CARBON emissions from council buildings in Oxfordshire have risen overall, new figures show.

A report by the Oxfordshire Environment Partnership, which is made up of the county’s six different councils, showed that carbon emissions rose from 81,711 tonnes of carbon dioxide last year to 86,651 this year.

The group said this was mostly down to extra heating for the cold winter.

Two authorities recorded increases, cancelling out smaller decreases in four others.

Oxford City Council’s emissions rose from 6,740 tonnes of CO2 to 6,955 tonnes.

Oxfordshire County Council saw its figures jump from 57,502 to 62,756.

District councils – Cherwell (down from 5,663 to 5,501), South Oxfordshire (3,925 to 3,822), Vale of White Horse (4,255 to 4,149) and West Oxfordshire (3,626 to 3,468) – all registered small dips.

But there are concerns that councils need to do more.

Craig Simmons, Green Party group leader on Oxford City Council, said: “There was an initial effort, but local councils seem to have lost their focus in the last year.

“They haven’t got long-term policies in place and financially they have been under threat with cutbacks.”

Cllr Simmons also criticised Oxford City Council over the proposed £400m Westgate centre development that will have John Lewis at its heart, which he said would make things worse.

He added: “The plans for the Westgate centre will see more traffic come into Oxford.

“If you are going to get more people in, why can’t they bring in an electric tram system like some other cities?”

David Williams, Green city councillor for Iffley Fields, said it was “very sad” to see the figures increase again: “I don’t think councils have made much of an impact.

“For example, they have not put solar panels on old council buildings like we suggested.”

But councils defended the figures, saying they were lower than the 93,443 tonnes in 2010/11 and said they were on track overall to meet targets to reduce carbon emissions by three per cent from the 2010/11 figures.

Natalie Ellis, from South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils, said: “Council emissions in the district councils actually fell between 2011/12 and 2012/13 despite the difficult weather conditions.

“Five years ago, the councils set targets to reduce energy use and carbon dioxide emissions as part of our carbon management programmes.

“This five-year plan has recently come to an end, and we are currently reviewing our position in terms of how we can move forward.”

Martin Crabtree, from Oxfordshire County Council, said annual carbon emissions had decreased by 15 per cent from 2010/11 to 2011/12, saving £257,000 in carbon tax.