Last month Bridgwater Town Council passed a motion urging action on climate change. At the time, Deputy Leader and Environment Spokesperson Cllr Kathy Pearce (Westover) said ‘this must not sit gathering dust on a shelf’. So this months ‘Town Diary’ has been handed over to Kathy to explain what that means in real terms.

Kathy writes:Nationally Labour is demanding a reduction of global carbon emissions by 45% from the 2010 levels by 2030, reducing to “net zero” before 2050.

Internationally, Greta Thunberg, a 16 year old Swedish student, has led the global call for a mass rollout of renewable and low carbon energy and transport, environmental protections, reversing species decline and developing plans to move towards a zero waste economy.

Think Globally Act Locally

So, what can we do locally you might be asking?  Well, quite a lot.  In fact, we have already begun –

As Chair of Sedgemoor District Council’s Community Scrutiny, I have overseen the adoption of Sedgemoor District Council’s Single Use Plastics Policy.  This means that wherever possible, alternatives to plastics will be purchased for the canteen and other materials on Council premises.  Tap water is now used for council meetings, replacing the old plastic water containers and cups. It is a start and is an evolving policy but an important one by first ensuring that the Council gets its own house in order.  Somerset County Council has also passed such a motion and I plan to make sure that the Bridgwater Town Council Single Use Plastics Policy will be a priority.  From that we will work to encourage local businesses to follow their lead together with the Somerset Waste Partnership ReUse scheme (a scheme which works with businesses to replace the sale of bottled water with encouraging people to bring their own bottles to refill with tap water).  Some far-sighted businesses in the town have already begun.  As well as reducing unnecessary waste, the aim will also be to reduce the amount of plastics litter which blights our town and green spaces and costs our local councils a lot of money to clear up.

A Strong Position

This is fine as far as it goes, but of course the problems are much wider.  That is why Bridgwater Town Council, along with Sedgemoor and other Districts will be tackling the climate change emergency.  Failure by the government to give this the priority it deserves, spending only a small percentage of allocated funding, now leaves us in a position where catch up action is urgently required.

Locally, we are in a strong position to put together a comprehensive response for the following reasons:

• We must ensure that every avenue is pursued to maximise opportunities for community led renewable energy projects for local people. Renewable energy means switching to resources that will not run out, sun light, wind, heat pumps, tidal, hydro, biomass and with very little waste and without producing  greenhouse gases when the electricity is generated, and so helping avert Man Made Climate Change.
• Planned cycle routes across the town will greatly improve opportunities for people to dust off their bikes and leave the car at home. Bridgwater Town Council has been a key partner to bring On Your Bike Recycled Cycles to the town, a not for profit charity which aims to promote cycling, repairing second hand bikes and provides training opportunities to assist those seeking paid employment.
• Bridgwater Town Council will be working towards Transition Town status. This is a status already in place in some West County towns, which supports local enterprises whose aims are to reduce carbon emissions.  In practice, this is about producing goods locally and buying locally.
• Over the next couple of years, there will be extended kerbside weekly collections for plastics.

  

• Supporting those working to improve our green spaces, such as the Meads Eco Park. The aim being to develop the area’s bio-diversity as well as creating a place of quiet enjoyment and learning about our local environment.  All green spaces should include additional planting to encourage pollinators, essential in the food chain cycle.
• Bridgwater Town Council is in discussion with the Environment Agency, Sedgemoor District Council and the Inland Waterways Association, to look at ways of maximising the benefits of the forthcoming Parrett Barrier.

Labour councillors are already working on these ambitious plans.  We ask that you support us to continue this good work and that means please Vote Labour Thursday 2^rd May 2019