Folkestone & Hythe District Council take one small step for man, and one giant leap for mankind by declaring Climate & Ecological Emergency

A climate and ecological emergency has been declared by Folkestone & Hythe District Council. 

Last night, Wednesday 24th July at full Council a motion tabled by Cllr Georgina Treloar (pictured) set out nine points, which she and her opposition colleagues, who supported the motion, want our Council to do.

The nine points are as follows:

Full council moves to:

1. 1.Declare that we are in a state of climate and ecological emergency.

2. Commit to reduce Folkestone and Hythe District Council’s estate and operations to zero net carbon by 2030.

3. Ensure that all strategic decisions, policy, budgets, investments, contracts, approaches to planning decisions and the council’s own developments are in line with a shift to zero carbon by 2030.

4. Ensure that all future council reports, where appropriate, include a climate impact statement.

5. To develop a strategy for Folkestone and Hythe District Council to play a leadership role in promoting community, public and business partnerships for this Carbon Neutral 2030 Commitment throughout the District.

6. To achieve this, create a Carbon Action Plan based on practical frameworks and advice such as provided by the Carbon Trust.

7. Establish a cross-party working group of full council to draw up, steer and monitor progress of the Carbon Action Plan, reporting back to full council in 6 months, then annually.

8. Call on the UK Government to provide the powers, resources and help with funding to make this possible, and ask local MPs to do likewise.

9. Request that Cabinet shows leadership and adopts the matters raised in 1 – 8.

The motion was amended to be referred to Overview & Scrutiny Committee, who will now look at ways the Council can become carbon neutral by 2030. They will also cost some of the constructive ways our Council can play its role in saving the planet from the a climate and ecological emergency.

The Shepwayvox Team is glad it will be costed. It is a wise decision, as we cannot have it costing the earth, as we have the highest Council tax in Kent. It doesn’t need to go any higher.

Cllr Lesley Whybrow (below) made some very sensible suggestions in how our Council can improve on reducing its carbon emissions and lead the way for others to follow.

We are but custodians of our planet, if we do not act now, there will not be a planet left for our children or grandchildren.

This simple motion tabled by Cllr Treloar may not seem like much, but it is one small step for man, and one giant leap for mankind. We applaud her courage and tenacity and congratulate our Council on doing something positive for a change.

The Shepwayvox Team

The Velvet Voices of Dissent