This roundtable, held on 24 April 2025, brought together officers responsible for sustainability, climate change, and environmental issues. Its purpose was to facilitate networking and the exchange of notable practices among council officers.
The session focused on exploring the role of local government in developing the green economy and addressing skills gaps to meet growing demand. It included 'spotlight on' presentations from councils with experience in leading green skills initiatives, followed by a roundtable discussion. This event was delivered by the Local Government Association (LGA), funded and supported in partnership with the Crown Commercial Service.
Winchester City Council – Green Economic Development and Sustainability Initiatives
Winchester City Council, situated in the South East of England near the South Coast, encompasses a historic urban centre with a high concentration of listed and conservation buildings, alongside a predominantly rural district economy centred on dairy farming and arable crops such as barley and wheat.
The council’s economic development strategy places a strong emphasis on sustainability and green growth. A key role within this strategy involves fostering economic development through environmentally focused initiatives, engaging with rural landowners and farmers, and promoting sustainability across the city, the wider district, and surrounding local centres.
Winchester City Council has committed to achieving carbon neutrality for its own operations by 2025 and is currently 96 per cent of the way toward this goal, with the final deployment of electric fleet vehicles underway. The broader ambition is for the entire district to reach carbon neutrality by 2030.
A central component of this work is the Solar for Business programme, which supports commercial and industrial businesses in adopting solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. This is facilitated through a combination of grant funding, such as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Rural Prosperity Fund, and DEFRA innovation funding, and through the Council’s Approved Provider Panel Agreement (APPA), which enables rooftop leasing for solar installations. A notable example includes a partnership with the Winchester Science Centre, a major educational charity, where the council is funding the solar PV installation, leasing the rooftop at a nominal rate, and collaborating with Portsmouth City Council’s energy team to deliver the project.
Under the Greening Business scheme, the council has completed 17 low-carbon assessments across a diverse range of businesses, from small enterprises like Ford Linen to larger firms such as Saab and CI. With a total investment of £25,000, these assessments have helped businesses access funding for carbon-saving measures including tree planting, heat pumps, electric vehicle chargers, solar panels, and sustainable transport solutions. One innovative outcome includes the establishment of a city-centre cargo bike delivery service operating from an out-of-town logistics hub.
The council has also delivered a Green and Digital Skills programme, providing training in retrofit techniques and digital skills to both residents and employees. Additionally, the Business Growth Factory has successfully run five support programmes aimed at strengthening local enterprises.
Looking ahead, the council is launching a 12-month Sustainability and Peer Mentoring Scheme in partnership with the Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and FuturePlus. This initiative will support 10–15 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in initiating their sustainability journeys through practical, manageable actions. The FuturePlus platform will be used to monitor and track progress throughout the year.
In the rural economy, the council is actively promoting solar adoption and broader sustainability practices. Engagement has been initiated with the 72 largest commercial rooftops in the district to assess their potential for solar projects. The Council is also collaborating with farmers on a range of nature-based and economically beneficial initiatives, including:
- A grazier project using sheep to manage fallow fields without the use of fertilisers.
- The development of a local grain processing facility to reduce reliance on external processors.
- The establishment of a district-based abattoir to improve logistics and retain value within the local livestock sector.
These land-based projects, initiated by the farming community, reflect a strong local appetite for sustainable rural development and demonstrate the council’s commitment to supporting innovation and resilience in the rural economy.
Portsmouth and Havant Joint Green Skills Initiative – Project Overview
The Green Skills Initiative was launched in the summer of 2024 as a collaborative effort between Havant Borough Council and Portsmouth City Council. This initiative emerged in response to shared socio-economic challenges and a renewed political mandate, particularly following the election of a new administration in Havant, which included a significant representation from the Green Party.
Havant Council has committed to ambitious environmental targets, including a 68 per cent reduction in CO₂ emissions by 2035. Both Havant and Portsmouth face common challenges in workforce development, including high levels of unemployment, economic inactivity, and a substantial proportion of residents with low or no formal qualifications. While Portsmouth demonstrates slightly stronger employment figures, both areas continue to experience a significant skills gap.
Recognising the value of historical collaboration, the two councils leveraged their longstanding partnership to address these issues through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). Each council allocated £30,000 from their UKSPF allocation, aiming to deliver 60 qualifications per authority. The Green Skills programme officially commenced in September 2024.
The councils partnered with SERT Training and City of Portsmouth College—two well-established further education providers with strong employer-led training models. This dual-provider approach enabled the initiative to effectively target diverse learner groups and meet varying business needs. The programme focused on engaging micro and SME construction firms, which are vital to the local economy but often face significant barriers to training due to limited resources and a lack of immediate perceived benefits.
The initiative also sought to address the challenges posed by an ageing workforce and a slow market transition toward green technologies. For example, feedback from local plumbers indicated limited demand for air source heat pump installations, prompting the councils to test these assumptions and raise awareness of green skills and the broader green economy.
