Reigate and Banstead Borough Council's drive to cut its carbon emissions has led to savings of £80,000 over the last year.

The savings are the result of improved energy management and reduced energy bills across the council’s buildings and services between April 2009 and March this year.

The biggest savings came from changes to the council’s vehicle fleet, with old vehicles being replaced with more efficient ones. But improved insulation, more efficient lighting, heating controls, replacement boilers and improved computers also contributed to the savings.

A reduction in gas use at Earlswood depot by just under 50% led to savings of £8,235 and 38 tons of CO2 per year.

And fitting energy-efficient lighting in Reigate’s Bancroft Road multi-storey car park saved more than £17,000 and 89 tons of CO2 per year. The council’s Carbon Management Plan, adopted in April, aims to reduce energy use and carbon emissions from the council’s buildings and services by 30% by 2014.

The council expects to save £390,000 per year to 2014 and £2 million by March 2020, with its energy-saving investment paying for itself within four years of completion. Once the costs of energy-saving projects are paid back, financial savings will continue to be made from reduced energy bills.

Among the future projects expected to lead to significant energy savings are the refurbishment of Donyngs Sports Centre, Redhill, and the new Horley leisure centre, which will be a modern, energy-efficient building powered by renewable energy.

Other projects expected to contribute to the target include new solar panels at the Woodhatch Centre, and further lighting improvement schemes, such as at Clarendon Road car park in Redhill.

Julian Ellacott, borough council executive member for environment, said: “This is an excellent start to our carbon reduction plans, putting us well ahead of our targets already.”

Coun Ellacott said: “We were not expecting to make a real saving last year as our Carbon Management Plan was not adopted until April 2010. “Despite this, we have achieved a 2.6% reduction in carbon emissions which works out at around £80,000 of financial savings.”

He said: “As a council it is important that we play a pro-active, leading role in addressing the issues of climate change and energy security locally, and over the next few years we will be making even greater savings as our carbon reduction projects are realised.”

He added: “Local residents and organisations can join in and do their bit too by signing up to the 10:10 campaign or joining a local eco-team, a group of friends or neighbours who work together to save water, energy and money, and reduce waste, in an easy and fun way.”

Data on the council’s energy use for 2009 to 2010, and a comparison with 2008 to 2009, is available to view on its website, as well as advice on how to cut energy use or join an eco-team, at: www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk