Manchester City Council has been granted £4.9 million in Government funding for additional work to reduce carbon emissions from more council-owned buildings including the National Football Museum

A further Council contribution of £1m will deliver an almost £6m scheme to cut emissions from seven buildings.

The move is another step towards the Council's goal of halving its direct carbon emissions by 2025 as it works towards becoming zero by 2038 – in line with the citywide target.

The money has been awarded in the latest round of the Government (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which is being delivered by Salix Finance, as part of a joint bid adminstered by Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

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A previous £19.1m award under the scheme has already seen work to reduce emissions in 13 council buildings including the National Aquatics Centre, National Cycling Centre and Town Hall Extension.

The latest scheme will predominantly be used for the installation of air source heat pumps, with additional funding for the use of solar photovoltaic panels and LED lights where appropriate.

The buildings which benefit from the improvements are:

• The National Football Museum

• Wythenshawe Active Lifestyle Centre

• Claremont Resource Centre in Hulme

• Harpurhey district social services offices

• Hall Lane Resource Centre in Wythenshawe

• The Place at Platt Lane in Fallowfield

• One Central Park (Arbeta) in east Manchester

Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment for Manchester City Council, said: "Council buildings are our biggest source of direct emissions. Taking action to retrofit these buildings and significantly improve their energy efficiency is one of the ways were are facing up to the urgent challenge of climate change. I am pleased that we have been able to secure futher funding to support this ambition.

"We will continue to pursue the potential for retrofitting, whether for our buildings or the city's wider housing stock."