Issue - meetings

On a motion from Councillor John Leach, seconded by Councillor Anna Box, it was

RESOLVED that

Council notes:

1.  The recent announcements by the Prime Minister, moving back the dates for the banning of sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035, loosening the phase out of gas boilers and reducing the obligations on landlords to insulate their properties.

2.  Delaying the ban on combustion engine car sales will mean that more petrol and diesel cars will be on our roads for longer, resulting in more harmful emissions for longer.

3.  Cutting the budget for cycling and walking in England by more than 50% will mean that people will be relying on cars to get around, resulting in more harmful emissions for longer.

4.  Loosening the phaseout of new gas boilers will mean that more gas boilers are in use for longer, resulting in more harmful emissions for longer.

5.  Reducing the obligations on landlords to insulate their properties will also lead to higher emissions for longer and cost renters more in higher bills for longer.

6.  Car and boiler manufacturers that have been working to the previous dates now have uncertainty over the investments there were making, creating doubt over their future strategy.

7.  Even if the overall Net Zero target of 2050 is subsequently met, more greenhouse gases will have been emitted into our atmosphere, exacerbating the effects of Climate Change.

Council therefore resolves that:

1.  The Leader of the Council should write to the PM expressing our concern at this change in policy, our frustration that it will increase the impact of Climate Change and our anger that it will undermine our country’s climate change strategy, and to urge the government to reverse its announcement.

2.  The Council should seek to join forces with other like-minded Councils to explore the best way to challenge the Government’s change in policy, for example, via the LGA.