Exeter will continue to focus on its key priorities of creating a Net Zero Carbon city, tackling social inequalities and creating quality new housing in sustainable communities, the Council has revealed.

The Labour Leader of Exeter City Council Phil Bialyk appeared on the Exeter City Council website to highlight the Council’s key priorities as it prepares to set its annual budget later this month.

He is quoted on the website as saying “We are committed to a number of key objectives in the year ahead.

“The first is our Net Zero Carbon 2030 target, creating low energy housing and protecting our green spaces, together with the wider green agenda that the Council and its officers are working hard to deliver.

“We will be focussing on tackling social inequalities, working with Sport England on physical activity and getting more people active, with all the health benefits that brings to all of our residents here in Exeter.

“Our house building programme is another key priority. We have a programme to create 500 new houses over the next five years that we are building as a Council. That’s on top of the developments that bring forward social and affordable housing to the city.”

He said a recent pilot to retrofit homes to become highly energy efficient had led to reductions in energy use of around 80 per cent.

New funding will ensure that many more homes in the city will be retrofitted to the same standard.

He added: “Where we can we will protect open and green spaces. We have still got to deliver housing – that’s where our Liveable Exeter programme comes in and it is very important. But I want us to save green spaces and keep them for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.

“We have done all lot already – protecting Bull Meadow and Northbrook, and at Clifton Hill the planning application has gone through to secure the open space at the back of the new housing. That is going to be there for the people of Exeter to enjoy for years and years to come.

“We’ve also got a new Passivhaus leisure centre and a new Bus Station opening in the summer, together with rebuilt pool at the Riverside, so we have a lot to look forward to in Exeter.”