Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Wiltshire Council has been fined for pollution.

Wiltshire Council has failed to reduce CO2 emissions, and will have to pay £600,000 under the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) scheme.

The council is closing front-line services across the county so this will come as a blow to its already weak financial position.

The better news is that the fine doesn’t have to be paid until June next year and, if the council gets its act together, future fines might be avoided.

The council is now producing an “Energy, Change and Opportunity” strategy in an attempt to catch up with other councils. However council officers accept that it’s not enough. A report to the council’s cabinet says, “The scale of investment required … is much greater than the resources currently available.”