SETTLE Town Council has declared its commitment to become carbon neutral within 10 years.

The council met with Settle Action on Climate Change in October and held a further meeting in November to discuss a number of initiatives.

At a meeting of the town council on Monday, members resolved to support becoming a carbon neutral organisation by 2030.

Measures to help reduce carbon emissions include use of green transport - encouraging councillors to walk, cycle use public transport or car share.

There is also to be the installation of a water fountain in the market place with a bottle filling attachment and a grant application to Heritage Lottery for £5,350 is to be made to fund the work.

The council has also vowed to carry out regular air monitoring to determine whether it meets the required government standards.

Other measures to help offset the council’s carbon footprint is to add a clause to tender documents for contractors to supply details of carbon emission policies as part of their submission.

Lighting supplies will be reviewed and a phased transfer onto green electricity will be made which will also be cheaper.

The council’s neighbourhood plan will include a requirement that new homes will be energy efficient, nature friendly and located close to public transport networks with amenities for designated safe walking and cycling routes.

Deputy town council clerk Ian Orton who had put together the agenda item for Monday’s meeting, said the initiative included electric vehicle charging points in the town with one place for a charger being in the market place.

“We will lean on Craven District Council in the first instance to install one,” he said, adding that another solution was having a company provide, install and maintain one but they would keep any revenue.

There is also the possibility of a partnership agreement where the town council keeps some of the revenue.

Town council chairman Cllr Dan Balsamini said: “This is a green agenda for the council to follow. It’s a good document.”

Cllr Simon Desborough said he would like to see ‘more actionable things’ in the list of areas where the council could be greener.

Other suggestions from the town council included encouraging the production, sale and consumption of locally sourced food and the use and development of renewable energy sources.

It was also agreed to encourage grant applications to enable carbon-reduction schemes within Settle..

Members voted unanimously to support the initiative which includes creating a carbon audit and action plan by the end of 2020 for achieving its goals by the end of the decade.