Pushing back Net Zero targets could be a vote winner for Cheshire East

REALITY has a horrible habit of bringing us crashing down, don’t you think?

I remember looking forward to visiting Florida for the firs time.

I was really excited. I’d seen the pictures and videos and all those stunning sunsets.

This was going to be a holiday of a lifetime and it was but not in the way I had envisaged it.

We landed at Miami International Airport desperate to make it to our hotel before the sun went down and raced to the pool to find all the sun beds removed and the pool area deserted. It seemed a bit early to close the pool so I asked one of the staff to explain.

Apparently, there was a hurricane heading directly for us and we were being ‘evacuated’ to a ‘safer’ area. Little did we know that safer area was 40 miles north and we were given the new location for our ‘temporary’ accommodation and sent on our way.

Weary and rather frightened we drove off as instructed to our new motel 30 miles inland from the beach and nowhere near as inviting.

Getting us all out of Miami was the right thing to do, or so our tour organizer said. We bunked up together in our room and waited for the hurricane to hit shore and move on so that we could return to our smart hotel back in Miami.

Would you like me to tell you what happened next? Of course you would.

The hurricane missed Miami and made its way north to the precise spot where we were now hiding. It really was the ‘holiday from hell.’

Now, very occasionally, fate works in your favour and rewards you in ways you never expected and this is precisely what has happened to Cheshire East Council.

It appears that their plan to become carbon free by 2025 will now be extended to 2027 due to the dire state of council finances.

If Cheshire East ever got a lucky-break this it. Look around, do you really think being carbon free is on top of the priority list of families using food banks? Are we likely to see crowds of angry families stood outside the town hall demanding zero carbon? You don’t need me to tell you the answer to that question. Outside, in the real-world families are being financially battered and a ‘carbon free’ status is not at the top of their priority list. CEC are likely to see their support grow rather than diminishing as a result of this windfall.

Maybe, once the financial situation is more settled people will think about it and want to know more about a ‘carbon free ‘environment…but not now. Our council would do well to think on that and maybe say a little prayer of thanks for leading them to this decision.

Anything that helps councillors get in touch with reality has to be good. ●●Not the first time Vic has been caught in the eye of a storm