Opposition criticises climate approach

Royal Borough:

Opposition councillors have urged the Royal Borough to go further in its efforts to fight climate change over the next five years.

The Conservative-run local authority says taking action to tackle global warming and its consequences is one of the three main priorities in its proposed corporate plan.

But during a cabinet meeting on Thursday, October 28, independent councillor Wisdom Da Costa (WWRA, Clewer and Dedworth West) said every decision the council makes from now should consider the environment first.

He said: “The message is clear from COP26 (UN Climate Change Conference) and scientists that if we don’t take drastic action now we will fail.

“Our standards of living will plummet, social stability will fall off the scale and health and life expectancy will also reduce.”

He added: “This revised corporate plan does not reflect the overwhelming view of the public or scientists.

“Every decision we take from now on should be carbon neutral from the outset and reduce our carbon emissions.”

Councillor Simon Werner (Lib Dems, Pinkneys Green) also called for more ambitious targets over fighting climate change.

Council leader Andrew Johnson told the meeting that protecting the environment formed a ‘fundamental part’ of the local authority’s plans for the next five years.

But he said the key function of the council is

to provide public services for everyone, including the most vulnerable, and this could only be achieved by prioritising a strong economy.

Cllr Johnson (Con, Hurley and Walthams) said: “We cannot take decisions which will tip us into the area of not being financially stable because then we wouldn’t be able to deliver on the core business of any local authority which is adults, children’s services, keeping our roads safe.

“It is a core part of the

‘The plan does not reflect the view of the public or scientists’

council’s policy framework (fighting climate change) but in terms of that hierarchy we have to reflect upon the fact we have a duty to the most vulnerable in society, to provide opportunity and foster innovation.

“Without a strong economy we won’t have the financial wherewithal to be able to pay for innovation and technology that we’re so dependent on to tackle climate change.”

Councillors are set to vote on whether to approve the corporate plan at the next full council meeting.