sustainability by 31 March 2025.
Status: Delayed but progressing	Sustainability strategies have been drafted and are under review to allow for alignment with the updated and revised Asset Management Strategy and Fleet Decarbonisation Strategy. The completion of this work has been carried into 2025/26.

Measure

Finalise internal Council strategies and procedures to further progress sustainability by 31 March 2025.

Status:

Delayed but progressing

Sustainability strategies have been drafted and are under review to allow for alignment with the updated and revised Asset Management Strategy and Fleet Decarbonisation Strategy.

The completion of this work has been carried into 2025/26.

Measure	Ensure at least 50% of household waste collected is sent for recycling by 31 March 2025.
Status: Achieved	From April 2024 to March 2025, 50.73% of household waste collected was sent for recycling. For more information and analysis, please see Benchmarking section of this report.

Measure

Ensure at least 50% of household waste collected is sent for recycling by 31 March 2025.

Status:

Achieved

From April 2024 to March 2025, 50.73% of household waste collected was sent for recycling.

For more information and analysis, please see Benchmarking section of this report.

Measure	Ensure a maximum of 16,387 tonnes of biodegradable collected municipal waste is sent to landfill by 31 March 2025.
Status: Achieved	From April 2024 to March 2025, 13,611 tonnes of biodegradable collected municipal waste was sent to landfill. For more information and analysis, please see Benchmarking section of this report.

Measure

Ensure a maximum of 16,387 tonnes of biodegradable collected municipal waste is sent to landfill by 31 March 2025.

Status:

Achieved

From April 2024 to March 2025, 13,611 tonnes of biodegradable collected municipal waste was sent to landfill.

For more information and analysis, please see Benchmarking section of this report.

Measure	Ensure less than 75,797 tonnes of collected municipal waste arisings by 31 March 2025.
Status: Not achieved	From April 2024 to March 2025, there were 75,880 tonnes of collected municipal waste arisings. For more information and analysis, please see Benchmarking section of this report.

Measure

Ensure less than 75,797 tonnes of collected municipal waste arisings by 31 March 2025.

Status:

Not achieved

From April 2024 to March 2025, there were 75,880 tonnes of collected municipal waste arisings.

For more information and analysis, please see Benchmarking section of this report.

Measure	Delivery of 5 circular economy initiatives by 31 March 2025.
Status: Achieved	We successfully delivered 5 key circular economy initiatives to support our local communities, promote sustainability and reduce waste. These included: The School Uniform Scheme, which gifted almost 2,000 items to families ahead of the new school year. The Christmas Toy Container Scheme, which ran from October to December, and diverted 3.1 tonnes from landfill, generated charity revenue and provided affordable gifts. Over 11 tonnes of food was donated through the borough’s Community Fridges; this equates to 32,655 meals. The Community RePaint Scheme collected 1,690 litres of paint and redistributed 1,321 litres to local groups and individuals. The Spectacle Reuse Scheme collected 1,500 pairs of glasses for reuse. These schemes will continue during 2025/26.

Measure

Delivery of 5 circular economy initiatives by 31 March 2025.

Status:

Achieved

We successfully delivered 5 key circular economy initiatives to support our local communities, promote sustainability and reduce waste. These included:

The School Uniform Scheme, which gifted almost 2,000 items to families ahead of the new school year.
The Christmas Toy Container Scheme, which ran from October to December, and diverted 3.1 tonnes from landfill, generated charity revenue and provided affordable gifts.
Over 11 tonnes of food was donated through the borough’s Community Fridges; this equates to 32,655 meals.
The Community RePaint Scheme collected 1,690 litres of paint and redistributed 1,321 litres to local groups and individuals.
The Spectacle Reuse Scheme collected 1,500 pairs of glasses for reuse.

These schemes will continue during 2025/26.

Self-Assessment Report 2024-25