Net zero staff and consultant spending
FOI reference - FOI-467
Date - 23 April 2026
Request
From the last 3 financial year’s budgeted figures (2022 to 2023, 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025):
- Climate-related posts
The number of posts if any (headcount, and FTE where recorded) employed with job titles that include any of the following terms:
Climate; Net Zero; Sustainability; Carbon; Emissions; Environmental Sustainability; Climate Change; Climate Action; Climate Policy; Climate Programme; Climate Project; Climate Data; Climate Reporting; Climate Adaptation; Climate Resilience; Energy and Climate; Sustainable Procurement; Green Finance; Green.
- Cost of those posts
The total employment cost for the posts (if any) identified in Question 1, including salary and employer on-costs (e.g. pension and National Insurance), as recorded.
- External consultants
The total amount paid during the same financial year to external consultants, companies, or contractors where the expenditure is recorded under any cost centre, project code, budget line, or purchase description that includes one or more of the following terms:
Climate; Net Zero; Sustainability; Carbon; Emissions; Environmental Sustainability; Climate Change; Climate Action; Climate Policy; Climate Programme; Climate Project; Climate Data; Climate Reporting; Climate Adaptation; Climate Resilience; Energy and Climate; Sustainable Procurement; Green Finance; Green.
Response
- Climate related posts
The figures below set out the number of posts identified as climate-related roles for each of the requested financial years.
2022/23 – 2 FTE
2023/24 – 2 FTE
2024/25 – 2 FTE
- Cost of those posts
The amounts below represent the total employment cost of the climate-related posts, including salary and employer on-costs such as pension and National Insurance contributions.
2022/23 – £159,157
2023/24 – £159,388
2024/25 – £163,921
- External consultants
The figures below show total expenditure on external consultants, contractors, or companies where relevant climate-related keywords were identified in the associated financial records.
2023/24 – £0
2023/24 – £96,602
2025/26 – £21,293