Green Party leader urges Northamptonshire councils not to delay on tackling climate change

Northamptonshire County Council, Northampton Borough Council and Daventry District Council have all declared a ‘climate emergency’ within the last 12 months, setting themselves the target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

But some critics have argued that while the talk has been positive, there has been little action taken yet. The district council in Daventry was recently accused of ‘watering down’ actions to combat climate change – with 57 recommendations being narrowed down to 20.

The district council’s senior leadership team say it has limited scope and that further action needs to be taken by the new unitary authority – West Northamptonshire Council – that will be launched in its place next year.

But the co-leader of the Green Party, Jonathan Bartley, has urged local councils in Northamptonshire not to sit and wait for the unitary to take up the mantle.

During a visit to Kingsthorpe College in Northampton today, he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We absolutely don’t have a year, we barely have 10 before we have to get this all done, and the change of culture that is needed is monumental.

“It’s either an emergency or it’s not. You don’t put things on hold for a year if the building is on fire, you call the fire brigade.”

Mr Bartley was asked questions by Year 7 pupils who had joined an ‘Eco Club’ at the college, with questions ranging from air pollution to plastic waste and deforestation. He also addressed an assembly of students who fielded questions of their own.

The Green co-leader also spoke about his party’s chances ahead of the local elections in May, where residents will vote for candidates to serve on the new unitary council when it launches in April next year.

He said: “Local councils do need more powers from central government. This is why we need Greens on councils, because we are the ones that get it. We are the ones who have been saying this for decades. A green in the room changes everything and more people are starting to get that.”

Mr Bartley also called for a change in the electoral system, and hoped that any new Labour party leader would join forces with them on the issue.

He added: “It depends whether the next Labour leader wants to change the system. If they don’t they are just lining up the next Conservative government. If they did it could be a game changer.”