Council urged to show real leadership with 10:10

9.54.00am GMT Tue 24th Nov 2009

Cllr Ed hall wants the council to take the lead locally on climate change

Councillor Ed Hall (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley) will call on the Council to exercise real leadership in the fight against global warming when the Environment Improvement Committee on 24th November looks at the Council's plans to tackle climate change.

He said, "I am very disappointed that the Council isn't leading the local fight against the emission of green house gases. As recently as October, I persuaded the whole council to sign up to the 10:10 Campaign and commit itself to help local people reduce their carbon footprint by 10% by 2010. This commitment isn't even mentioned in the report.

The Council is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions but the help offered to local people is limited to the Community Warmth programme and a future plan for aerial thermal imaging. Nothing about 10:10 and what everyone could do now to help.

When the Council voted on the proposal to adopt 10:10 in October, the leading Conservative Group abstained!

The Conservatives had previously accepted a budget proposal in February to form a new Environment and Climate Change Unit with a budget of £300,000 . So far they have spent just £23,000 and the Unit still isn't fully operational.

As well as helping individual households, we need much more action, especially on the two big problem areas - street lighting and schools. If we don't take action, now, we will have failed our children and future generations. We will not sit by and let happen!"