• Bookstore

The new pledges follow a comprehensive review and updating of the council's environmental policy.

Another key target will be to achieve a 'very good' eco rating on all the new council houses being built as part of the Hidden Homes programme. The Hidden Homes programmes transforms abandoned and vacant areas on local housing estates into good quality housing for local people. These spaces include disused storage areas, laundries, sheds and boiler rooms that have historically been prone to vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

The council will also sign up to the '10 per cent Carbon Challenge' launched by West Sussex County Council. This encourages individuals and organisations to reduce their impact on the environment by at least 10 per cent through savings in energy and water use.

The policy will also commit councillors to consult on a new tree replacement policy. The council currently spends ?250,000 a year settling insurance claims from root damage.

The review will establish clear guidelines for removing trees causing damage to building foundations and set out procedures for informing residents about replacement options.

Executive member for environment and leisure Malcolm Grimston said:

?Wandsworth was one of the first authorities in the country to take a corporate approach to its environmental responsibilities. This means ensuring that all areas of council activity contribute to our environmental targets. The latest review has also enabled us to pick up on emerging issues and new areas of concern like street trees.

?By strengthening our own pledges we hope to encourage more residents and businesses to look at ways in which they can reduce their own environmental impact.?

Other new targets include action to improve water quality in lakes in the borough's parks and use of recycled aggregate for repairing potholes.

The revised policy includes 38 targets ? each of which has been tested for its continued relevance.

The new targets will be submitted to the Wandsworth Local Strategic Partnership and will form part of the consultation on the updated community strategy.

Local residents will also be consulted later in the year as part of a major survey of local opinion. The findings will be incorporated in the final policy and reported to councillors in November.