ENVIRONMENTAL bosses are set to follow up on their promise to get tough on climate change by looking to install solar panels on schools, leisure centres and libraries in the borough.

Last week Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) declared a climate emergency in a bid to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Actions proposed following the declaration means the council is looking to reduce pollution and become more energy efficient.

“Ethically-produced” solar panels could be installed on school buildings by September in one move which will contribute to the council’s environmental plans.

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Cllr Gregor Murrary, WBC’s climate emergency chief, said: “The climate emergency we face will hit our children the hardest – so it is somehow appropriate that one of our first acts after declaring an emergency will be to seek schools to be a part of the solution.

“I’m a passionate believer in local action to tackle climate change – we cannot and will not sit back and leave it to others.

“Installing these panels on schools and other borough council buildings will not be the work of an instant as there are technical difficulties to overcome and some of the buildings are old or perhaps unsuitable.

“But, we are committed to starting this project during the next school year and will be targeting schools that we think could be pioneers for this.

“Schools provide a great opportunity for this but we will be looking at other buildings we own to see which could also be appropriate.”

Plans to install the panels could see energy sold back to the national grid and money made passed back to individual schools, meaning schools could have up to a quarter of their energy budget freed up to spend on “essential equipment, maintenance, teachers and other items”, according to Cllr Murray.

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The climate emergency boss was quizzed by Liberal Democrats councillor Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey about the council’s plans for solar panels at a WBC meeting on Thursday, July 18.

He commended his colleague Cllr Graham Howe for his work in identifying suppliers of the panels before detailing how the solar panels could benefit schools.

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Cllr Murray suggested power expenses take up 6 per cent of schools’ annual budget on average.