Climate action group is 'cautiously optimistic' for Council’s ‘Sustainable West Northamptonshire’ plan

A climate action group from Northampton has said it is 'cautiously optimistic' about West Northamptonshire Council's recent launch of “Sustainable West Northants”.

Climate Action – West Northamptonshire (CA-WN), a residents’ group focused on climate change, gave their support to the plan after a meeting in which West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) launched their “ambitious new approach” towards protecting and improving the local environment, economy and society.

Whilst the Council encouraged residents and businesses to make their own personal pledges on how they will do their bit to make West Northamptonshire a more sustainable place to live and work, the body also issued three pledges of its own:

Net Zero the Council’s own emissions by 2030 and those of residents and businesses by 2045 Take a community leadership role for Sustainability in West Northants Ensure all Council strategies and policies are aligned to and contribute to the delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Jane Wood, Chair of Climate Action-West Northamptonshire, said “It is very encouraging to see the level of commitment to sustainability from the top down within WNC. We welcome the council’s use of the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a framework. However not all of those goals directly address the climate and environmental crisis.

"I would want to see WNC priorities reflecting the urgent need to take effective action on the causes and impacts of climate change.

"The launch event gave all the right messages, this must be followed by rapid action with WNC being seen to lead the way for our communities. Inevitably the council will need to make decisions that are not popular with some people, so it is important for activists and voluntary groups like CA-WN to continue our awareness-raising activities so that everyone recognises the need for change.

“We were very pleased with the level of engagement and knowledge about sustainability shown by the committee and it is only right that formal scrutiny should be given to such an important matter.”

The initiative, which is being spearheaded by West Northamptonshire Council and partners across the area, reportedly aims to ensure that everyone is working towards the same objectives and targets for developing sustainability, which are being mapped against global goals set by the United Nations.

With local people playing a “key role” in future plans, residents and businesses across West Northants are asked to share their own steps and ideas to help make a difference by making a Sustainability Pledge, and inspire others to get involved.

Harry Mellor of CA-WN spoke at the WNC Place Scrutiny and Oversight Committee meeting 29 March. He said in a statement: “Climate Action-West Northamptonshire strongly suggests that the Supplementary Planning Guidance on sustainability should provide for enforceable minimum levels of safe, secure active travel routes, green infrastructure, public transport provision and of course a proportionate quantity of local renewable energy sources.”

Mr Mellor’s statement reportedly prompted an in-depth discussion by councillors and officers present, with the committee agreeing to include the Sustainability Strategy as a high priority item on its Plan of Work, and to ask for consideration to be given to all WNC Scrutiny committees doing the same.

People can make their own sustainability pledges online to help measure people’s involvement.