To consider a notice of motion proposed by Councillor David Hennigan and seconded by Councillor Jason Zadrozny, as follows:-
“Ashfield District Council recognises the scale and urgency of the global challenge from climate change. This Council recognises that local action on global warming can make a difference.
This Council acknowledges the steps that Ashfield District Council have been taking to combat climate change.
This Council is proud of the measures we are already taking at a local level. This includes:
(1) Ensuring energy efficiency across all our buildings and the moves towards reducing fleet emissions.
(2) Ensuring a comprehensive programme of planting trees - replacing every tree removed with two trees and planting 1000 trees across the District over the next four years.
(3) Ensuring that our planning policy continues to support blue and green infrastructure (rivers, streams, parks and nature reserves)
(4) Continues to work with community groups across the Ashfield District.
This Council has an obligation to continue to lead, catalyse, support and influence actions by residents, our partners and businesses in the Ashfield District.
This Council therefore resolves to:
(1) Reaffirm its commitment to doing everything possible to combat climate change including committing to a robust climate change strategy.
(2) Include an assessment of the implications for sustainability and the environment in all relevant reports to committees.”
Minutes:
The Council received a notice of motion moved by Councillor David Hennigan and seconded by Councillor Jason Zadrozny as follows:-
“Ashfield District Council recognises the scale and urgency of the global challenge from climate change. This Council recognises that local action on global warming can make a difference.
This Council acknowledges the steps that Ashfield District Council have been taking to combat climate change.
This Council is proud of the measures we are already taking at a local level. This includes:
1) Ensuring energy efficiency across all our buildings and the moves towards reducing fleet emissions.
2) Ensuring a comprehensive programme of planting trees - replacing every tree removed with two trees and planting 1000 trees across the District over the next four years.
3) Ensuring that our planning policy continues to support blue and green infrastructure (rivers, streams, parks and nature reserves).
4) Continues to work with community groups across the Ashfield District.
This Council has an obligation to continue to lead, catalyse, support and influence actions by residents, our partners and businesses in the Ashfield District.
This Council therefore resolves to:
1) Reaffirm its commitment to doing everything possible to combat climate change including committing to a robust climate change strategy.
2) Include an assessment of the implications for sustainability and the environment in all relevant reports to committees.”
Councillor Keir Morrison moved an amendment to the motion, seconded by Councillor Lauren Mitchell as follows:-
“Ashfield District Council recognisesthat we are in a state of climate emergency that requires urgent action by all levels of government, including local government. This council also recognises that local action on global warming can make a difference.
This Council acknowledges the steps that Ashfield District Council has been taking to combat climate change.
This Council is proud of the measures we are already taking at a local level.
This includes:
1) The change in capacity of the general waste bin, which drove up recycling rates and will achieve long term savings for the authority.
2) Ensuring energy efficiency across all our buildings and the moves towards reducing fleet emissions.
3) Ensuring a comprehensive programme of planting trees - replacing every tree removed with two trees and planting 1000 trees across the District over the next four years.
4) Ensuring that our planning policy continues to support blue and green infrastructure (rivers, streams, parks and nature reserves).
5) Continues to work with community groups across the Ashfield District.
This Council has an obligation to continue to lead, catalyse, support and influence actions by residents, our partners and businesses in the Ashfield District.
This Council therefore resolves to:
1) Reaffirm its commitment to doing everything possible to combat climate change including committing to a robust climate change strategy.
2) Include an assessment of the implications for sustainability and the environment in all relevant reports to committees.
3) Recognise that we are in a state of climate emergency that requires urgent action by all levels of government, including by local councils.
4) Will join the (LGA) Climate Emergency Network to share good practice with other local authorities.
5) Will ensure that political and chief officer leadership teams take responsibility for embedding this work in all areas of the Corporate Plan, ensuring that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning decisions are in line with a shift to zero carbon by 2025, and that the Executive and Scrutiny functions review council activities against the plan annually.
6) Will review the Council’s Investment Strategy and Pension funds to give due weight to Climate Change targets in the Investment and Pensions portfolios.
7) Will investigate the most appropriate training for Members and all council staff about how to integrate carbon neutral policies into all aspects of their work.
8) Recognises that together with our communities, other Councils and likeminded partners, we must develop an effective campaign to influence other levels of government, industries and organisations that have the greatest power to take urgent and appropriate action to respond to the climate emergency. National (and regional) Government must provide the necessary policy, legislation and funding to enable local action on climate change to be effective.
9) Supports the expansion of community energy to keep the benefits of local energy generation and supply in our local economy.”
Due to the lateness of time, Councillors David Hennigan and Jason Zadrozny, as mover and seconder of the motion, immediately advised that they would not agree to accept the wording of the amendment and it was moved and seconded that Council move to the vote. Having been carried the amendment was then put to the vote and duly fell.
It was then moved and seconded to move to the vote on the original motion.
Having been carried, the original motion was put to the vote and it was
RESOLVED that
a) the Council reaffirms its commitment to doing everything possible to combat climate change including committing to a robust climate change strategy;
b) the Council includes an assessment of the implications for sustainability and the environment in all relevant reports to committees.