CUTTING Ceredigion County Council’s carbon emissions by 15 per cent will save the cash-strapped authority around £1m a year, the council’s carbon management plan has claimed.

A range of measures, including the intro­duction of solar panels at the council’s Penmorfa offices and changing some street lighting to LED lights, has seen the council already reduce its carbon emissions by 13.3 per cent just over three years into a five-year target of cutting carbon emissions by 15 per cent.

Carbon management Cabinet member Alun Williams has said that while the council is well on track to meet the 15 per cent target, the measures already taken have helped to save the council around £1m per annum at a time when council funding is coming under increasing pressure.

Cllr Williams said that meant that as well as slashing carbon emissions, the authority was saving money to ensure it could continue to provide services.

He said: “As well as doing the right thing, this has helped protect council services.”

Council leader Ellen ap Gwynn said invest­ing capital money to produce savings from the council’s revenue costs would help save money in the long run.

She said: “It does make sense if we can use the capital programme to cut revenue costs, as that is where the pressure is.”

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