Agenda item

Proposed by Councillor Mark Ingall (seconded by Councillor Chris Vince):

“This Council believes that climate change is one of the most significant threats facing the world. One of the largest factors contributing to climate change is man-made emissions, especially those relating to the use of non-sustainable power sources. This Council recognises that action must be taken quickly in order to prevent climate change from causing irreversible damage to the planet. It also recognises the numerous social benefits which are brought about by reducing greenhouse gas emissions such as better air quality.

This Council believes it is still possible to restore a safe climate andtherefore declares a climate emergency and will:

          i)    Aim to reduce its net carbon emissions as far as possible;

         ii)    Reduce its carbon footprint at a greater rate than it is already committed to doing so;

       iii)    Create a program of new tree and hedgerow planting across the town, starting with 1,000 in the next year;

       iv)    Encourage HTS (Property and Environment) to plan for a switch over from petrol and diesel vehicles, plant and machinery to electric vehicles, plant and machinery; and

         v)    Reaffirm its commitment to the Garden Town development’s principles of sustainable transport.”

Proposed by Councillor Mark Ingall (seconded by Councillor Chris Vince):

“This Council believes that climate change is one of the most significant threats facing the world. One of the largest factors contributing to climate change is man-made emissions, especially those relating to the use of non-sustainable power sources. This Council recognises that action must be taken quickly in order to prevent climate change from causing irreversible damage to the planet. It also recognises the numerous social benefits which are brought about by reducing greenhouse gas emissions such as better air quality.

This Council believes it is still possible to restore a safe climate and therefore declares a climate emergency and will:

             i)        Aim to reduce its net carbon emissions as far as possible;

            ii)        Reduce its carbon footprint at a greater rate than it is already committed to doing so;

           iii)        Create a program of new tree and hedgerow planting across the town, starting with 1,000 in the next year;

           iv)        Encourage HTS (Property and Environment) to plan for a switch over from petrol and diesel vehicles, plant and machinery to electric vehicles, plant and machinery; and

            v)        Reaffirm its commitment to the Garden Town development’s principles of sustainable transport.”

Councillor Russell Perrin (seconded by Councillor Tony Hall) proposed that the motion was amended to read as follows:

“This Council believes that climate change is one of the most significant threats facing the world. One of the largest factors contributing to climate change is man-made emissions, especially those relating to the use of non-sustainable power sources. This Council recognises that action must be taken quickly in order to prevent climate change from causing irreversible damage to the planet. It also recognises the numerous social benefits which are brought about by reducing greenhouse gas emissions such as better air quality.

This Council believes it is still possible to restore a safe climate andtherefore declares a climate emergency and will:

             i)        Aim to reduce its net carbon emissions as far as possible;

            ii)        Reduce its carbon footprint at a greater rate than it is already committed to doing so;

           iii)        Create a program of new tree and hedgerow planting across the town, starting with 1,000 in the next year;

           iv)        Encourage HTS (Property and Environment) to plan for a switch over from petrol and diesel vehicles, plant and machinery to electric vehicles, plant and machinery and encourage HTS to source battery technology for its electric vehicles from companies who ensure environmentally friendly lithium mining techniques ;

            v)        Reaffirm its commitment to the Garden Town development’s principles of sustainable transport;

           vi)        Eliminate the use of single use plastics in line with the government ban across all public council buildings by January 2020 ahead of the national implementation date of April 2020;

         vii)        Actively promote schemes to encourage children to walk to school such as the Walking Bus initiative and WOW;

        viii)        Installing electric car charging points across all of its car parks within the next five years where possible;

           ix)        Request that Cabinet, through the Cabinet Overview Working Group, develops a strategy which looks at the feasibility of:

·         Installing photovoltaic panels on all public council buildings within the next two years where possible; and

·         New council built houses having a minimal carbon footprint; and

·         Creates an action plan which focuses on reducing the impact of day to day living on the environment beyond that causes by greenhouse gas emissions.”

The amended motion was agreed by the consent of the meeting and became the substantive motion.

RESOLVED that the substantive motion was carried.