Leading By Example

Sustainability is at the core of Watford's Council Plan for 2022-2026. One of the Mayor's four core themes in the Council Plan is a greener, brighter future. In this, the council commits to: 

1. Encourage people to make greener travel choices, reducing congestion and improving the health and wellbeing of the town.
2. Promote improvements to the town’s biodiversity to enhance the range of habitats, plants and wildlife in the town.
3. Work alongside our community and businesses to find the best ways to reach net zero carbon, seeking not just to learn from others but to explore innovative solutions that will work for Watford.
4. Encourage residents and businesses to recycle more, reusing materials.

Here are some of the ways we’re meeting the Mayor's council plan objectives:

1. Encourage people to make greener travel choices, reducing congestion and improving the health and wellbeing of the town.

• Transforming Travel in Watford: An ambitious 20-year journey to create a brighter future for travel in Watford – one with less traffic congestion, cleaner air, and more and safer cycling and walking routes.
• EV charging points: The council have brought the total number of EV charging points to 102 (dual) in Watford. This will provide residents and visitors with more convenient access to EV charging facilities.
• E-Bikes with Beryl: There are over 100 e-bikes avaliable through the town. 

2. Promote improvements to the town’s biodiversity to enhance the range of habitats, plants and wildlife in the town.

• Rediscovering the River Colne: A 10-year project to clean up the River Colne and its surrounding areas, revitalising wildlife that has inhabited the river and its banks.  
• Restoring Cassiobury Wetlands: Former watercress beds in the Cassiobury Park Nature Reserve will be restored into a wetland wildlife sanctuary. 
• Biodiversity across Watford: We continue to undertake a range of measures to increase biodiversity across Watford, from increasing tree cover to reducing how much we mow verges. 

3. Work alongside our community and businesses to find the best ways to reach net zero carbon, seeking not just to learn from others but to explore innovative solutions that will work for Watford.

• Net Zero 2030: As an organisation, we are committed to reaching net zero by 2030.  
• Sustainability Forum: Our Sustainability Forum for residents ensures we are transparent and accountable, but also explores ways of coming together as a community to reach net zero carbon. 
• Environmental Managers Network: This network allows local businesses to share best practice on addressing the climate and ecological emergency. To ask to attend, please email: sustainability@watford.gov.uk. 
• Great Big Green Week: A week put on by Friends of the Earth to raise awareness for climate change and it's local impacts in Watfords. For the last three years, the Council has supported Great Big Green Week and put on a number of events for the community, such as movie screenings and clothes swaps.  
• Warmer, Greener Homes: Grants worth up to £5,000 can help residents lower their bills, warm their homes and reduce carbon emissions. 

4. Encourage residents and businesses to recycle more, reusing materials.

• Waste and recycling: Our waste service operates to encourage reuse and recycling. Watford has the lowest kilograms of waste per household in Hertfordshire and we’ve achieved a recycling rate of 51%, making us one of the top performers in the county. We're continuing to look at how we can reduce overall waste, while increasing recycling.