A CAMPAIGN has been launched to cut Lancashire’s carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2020.

But it has started with a row after it emerged that the headquarters of Lancashire County Council, which is leading the charge, is rated F for energy efficiency, the second lowest score.

Bosses blamed the historic building’s age, and insisted improvements were being made to all the council’s offices.

But the Green Party councillor Chris Coates said: “In layman’s terms, it means we are wasting huge amounts of energy, and the building is not fit for purpose without some serious amounts of work being done on it.”

Coun Coates said he “broadly welcomed” yesterday’s unveiling of plans to cut the county’s carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2020.

As part of the strategy, grants are given to small businesses and community groups for climate change measures, insulation will be improved in homes, and cheap low-energy lightbulbs will be available for residents.

More wind turbines will be needed in parts of Lancashire, but any new farms would be “sensibly located”, according to Andy Mullaney, of the council’s environment department.

Coun Matthew Tomlinson, cabinet member for sustainable development, confirmed County Hall, which dates back to 1878, had been given an energy rating of F, with G the worst possible.

He added: “But the climate change strategy is about taking the whole of the county forward to a point where we have made improvements to all buildings.”

Other measures like motions sensors on office lights and using electricity from renewable sources were also being used, he added.

Local Government Minister John Healey, who was guest speaker at the launch at County Hall, insisted it was vital not to ignore the dangers of global warming.

He said: “People are naturally most concerned at the moment with the downturn.”