Izzi Seccombe has been re-elected leader of Warwickshire County Council at Shire Hall today (Tuesday) following the recent Council elections which resulted in a decisive Conservative victory.
To mark the occasion the Green Party who increased their share of the vote from 8% to 13% have written to the leader with a series of 7 tests they will use to hold the new Conservative Council to account on Climate Change.
Green Group leader Councillor Jonathan Chilvers said:
"During the campaign Cllr Seccombe defended her deputy leader’s climate denying tweets by saying that ‘actions speak louder than words’. We now expect her to show that she is serious about tackling the climate emergency she helped declare two years ago in Warwickshire. Today we’re setting out the 7 key actions that we’ll use to hold her administration to account between now and 2025. We’ll be pushing for these to happen and will report on the Conservative Council’s progress every year.”
Recently elected Kenilworth Green Councillor, Tracey Drew added:
"Fair’s fair – we’re setting out what we expect from day one, not springing any surprises. The next four years to 2025 are a key time in the battle to protect Warwickshire from Climate Change and limit carbon emissions for future generations. We need urgent action from the Council and these seven areas are crucial and broadly in line with government pledges.”
The seven tests include spending more than two-thirds of new transport money on sustainable options, pushing for the divesting of £94m of pension money from fossil fuel companies, improving wildlife habitats to support nature’s recovery, money for flood protection and not installing another gas boiler in a Council property, including schools.
Here are the Green Party’s 7 tests
In 4 years by 2025 the Conservative administration at Warwickshire County Council need to:
- Invest over two thirds of the Council’s transport capital fund in walking, cycling routes, rail schemes, electric buses and charging rather than building new roads for motor vehicles causing more dangerous air pollution. At the moment well over 70% of Warwickshire County Council’s transport capital investment planned for the next four years is in road schemes for motor vehicles and less than 30% for other forms. This needs to shift dramatically.
- Push for the withdrawal of all £98m of fossil fuel investments in Warwickshire Pension Funds, unless companies have met 100% of the criteria in the transition pathway.
- Achieve 21% of land in Warwickshire supporting nature’s recovery, working with partners. Currently this figure is 13%. Land can perform other functions as well as supporting nature’s recovery. School grounds, cycle networks, golf courses, farmland can all play their part in supporting nature’s recovery whilst still serving its function. They key is that land needs to managed in the right way to provide diverse habitats for our native species and be managed in the right way. The County’s commitments on tree planting should be aligned with this objective.
- Ensure that all procurement and grants require a plan by the successful provider as part of the contract with an expectation that all partner organisations will be carbon net zero by 2030.
- Send at least 30000 tonnes (24%) less waste per year to incineration or landfill, working with partners and central government. The current figure is approximately 125000 tonnes.
- Flood protection: Develop with landowners and invest in comprehensive ‘slow the flow’ solutions to help protect homes as we face more extreme weather events.
- Never install another gas boiler in one of its buildings, including schools or buildings through the Council’s property company. There are now good clean alternatives to natural gas which will also save money in the long term. We should not be installing technology that will be obsolete in a few years time. This should be alongside ensuring new buildings and retrofitting of existing to a very high build and insulation standard.