Award winning projects
Top of the Leaderboard in the North West
Lancaster City Council has once again been recognised as a leader in climate action, achieving a score of 64% in the 2025 Climate Emergency UK Scorecards – the best of any council in the north west. This marks an increase on the council’s 2023 score (61%). Climate Emergency UK created the scorecards by assessing seven areas: buildings and heating; transport; governance and finance; planning; biodiversity; collaboration and engagement, and waste reduction and food.
The council scored higher in the Buildings and Heating category, reflecting continued investment in improving energy efficiency across its estate. This work has included the replacement of gas boilers with heat pumps, installation of secondary glazing and solar panels, along with improved insulation.
The lowest scoring area was Transport, a result that is not a surprise given that Lancaster City Council is not a transport authority and does not have direct control over major transport infrastructure or policy. However, the council continues to work positively with its partners including Lancashire County Council to support improvements in sustainable travel and active transport options.
- The results of the 2025 Climate Emergency UK scorecard can be found at https://councilclimatescorecards.uk/scoring/district/ (Published 17 June 2023)
- You can compare these with the 2023 Climate Emergency UK scorecard results: https://councilclimatescorecards.uk/2023/scoring/district/ (Published 18 October 2023)
Leadership in Responding to the Climate Emergency
Winner: Lancaster City Council
On 20 June 2025 Lancaster City Council scooped the award for leadership in responding to the climate emergency at the annual MJ Awards on Friday, which recognises success in local government and outstanding work and commitment to local communities.
Here is the feedback from the judges:
"Lancaster has shown determined leadership by embedding climate action at the core of planning policy. Punching above its weight, it has challenged national barriers through its climate first Local Plan. Judges praised its quiet confidence, community engagement and national influence. Lancaster is an excellent blueprint for local leadership on the climate emergency".
Other Award winning projects
- Lancaster City Council is proud to have been shortlisted in four different categories at this year’s MJ Awards, including the prestigious Local Authority of the Year category, Leadership in Responding to the Climate Emergency, Rising Star (Susanna Dart) and Digital Transformation.
- On 12 June 2024 colleagues in the Planning and Climate Change team picked up the Local Government Chronicles Top Award in the Net Zero Category top award in the Net Zero category for their work on the Climate Emergency Local Plan Review, as featured with Kevin McCloud on Channel 4's 'The Great Climate Fight'.
- The Council was also shortlisted for the 2024 Local Government Chronicles Award: Public Partnership Award. The judges feedback: "an innovative partnership approach to engagement, embracing and capturing young people's ideas and ambitions and starting to translate this into policy formation and scheme implementation. Whilst in its early stages, the panel were impressed with the ambition and engagement of stakeholders including the political leadership, regeneration team and developers and are excited to see the next phase of this project, as it moves into wider engagement of communities and implementation."
- In June 2024, the Planning and Climate Change team were been shortlisted for the MJ 2024 Awards in the category 'Leadership in Responding to Climate Change'.
- Late 2023, North Lancashire was one of seven places across the UK that received a prestigious North Lancashire Sustainable Food Places (SFP) Silver award, recognising the outstanding efforts of individuals, organisations, businesses and community groups from across our region in promoting healthy, sustainable and local food to tackle some of today’s greatest social challenges; from food poverty and diet-related ill-health to the disappearance of family farms and the loss of independent food retailers.
- May 2024, Morecambe's two bathing beaches were awarded Seaside Awards by Keep Britain Tidy!
- Flags flying high again at many of Council’s parks and public spaces after they retained their coveted Green Flag status for 2023
- In December 2022, staff from Council’s Home Improvement Agency (HIA) celebrated after picking up two prestigious awards. The team came out top in the ‘Sustainability in Home Adaptations’ category at the National Healthy Homes Award'.
- In October 2022, the Council came away with the top prize in the FSB Nothwest Best Future-Ready Award. The award recognised the efforts taken to address areas such as skills gaps, helping high streets adapt to shifting consumer habits, helping local firms on their way to net zero and nurturing future entrepreneurs.
- In September 2022, the outstanding work undertaken by Council to decarbonise Salt Ayre Leisure Centre picked up a top APSE Award.
- In May 2022, the transforming & Innovating Public Services - i-network Award recognised excellence in the Council co-wheels scheme.
- In May 2022 APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) award was published. As part of the Local Plan review the council has taken an innovative approach to applying Fabric First techniques.
- In 2022, the Community Engagement Guide for the NW RTPI was published, showcasing the Council's digital engagement on the climate emergency review of the Local Plan during the pandemic.
- In November 2021, the Council scoops accolade for its work to support residents with energy efficiency crowned 'Council of Year at the North West Energy Efficiency Awards '. The awards recognise and reward organisations which have shown a commitment to promoting energy efficiency.
- The 2021 MJ Awards recognises the ‘leadership in responding to the climate emergency’ category at the for the way it has approached reducing its carbon emissions, in particular the production of the CO2 dashboard.
