North Northamptonshire Council has launched a new programme, “Powering Change,” to assist local businesses and community groups in reducing their energy use, environmental impact, and operational costs. The initiative, funded through the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), will provide funded support for organisations to create their own decarbonisation plans.
The council has appointed strategic consultancy Urban Foresight to deliver the programme. Participating organisations will be given free access to a platform for measuring their carbon footprint and will receive expert support to develop a formal Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP). Having a CRP is an increasing requirement for organisations bidding for public sector contracts, and the programme is designed to help local entities become more competitive. The scheme aims to support a total of 50 businesses and 25 community groups across the area.
This support will be followed by a “Powering Change Grant Scheme,” which is scheduled to launch in September 2025 to provide direct financial assistance. A series of structured workshops will also be delivered to ensure the plans are actionable.
To introduce the scheme, an online webinar is taking place this Thursday, 28th August, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. It will cover the support available, the process of carbon reporting, and how to create a plan. An in-person event is also scheduled for Friday, 26th September, at Bowling Green Road in Kettering, with a session for businesses from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and one for community organisations from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
Council officials state the programme is designed to help businesses grow and diversify.
In a statement, Cllr Jan O’Hara, the council’s Executive Member for Planning and Economic Growth, said the programme would enable businesses
“to become more efficient, competitive and resilient… making sure North Northamptonshire is a great place to live, work and invest.”
Cllr Ken Harrington, Executive Member for Assets, Waste and Environmental Services, added that
“it is important that we use the funds available to us to support”
businesses looking at carbon reduction, noting that such schemes complement wider environmental work in the area.
Registration for the online webinar is available via Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/powering-change-a-new-programme-of-grants-and-support-to-cut-carbon-tickets-1552165913029?aff=oddtdtcreator – External Link). To attend the in-person event or to express a general interest in the programme, organisations should email powering.change@urbanforesight.com.
