St. Helens MBC

This award is open to a single council or where appropriate a partnership of councils, or a council-owned company. Private sector or public sector partners can enter on a council’s behalf, with the permission of the council itself. Councils are uniquely placed to effect change in response to the climate crisis. This award is intended to mark excellence in any aspect of a council’s work in addressing the carbon footprint of the council, its services and its broader local area. Entries may include work to capture climate benefits from changed behaviours or work with local businesses and communities to address the climate crisis, to both enable economic growth and secure environmental improvements. Entries will be judged on the innovation of their submissions, the extent to which it has delivered measurable change, the quality of evidence of support from local communities, and the ability for other councils to replicate the work.

St Helens MBC in partnership with Faun-Zoeller invested in the first British OEM hydrogen fuel cell powered refuse collection vehicle. This ground-breaking technology has been used as a catalyst to advance this technology allowing the transfer of knowledge to other councils, local residents, business and students. This is about much more than a vehicle, however. The real legacy of the investment will be the skills, jobs and green growth developed here in St Helens. As a town with a proud industrial heritage we see the shift to hydrogen as fundamental in kickstarting a green industrial revolution.