Council revises climate change target

But one member said the changes, which mean the 2030 target will instead become an organisational one only, show a lack of ambition.

Cannock Chase Council pledged in 2019 to work towards making Cannock Chase carbon neutral by 2030 as part of its declaration of climate emergency – one of the most ambitious targets set in the county. But a costed action plan of the measures needed to achieve this goal has revealed that it would cost around £4.7bn in capital investment to make the entire district carbon neutral by 2030, with £21m needed to do the groundwork.

The revised target was considered at a full council meeting. It divided opinion amongst members across the chamber.

Green Party member Andrea Muckley said: “I became a councillor in May 2019 and in July 2019 this motion was passed. I cannot tell you how delighted I was that we were going to strive towards 2030, it was absolutely incredible.

“I thought we are going to make a difference for my daughter and for everybody’s grandchildren. I was so proud to be part of this council.

“But here we are today and we have a report which is doom and gloom. It’s so negative – we don’t just give up, we try; I’m devastated we have such low ambition.”

Labour councillor Josh Newbury described the 2019 pledge for the district to become carbon-neutral by 2030, made during the authority’s previous administration, as “a statement of our ambition as a council”. He added: “It was clearly always going to be dependent on external funding to achieve that.

“We are still ambitious for our district – we know the only way the crisis can be tackled is with action. My concern is we are setting a target way in the future – the temptation is to stick it on the back burner.”

Councillor Newbury proposed changing the district-wide aim for becoming carbon neutral to 2040 instead of joining with other Staffordshire councils in a county-wide target. But the majority of councillors instead voted in favour of the county-wide target.

Conservative council leader Olivia Lyons and cabinet member for environment and climate change Justin Johnson spoke of work the council was already doing to reduce climate emissions in the district, This includes creation of the council’s first “urban forest” at Bradbury Lane, Pye Green, as well as incorporating sustainability measures into new housing developments such as electric vehicle charging points and solar panels.

Councillor Lyons told the meeting Cannock Chase Council was the first local authority in Staffordshire to produce a costed action plan for tackling climate change. And Councillor Johnson said he was confident the authority could meet its 2030 target.

Deputy leader Bryan Jones said: “This is a very emotive issue for everyone. Back in July 2019 we all stood up to climate change and rightly so, as did councils up and down the county.

“As far as I’m aware we are the only district that has done a costed action plan – and that £4.7bn is an astronomical figure. Can you enlighten the council where that £4.7bn is going to come from?

“It’s alright to say we have got to do something – and everyone here cares about climate change. But we have to be fiscally responsible and we have to do what is within our means.”