‘Ambitious aspirations’ from Climate Emergency committee

SINCE declaring a Climate Emergency on April 11, 2019, South Oxfordshire District Council has established a Climate Emergency Advisory Committee (CEAC) to recommend mitigating actions and to advise its Cabinet on matters relating to climate change – and anyone is welcome to attend.

If you would like to attend to observe the next committee meeting, go along on January 28, at 4:30pm in Meeting Room 1, 135 Eastern Avenue, Milton Park, Milton, OX14 4SB. If you would like to register to speak at the meeting, contact SODC’s Democratic Services team on 01235 422520 or email democratic.services@southandvale.gov.uk. The reports for the committee meeting will be available from January 21, on SODC’s website.

Carbon neutral by 2030

Since the CEAC first met on September 19, 2019, it has recommended to Cabinet that the district council becomes carbon neutral in its operations by 2025, and a carbon neutral district by 2030. A motion for the same targets was agreed at Cabinet and Full Council.

In a letter to local councils about the meeting, SODC stated: “A programme of work has been scoped, with options of projects to achieve the desired targets, and is structured around seven themes: council business, housing, partnership, infrastructure, transport, biodiversity and behaviour change.

“Once all options have been reviewed, we will prioritise projects based on feasibility, impact, resource required and carbon savings, and this will be drawn together into a coherent strategy for climate change.

Residents can get involved too!

“We are committed to engaging with residents and communities, particularly through town and parish councils. The programme of work includes options for how we can do this, such as, engaging with our stakeholders in the decision-making process(es) – for example through a Residents Advisory Group and/or facilitating workshops with town and parish councils to understand local needs. Where possible, we will look to connect with our stakeholders to create actions plans that complement our overarching vision for the district.”

The district council wants to hear what activities town and parish councils are doing, or projects they are starting, and welcome their views on SODC’s options for working together ‘to support this important and critical agenda’. It is hoped that there will be opportunities for CEAC members to attend town and parish council’s organised meetings to discuss their own approach to the climate emergency.

Suggestions please!

If anyone has any suggestions as to how everyone can work together to help tackle climate change, they can contact the CEAC via: haveyoursay@southandvale.gov.uk