ONE of York’s political groups wants £300,000 from a council fund to be used to form a company aimed at making the city more environmentally-friendly.

City of York Council’s Green group has proposed using the money from the authority’s Economic Infrastructure Fund to set up a renewable energy company, modelled on a Bristol initiative.

The idea is among the group’s proposals for the council’s two-year budget, which will be decided on Thursday. It has opposed plans to increase allotment rents, cut staffing for air monitoring work, outsource the running of elderly people’s homes and place libraries under the control of a “mutual organisation”.

Green leader Coun Andy D’Agorne said: “We have local and national targets to boost renewables and cut the burning of fossil fuels, as well as a desperate need to cut fuel poverty.

“We need a trading arm to take the lead on expanding the use of district heating, biomass and combined heat and power plans, alongside the Green Deal programme of insulating houses. A council-led renewables operation would boost green jobs and help attract investment.”