Agenda item

A notice of motion, under Appendix 7 – paragraph 12 other than those listed in Appendix 7 – paragraph 10 of the Constitution must reach the Chief Executive at least ten clear days before the relevant Meeting of the Council.

Two Motions were received:

 

1.    Climate Emergency, proposed by Councillor Tony Kearon and seconded by Councillor Emily Horsfsall.

 

An amendment to the Motion, proposed by Councillor Mark Holland and seconded by Councillor Trevor Johnson was submitted, as follows:

 

This council notes:

 

That 41 councils have passed ‘climate emergency’ motions since the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report on Global Warming of 1.5°C was published in October 2018. This report describes the major environmental harms that a 2°C rise in world temperature is likely to cause and urges that governments and related authorities world-wide seek to limit global temperature rises to 1.5°C.

 

That there is cross party support for ambitious carbon reduction strategies – the 41 councils that have already passed such a motion include Labour led, Conservative led, Liberal Democrat led and NOC authorities.

 

That the IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C argues that limiting Global temperature rises to 1.5°C may still be possible with ambitious action from national Governments AND local Government working in collaboration with partner agencies, organisations, groups and local communities.

 

This council further notes:

 

§  The establishment in 2007 and facilitation by Staffordshire County Council of the Staffordshire Climate Change Partnership and climate change adaptation group.

 

§  That in 2008 this council was a signatory to the Nottingham Declaration, making a public commitment to tackle climate change in concert with other councils.

 

§  That this council subscribed in September 2013 to the 'Climate Local' commitment, preparing and authorising an action plan to reduce carbon emissions and to promote action to tackle climate change with our partners and residents.

 

§  That since 1990, the UK has cut its carbon emissions by more than any other G20 country as a proportion of its economic growth, through the ambitious measures of the Climate Change Act 2008; is on target to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050; and will see the closure of all coal-fired power stations by 2025.

 

§  That the councils, businesses and individuals of Newcastle-under-Lyme have demonstrated their ongoing commitment to reducing CO2 emissions in the Borough, which have fallen from 1024.4 kilotonnes in 2005 to 807.8 kt in 2016, the most recent year for which data is available (source: BEIS/National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory).

 

 

This council acknowledges the importance of leading and not following public opinion; recognises its duty as a key local employer, service provider and public authority; chooses to renew its commitment to halting anthropogenic climate change; and therefore resolves:

 

1)    To aim to make Newcastle-under-Lyme a carbon-neutral borough by 2030.

2)    To invite the Economy, Environment and Place Scrutiny Committee to review the council’s record on mitigation and adaptation in respect of climate change and to make recommendations to cabinet with regard to necessary future action.

3)    To ask the cabinet and senior officers to examine what more can be done by this council to deliver a carbon-neutral borough, and for the leader of the council to produce and publish within six months a plan setting out how the council, through its policies, practices and actions will help to deliver a carbon-neutral borough by 2030.

4)    To require that cabinet routinely review progress against this plan and if necessary take action to expedite progress towards the carbon-neutral goal.

5)    For the Chief Executive to host via video/teleconference a meeting, to which will be invited CEOs, leaders and cross party representatives from Staffordshire County Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, District councils across Staffordshire and our neighbouring non-Staffordshire councils, with the intention to produce a regional climate emergency strategic collaboration plan to move to a carbon-neutral region.

6)    To ask that the chief executive and the leaders of all groups on the council jointly write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs urging him to give local government across the UK powers and funding to take meaningful action to address this emergency, and to legislate for a binding UK-wide net zero emissions target at the earliest practicable point in the future.

 The amendment was debated and not accepted in full although Councillor Kearon suggested working to a compromise to form a Motion on which everyone agreed. Councillor Holland accepted this.

 

The Motion was amended as:

 

 

This council notes:

That over 41 councils have passed ‘climate emergency’ motions since the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report on Global Warming of 1.5°C was published in October 2018.  This report describes the major environmental harms that a 2°C rise in world temperature is likely to cause and urges that governments and related authorities world-wide seek to limit global temperature rises to 1.5°C.

 

That there is cross party support for climate emergency motions and ambitious carbon reduction strategies – the 41 councils that have already passed such a motion include Labour led, Conservative led, Liberal Democrat led and NOC authorities.

 

That the IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C argues that limiting Global temperature rises to 1.5°C may still be possible with ambitious action from national Governments AND local Government working in collaboration with partner agencies, organisations, groups and local communities.

 

This council further notes:

 

§  The establishment in 2007 and facilitation by Staffordshire County Council of the Staffordshire Climate Change Partnership and climate change adaptation group.

 

§  That in 2008 this council was a signatory to the Nottingham Declaration, making a public commitment to tackle climate change in concert with other councils.

 

§  That this council subscribed in September 2013 to the 'Climate Local' commitment, preparing and authorising an action plan to reduce carbon emissions and to promote action to tackle climate change with our partners and residents.

 

§  That since 1990, the UK has cut its carbon emissions by more than any other G20 country as a proportion of its economic growth, through the ambitious measures of the Climate Change Act 2008; is on target to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050; and will see the closure of all coal-fired power stations by 2025.

 

§  That the councils, businesses and individuals of Newcastle-under-Lyme have demonstrated their ongoing commitment to reducing CO2 emissions in the Borough, which have fallen from 1024.4 kilotonnes in 2005 to 807.8 kt in 2016, the most recent year for which data is available (source: BEIS/National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory).

 

 

This council resolves:

 

To acknowledge that there is a climate emergency and that as an authority we can play a part in trying to address it.

 

To aim to make Newcastle under Lyme a carbon-neutral borough by 2030.

 

To establish and support a climate change action group that is chaired by an individual from outside of the borough council and is comprised of representatives of all parties on the council, council officers, representatives of local employers, local education establishments, partner organisations, local community groups, faith groups, local environmental groups, trade unions and other representatives of local civil society to encourage and coordinate the drive towards a carbon-neutral borough.

 

To require the cabinet and senior officers to collaborate with this action group, to examine what more can be done by the borough council to deliver a carbon-neutral borough, and for cabinet to work with the action group to produce and publish a plan setting out how the council, through its policies, practices and actions will help to deliver a carbon-neutral borough by 2030.

 

To require that cabinet, as part of the regular performance review process routinely review progress against this plan and if necessary take action to expedite progress towards the carbon-neutral goal.

 

For the Chief Executive to host in Newcastle a meeting of CEOs, leaders and cross party representatives from Staffordshire County Council, Stoke City Council, District councils across Staffordshire and our neighbouring non-Staffordshire councils to produce a regional climate emergency strategic collaboration plan to move to a carbon-neutral region. Regular meetings of this group will become a part of the battle for a carbon neutral region

 

To require that the chief executive and the leaders of all groups on the council jointly write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs declaring a climate emergency and urging him to give local government across the region powers and funding to take meaningful action to address this emergency.

 

To invite the Economy, Environment and Place Scrutiny Committee to review the council’s record on mitigation and adaptation in respect of climate change and to make recommendations to cabinet with regard to necessary future action.

 

To ask that the chief executive and the leaders of all groups on the council jointly write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs urging him to give local government across the UK powers and funding to take meaningful action to address this emergency, and to legislate for a binding UK-wide net zero emissions target at the earliest practicable point in the future.

 

Councillor Holland withdrew the other parts of his amendment.

 

Resolved:    That the Motion, as amended be carried.

2.    Racism, Islamophobia and Antisemitism proposed by Councillor Tony Kearon and seconded by Councillor Marion Reddish.

 

The Motion was debated and was accepted by all Members.

 

Resolved:     That the Motion be carried.