Craig McCorriston

West Lothian Council’s cross-party working group on climate change has delayed delivering its findings for a month.

The group was formed in November last year comprising two members from Labour, the Conservatives and the SNP.

It initally planned to report back to full council this month.

However, at this week’s meeting of the executive, Craig McCorriston, head of planning, asked for council approval to delay a report until further meetings are held.

Mr McCorriston’s report to the Executive said: “At its meeting in January, the group thought it may need two more meetings to conclude its work and these were tentatively scheduled for February.

“The first of these meetings took place on February 13. At that meeting it was agreed by all members who attended the working group that the second of the two additional meetings would be required.

“These additional meetings mean that the group cannot report in three months and as the group itself has no decision-making powers, any extension of the timescale has to be agreed by Council Executive.”

The Climate Emergency Declaration agreed by the council on September 24, 2019, required that a Cross-Party Climate Emergency Working Group would be established.

The remit of the group was agreed at a meeting of Council Executive on October 22, 2019.

The remit is to formulate a way forward which involves the wider public, business and other public bodies.

The group has considered and discussed a number of reports and presentations on a range of subjects including transport, energy use in council buildings and options for the participation of young people in the consideration of the climate emergency.

Mr McCorriston’s report said “good progress” had been made but a month’s extension would allow the group to finalise proposals.

The report will now come back to council on March 17.