Aycliffe Today Business Aycliffe Today Business Issue 42 | Page 13

The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 13
/NEWS
Funding
to help
businesses
cut carbon
emissions
C
ounty Durham businesses will be
able to access support to reduce their
carbon footprint and save money
thanks to a £1.5m funding pot.
Durham County Council has been
accepted as part of Interreg Europe’s SME
Power, a European Union-funded project that
helps small and medium sized businesses
(SMEs) change their energy behaviour,
reduce operational costs and cut carbon
emissions.
The council is to receive £160,000 from
the fund, which supports projects running
from now until July 2022.
It will see environmental experts from
across Europe work with SMEs to help them
develop projects such as energy audits and
monitoring; developing more energy efficient
products; building refurbishment and more
innovative processes.
SME Power is being co-ordinated by the
Resources Recovery Regional Agency of
Tuscany. It includes an advisory partner
from Germany and partners from regions
in Slovenia, Spain, Ireland, Finland and the
United Kingdom.
Pictured (from left): Durham County Council officers Nadia Wetherell,
Stephen Beresford, Helen Grayshan, Maggie Bosanquet, Dorothy
Gibson and Ros Farrow, who helped secure the funding.
The council has been welcomed into
the scheme because of the success of its
Business Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP).
Supported by the European Regional
Development Fund, the programme has
helped 200 local businesses to improve their
energy performance and save money. It is
hoped additional grants can be secured to
fund a BEEP 2 project.
Cllr John Clare, the council’s climate
change champion, said: “In February, we
declared a climate emergency and set
ourselves a target to be carbon neutral by
2050. This funding will help us to meet that
target and we are delighted to be a part of
this project.
“It can be difficult for SMEs to know how
to reduce their carbon emissions. This project
encourages businesses and energy experts
to work together to explore methods that
will not only benefit our planet but increase
profits by reducing production and running
costs.”
Interreg Europe helps regional and local
governments across Europe to develop and
deliver better policy. To find out more, visit
interregeurope.eu/
To find out more about BEEP,
visit durham.gov.uk/beep
More than 70 apprentices welcomed to council
D
ozens of young people have been
given their first step on the career
ladder after starting apprenticeships
with the North East’s largest council.
Durham County Council received over
1,000 applications for more than 70
apprenticeship opportunities, which vary
from Intermediate (Level 2), Advanced (Level
3) and Higher (Level 4) to Degree (Level 6).
The apprentices, who range in age from
16 to 37, will be working across most council
departments in roles ranging from business
administration to bricklaying; civil engineering
to financial management and horticulture to
highways.
The council’s chief executive Terry Collins
welcomed the apprentices at a two-day
induction. As well as meeting managers
from across the authority and trade union
representatives, they learned more about the
organisation and how it works.
Cllr Andrea Patterson, cabinet member
for Corporate Services and Rural Issues,
including human resources, said: “An
apprenticeship is a great way to begin a
career. I’m delighted that we are giving
these young people the opportunity to earn
a wage and gain valuable skills, working
with experienced staff who can share their
knowledge and help them to develop.
“Recruiting apprentices not only benefits
us as an organisation but also the county
as a whole as we’re investing in our own
young people.”
To find out more about apprenticeship
opportunities at Durham County Council,
visit durham.gov.uk/apprenticeships