30 Lincolnshire schools sign up to council scheme to improve energy efficiency

Thirty schools have signed up to a county council scheme that asks pupils to help improve energy efficiency.

The authority wants to introduce new technology, behavioural changes and improvements to heating systems.

It is hoped the measures will help cut annual spending and emissions by 20 per cent.

Around £11 million is spent by Lincolnshire County Council on electricity, gas and oil every year. And £5.26 million of this is attributed to schools.

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Schools from Gainsborough, Lincoln and Boston will begin the Schools Collaboration on Resource Efficiency (SCoRE) programme in the spring.

Nettleham C of E Junior School, which already has solar panels, is one school that has signed up.

Head teacher David Gibbons said: "It looks like a sound scheme and it's a good way of involving the children at ground level with the sustainable actions that they can take, so it's exciting for us."

During SCoRE, three students from each school will be selected as Lincolnshire Carbon Ambassadors to conduct energy audits on their classrooms.

They will also learn how to formulate a plan to minimise energy consumption in their school and raise awareness of environmental issues.

Mr Gibbons said the pupils in his school were looking forward to the challenge.

"They're really fired up," he said. "They're going to be taking metre readings and looking at energy consumption, and are getting really excited about it."

The ambassadors will look at lighting, heating and other appliances and discuss how they can be improved. Behavioural changes that will be introduced could include turning off lights or raising awareness about sustainability through posters and assemblies.

New technology could include kit to maximise boiler efficiency.

Councillor Patricia Bradwell, executive member for children's services, said: "We're delighted so many schools have already signed up for the SCoRE programme, and we'll be helping them all take steps to reduce their energy consumption.

"This will not only be better for the environment, but will save them money too. Hopefully, further schools will join us over the coming months."

A second wave of schools will soon be recruited from Lincoln, Alford, Spalding, Stamford and Market Deeping.

And it is hoped all Lincolnshire schools will be signed up over the next four years.

SCoRE forms part of county council commitments to tackling climate change, carbon management and environmental performance.

This has included signing up to the national Climate Local scheme, which supports councils on their environmental activities.

The authority is looking to approve its own carbon management plan next month.

And since 2010, it has monitored emissions on an annual basis as part of the Government's Carbon Reduction Commitment.