Council calls for home composting and cutting single use plastic in climate change action
An action plan to tackle climate change in Stafford is being drawn up – and residents are being invited to have their say.
Encouraging home composting and cutting down on single use plastic items are just two of the measures Stafford Borough Council is considering as it works towards becoming carbon neutral by 2040.
The authority joined hundreds of other councils across the country in declaring a climate emergency in 2019. Six months after the declaration Stafford Borough Council’s cabinet gave the green light for its draft climate change strategy to go out to consultation.
Councillor Jonathan Price, cabinet member for environment, said: “I am very proud of how proactive the council has been in producing the strategy in such a short space of time following the declaration of a climate emergency in July last year. The council has a good reputation for being proactive in respect of climate change and sustainable development and has never shied away from its contribution towards the differing national agendas over the years.
“The council has been at the forefront of implementing a number of initiatives that support this agenda. Results from the 2019 Friends of the Earth survey on how climate-friendly local authorities are places Stafford Borough Council as first in the county.
“On 23 July we made the commitment that as an authority we would become carbon neutral by 2040. As part of that commitment the council is updating its Corporate Business Plan to include climate change across all our corporate business objectives.”
The strategy sets out how the council plans to reduce carbon emissions from its own activities, how it will work in partnership with other organisations to achieve carbon neutrality, how it will mitigate and adapt to climate change and how progress will be reviewed and monitored.
There is also a draft action plan, which is set to be developed further following the consultation which is due to begin this month.
Council leader Patrick Farrington said: “We know this is an extremely important issue.
“This is currently a draft and we welcome input and comments from the wider community.”
