Climate Emergency - Green Budget Voted Out

Tory Cllrs vote down LibDem's Green Budget amendments

During Dacorum Council's Budget Debate, held last week at The Forum, Liberal Democrat Councillors proposed a "green" amendment detailing measures aimed at urgently reducing the carbon footprint of Dacorum Council. Details of our motion can be found here -> HHLDGreenPlan

The amendment motion was defeated unanimously by Tory Councillors who lived up to their 'conservative' name and chose instead to top-up the Council's financial reserves.

Last July, both parties signed up to a motion expressing concern over Climate Change and the need to reduce greenhouse gases. This resulted in a Climate Emergency Motion which was supposed to stimulate 'action'.

Liberal Democrat Councillors, whose numbers rose from 5 to 19 last May, were unimpressed with the Conservative contributions to the budget debate which downplayed the urgent need to spend money on addressing the Climate Emergency within Dacorum.

This most glaring example of 'lack of urgency' is shown by the lack of a specialist Climate Officer and whether the opportunity to switch to greener energy supplies could have been taken earlier.

Cllr. Adrian England, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, said "months have been wasted, with DBC producing nothing while they drag their heels recruiting a specialist Officer. This budget does too little, when the sooner we act the lower the costs to residents and businesses in a decade from now."

Cllr. Liz Uttley, Climate Emergency Spokesperson, said "an outside observer could easily conclude that the administration do not consider the climate emergency to be an emergency at all, but are instead proceeding with a 'business as usual' attitude. I had hoped for better from our local Conservative councillors, but in the face of this inertia, the LibDem Councillor Group will continue to push the administration for more positive Climate Action."