Councillors respond to climate change

West Northants Lib Dem Councillors last night spoke out against plans by the Reform UK led council to abandon commitments to Net Zero 2030 and 2045 targets and climate change.

“The council is failing residents and local businesses and making our benighted authority a laughing stock by appearing to ignore the climate emergency”, said Cllr Rosie Humphreys.

Without any public consultation or numbers to back it up, Reform UK Councillors agreed to scrap targets and replace the word “climate” with “environment” on council reports.

"There are no costings, nothing about financial viability no savings identified, it’s purely an edict from Reform HQ, who continue to promote mistruths about net zero" said Lib Dem Group Leader Cllr Jonathan Harris.

Ignoring national policy on net zero, and its own planning and transport policies, West Northamptonshire Council is now left lacking any commitments or targets to tackle the climate emergency.

Cllr Christine Ware urged councillors to "consider their role in the stewardship of our beautiful county, ‘do the right thing’ if not for themselves then for future generations. Please provide clear and positive leadership in this vital issue that is the Climate Emergency".

Labour and Conservative councillors also spoke out against the proposal, citing that previously there had been cross party support for action on climate change.