Council runs out of time on divest debate

Councillors ran out of time to debate fresh calls to stop the West Sussex Pension Fund from investing in fossil fuels.

West Sussex County Council’s Labour group submitted a motion seeking a time frame for divesting the fund from such investments.

While the Conservative group submitted an amendment, the meeting on Friday, April 1 ended without any time to discuss either.

Caroline Baxter, leader of the Labour group, said: “That West Sussex Tories chose to table a wrecking amendment instead of accepting our offer to work together for the greater good was beyond disappointing.

“That they then went on to ensure it was timed out was just depressing.

“If they had just joined us all and supported the motion it could have gone through in moments.

“And, as their amendment seems to assert they are doing this anyway, it’s hard to see why they wouldn’t just get on board.

“So either they plan to ‘get it done’ before we have time to present a motion again – in which case I can only say we would be happy with the outcome, or they plan on kicking the can (and the planet) down the road for as long as they can – in which case that’s just depressing.”

The Tory amendment, while deleting some of the motion’s original wording, noted the divestment from fossil fuels through the pension committee’s investment decisions, has already achieved.

It called on the committee, as trustees of the fund, to continue its investment strategy whereby it considers environmental, social and governance principles and to take such steps it considers necessary to divest from fossil fuels in line with its strategy.

Worthing Climate Action Network, Extinction Rebellion Worthing, Extinction Rebellion Chichester, Extinction Rebellion Horsham, and South East Climate Alliance joined with other environment groups for a march and demonstration at County Hall, Chichester, and a ‘die-in’ at The Cross.

Emma Cameron, chairman of Worthing CAN, said thegroup was ‘very disappointed’ the meeting ran out of time and the motion was deferred.

She added: “It appears that this issue is not being addressed with the urgency required of a climate emergency.”

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