Council declares ‘climate emergency’

WATLINGTON Parish Council is among the latest local authorities to declare a “climate emergency”.

It wants to reduce its impact on the environment and review all its activities and policies accordingly.

A motion proposed by Councillor Terry Jackson was supported by the full council.

The council may review its energy providers with a view to switching to renewable sources or tariffs, plant more trees and promote energy efficiency and local food.

It might also revise the Watlington neighbourhood development plan to include more specific requirements for energy efficient homes and renewable energy production for the benefit of the community.

The council will also work with others to implement best practice methods to limit global warming.

Vice-chairman Ian Hill said he “wholeheartedly” agreed with the motion but added: “Setting these lofty ambitions is all very well but we should set ourselves some ambitions we can achieve.”

Councillor Steph Van de Pette responded: “I don’t think it’s setting lofty ambitions, it’s saying ‘we’ll work with anyone out there’. We want to do what we can so investigating the options is the very least we could do.”

Councillor Roger Beattie said it wasn’t practical to get involved at the same level as cities like Oxford, Brighton and Bristol, which have passed similar motions.