Wellington Town Council joins others in declaring climate emergency

Mayor Councillor Anthony Lowe said he was keen to avoid a mere “tokenistic gesture”, and said a team of experts would be formed to decide how to reduce the town’s carbon footprint.

He gave councillors a 38-point draft action plan, based on a longer list adopted by Shrewsbury Town Council, and said it was “purely a basis to start our discussion” at Wellington Town Council. He welcomed his colleagues’ unanimous vote, saying it “sent all the right messages out”.

Other town councils, including Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Newport and Oswestry, along with the Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin upper-tier local authorities have also declared climate emergencies and pledged to become carbon neutral by 2030.

At its March meeting, two guest speakers addressed the council. Telford and Wrekin Council's climate change and sustainability co-ordinator Harjot Rayet “demonstrated the result of climate change, including flooding, droughts and fires”, minutes of the meeting say, adding that a toolkit was being developed by the authority for town and parish councils to use in their areas.

Action plan

Robert Saunders, who, Councillor Lowe said, “wears many hats around Shropshire in the area of the environment and climate change”, including involvement in the Green Shropshire Exchange, the Marches Energy Steering Group and LA21, also spoke.

“He explained what other councils were doing and how the Shropshire Association of Local Councils and the Wrekin Area Committee had taken up the challenge, and urged Wellington Town Council to join them,” said the minutes.

Councillor Lowe said: “Finally, the other document that was circulated was a Wellington Town Council emergency action plan.

“This is very much a draft document based on the Shrewsbury Town Council action plan which had about 50 points on it. I’ve cut it back to 38 but even some of those do not apply to Wellington, so do not take those too literally. It is purely a basis to start our discussion.

“What I’m hoping to do, with your agreement, is that Wellington Town Council should follow the example of the senior authority who declared a climate emergency.

“I’m aware we don’t want just a tokenistic gesture. My argument is this decision will be a launchpad for action and we will need to put together a team of committed experts.

“I’ve already been approached by two or three individuals who have noticed this agenda item on the agenda for this evening and have offered their services to help putting in place a team.”