Harborough council vows to pull out all the stops to combat climate change over the next decade

Harborough District Council is vowing to pull out all the stops to combat climate change over the next decade.

The local authority will work flat out to implement its keystone Climate Emergency Action Plan from 2022-2030.

The ambitious blueprint aiming to make the council one of the greenest in the country was overwhelmingly backed at a full council meeting last night (Monday).

The landmark eco step forward comes after the council declared a Climate Emergency in July 2019.

Cllr Jonathan Bateman, chairman of the council’s Climate Emergency Working Group, said they have slashed CO2 emissions from their own estate by almost 50 per cent since 2008.

He said they are now battling round the clock to cut those to net zero by 2030.

Cllr Bateman called on councillors to support the Climate Emergency Action Plan, to embed it in their Corporate Plan to “ensure ongoing monitoring and oversight” and to dissolve the Climate Emergency Working Group.

He said they had received 134 responses during a public consultation on their plans from May to July this year.

Over 75 per cent of people backed their climate emergency commitment, said Cllr Bateman.

The council’s draft action plan has pinpointed six vital commitments where it can act to hit the net zero target:

1. The council commits to demonstrate political and corporate leadership in acting on climate change

2. The council commits to managing its own assets and services, with the aim of reducing carbon emission to net zero by 2030, as far as practical

3. The council commits to working with residents and communities to support their actions in reducing emissions and help them increase their resilience to the impacts of climate change

4. The council commits to working with businesses to support their actions in reducing emissions and help them increase their resilience to the impacts of climate change

5. The council commits to ensuring that new development is designed to mitigate emissions and be resilient to the impacts of climate change

6. The council commits to working in partnership to promote resilient natural systems that will help to reduce the impacts of climate change.

Cllr Paul Bremner told the meeting: “This is all about local action by local people.

“This is about people taking action within the family, the single parents, the families on a tight budget.

“We have to reduce the need for coal and we need green energy.”

Cllr Phil Knowles, who sits on the Climate Emergency Working Group, argued fiercely that it should not be broken up.

“We have a major part to play going forward.

“There is no Planet B,” he insisted.

“This district council has a major role to play.”

He was backed up by fellow Liberal Democrats Mark Graves and Peter James – who said he was “staggered” that the special unit faced being closed down.

Cllr Knowles, who leads the council’s Liberal Democrats, put forward an amendment demanding the climate action group be saved from the axe.

“A generation will not forgive us, we have to reduce CO2 emissions.

“It would be folly to shut down this group now,” declared Cllr Knowles.

But Cllr Phil King, who leads the council, retorted: “If we do adopt the climate action plan it would be monitored by the Cabinet.

“This (saving the Climate Emergency Working Group) would only create tension and conflict within the council that would not be helpful.

“This group has done a good job and this should now be embedded in our Corporate Plan.

“Councillors will still be able to raise their concerns.

“But we don’t want a duplication of effort.”

Cllr Knowles’s amendment was narrowly defeated in a cliffhanger recorded vote by 15 to 13.

“People are very passionate and emotional about this,” said Cllr King as he won the day after an emotion-charged debate.

“We all have to take little steps to make a change – such as using less water and cutting our central heating.

“We have got six key commitments now.

“But we haven’t got a bottomless pit of money.”

Cllr Knowles replied: “We have to move this forward now - and I’ll support it.

“It’s important we get this on our books.

“We can’t allow this to end up on the back burner or people will be asking serious questions.”

The move to adopt the Climate Emergency Action Plan was rammed through just weeks after the high-profile COP26 environmental summit staged by world leaders in Glasgow demanded concerted global action now.