Outcomes from the programme were encouraging. A total of 111 residents participated, resulting in approximately 180 qualifications being awarded. This equated to a cost of £436 per qualification, demonstrating strong value for money. However, the programme also encountered challenges. Initial efforts to offer heavily subsidised training did not generate the expected engagement from businesses. In response, the model was adapted to provide fully funded training, which significantly improved participation.
The insights gained from this initiative will inform future delivery models, ensuring continued improvement in access to green skills training. Despite the challenges, the strengthened relationships among the four key stakeholders—Havant Borough Council, Portsmouth City Council, SERT Training, and City of Portsmouth College—have laid a strong foundation for ongoing collaboration and impact.
Q: How did the team work to strengthen relationships with key stakeholders during the project?
A: The Portsmouth/Havant team recognised early on that some assumptions had been made regarding the relevance of certain training courses to market needs. To address this, they initiated more in-depth discussions with training providers to better understand the content being delivered and the funding mechanisms driving course offerings. While providers were often guided by available funding streams, the council’s focus was on aligning training with actual business demand.
It became evident that many businesses were not actively engaging with traditional communication channels such as newsletters or bulletins. In response, one of the training providers—CERT—took a proactive approach by directly contacting businesses to inform them about available funding for green skills development. This direct outreach proved more effective in raising awareness and encouraging participation.
The council also identified that many existing trades were already facing challenges in adapting to the evolving green economy. As a result, efforts were concentrated on supporting these trades, ensuring they were not left behind and had access to the resources and training needed to remain viable in a changing market.
Winchester has taken a very hands-on approach to engagement by regularly attending farmers’ meetings, business intermediary group sessions, and any relevant events across the district to ensure visibility. Her focus has been on listening and learning, sharing information about available programmes and, more importantly, asking stakeholders what they believe is truly needed.
This direct engagement has helped challenge some of the assumptions often made about skills gaps. In many cases, what is initially presented as a business need turns out to be more nuanced upon closer examination.
Q: In our work in North and North East Lincolnshire, one of the key challenges has been demonstrating the pathway from upskilling—whether by individuals or businesses—to tangible outcomes like increased income or new employment opportunities. How did you persuade participants that these benefits were achievable, and were you able to capture any data to support that pathway?
A: The team did not engage directly with employers to gather this information. Instead, insights were primarily obtained through feedback from further education (FE) colleges and independent training providers (ITPs). For a portion of participants, there was a clear understanding of the long-term benefits of upskilling. These individuals recognised how training could support their business growth or future opportunities, but financial constraints were the main barrier to participation.
For others—particularly sole traders or independent professionals—while they may have been highly skilled in their trade, there was often a lack of broader business awareness or strategic planning. This is where the local authority played a crucial role. By working in partnership with training providers, the council was able to offer additional context, including labour market forecasts, policy developments, and data from central government. This helped to illustrate the future demand for green skills and the economic opportunities emerging in areas such as retrofitting and sustainable construction.
By presenting this forward-looking information, the council aimed to build confidence among participants that investing in skills today would lead to real opportunities over the next 6,12, 18, or 24 months.
Q: Winchester, do you have any examples of cost savings that businesses have achieved through transitioning to green solutions?
A: One notable example involves a language school located in a rural area, which operates out of a repurposed former chicken shed. The building has been transformed into classrooms where international students come to learn English. As part of the council’s green initiatives, solar photovoltaic (PV) panels were installed on the roof of the facility.
During a follow-up visit two weeks ago—captured in a short film highlighting the project's success—the school reported significant energy savings. On sunny days, their smart meter was registering zero energy costs, and they were already achieving an 80 per cent reduction in energy expenses. If weather conditions remain favourable, they are expected to be fully energy cost-free by the summer.
In addition to this case, other projects funded through the Rural Prosperity Fund have projected savings based on the number of solar panels installed. Each installation is accompanied by estimated cost savings, and the council continues to monitor these sites throughout the year to assess actual performance and impact.
Q: Are you seeing competition for skills in the construction sector, particularly with the demands of housebuilding and new infrastructure projects?
A: Yes, there is significant competition for skills within the construction sector. The council has been involved in initiatives such as the Construction Skills Fund (CSF) and Employment and Skills Plans, which are often tied to Section 106 agreements and social value commitments with developers and their subcontractors.
Through longstanding engagement with construction firms and their supply chains, it has become clear that labour mobility is highly sensitive to wage differences. In many cases, skilled tradespeople will move to another site for even a small increase in hourly pay.
This dynamic is particularly evident with large-scale developments, such as the Welborne Garden Village project in nearby Fareham. It is anticipated that such projects will draw a substantial portion of the local construction workforce, further intensifying competition for skilled labour in the region.
Contact
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