NOW is the time to have your say on how your local authority handles its approach to climate change, as Wiltshire Council is running an engagement exercise over the next month.
Wiltshire Council is letting its residents have a say on its upcoming Climate Strategy, which sets out how the council and Wiltshire as a whole, can tackle climate change over the next five years.
The exercise started on 1st September and will run until the 17th October, with the option to either attend in person or join one of the number of online sessions on the council website.
Alongside this, the council will also be consulting on ‘Our Natural Environment Plan’, a Green and Blue Infrastructure (GBI) strategy for Wiltshire. This plan specifically looks at the future for Wiltshire’s natural environmental assets and how the council can help protect and enhance these for the benefit of people and biodiversity.
The draft strategy covers seven themes: transport; built environment; waste; green economy; energy generation, storage and distribution; natural environment, food and farming; and carbon neutral council.
Cllr Nick Botterill, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for climate change said, “The draft strategy sets out the next five years of our journey to becoming a carbon neutral county, and using seven delivery themes shows what we can all do to make a difference and reduce our carbon emissions.
“I’d urge everyone in Wiltshire to have their say on these two important documents so that we can all help to protect our beautiful county for future generations.”
However, Wiltshire Climate Alliance (WCA) laments the council’s lack of ambition and commitment to achieving its goal of seeking to make Wiltshire carbon neutral by 2030.
Bill Jarvis, of Wiltshire Climate Alliance (WCA) steering group described the plans as “Recognising that major changes are needed, but lacking any commitment or timescale for reducing emissions outside of the council’s own operations”, adding that “…there is little sense of the urgency needed for taking action, and a dependency on future plans and policies that may take us in the opposite direction.”
The WCA went on to say, “It is particularly concerning that the strategy provides no detail of how its objectives will be delivered. It seems clear therefore that Wiltshire Council’s decarbonisation objectives are no more than a ‘wish list’ in the local plan.”
Have your say on how you think the council should approach the problem of climate change in the area by putting your views to the engagement exercise either online or at the drop in sessions. For more information visit the Wiltshire Council website.
Drop in session info:
• 14 September, 10am to 12 noon, Salisbury Library
• 23 September, 10am to 12 noon, Devizes Library
• 27 September, 10am to 12 noon, Chippenham Library
• 7 October, 10am to 12 noon, Trowbridge Library.
