Lib Dems call on Council to make 10:10 pledge (Darlington and Sedgefield Liberal Democrats)

Darlington and Sedgefield Liberal Democrats <joe.kelley@darlingtonlibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dems call on Council to make 10:10 pledge

October 2, 2009 10:43 PM

The logo of the 10:10 campaign

Darlington Labour reject Mike Barker's 10:10 appeal

Yesterday was Full Council. Mike Barker, Lib Dem PPC for Darlington, called on the controlling Labour Group to sign up to the 10:10 commitment to reduce the Council's carbon footprint by 10% in 2010. He has signed as an individual, and also signed up his business.

Unfortunately, The Labour Group's Cabinet member for climate change thought the Council already had an effective carbon-reduction programme, working with the Carbon Trust to reduce the Council's carbon footprint by 11% by 2011. He felt that yet another initiative would muddy the water and confuse residents about just what the Council is trying to achieve.

We actually think that 10:10 is already becoming a major initiative which people will recognise and want to get on board with. Darlington may become one of the few Councils across the country not to sign up to it. What message will that give our residents?

We will monitor the national situation over the next couple of months. If 10:10 gets as big as we think it might, the Lib Dems may bring their own motion to Council to vote on in November.

Here's what Mike said in Council:

"There is a new grassroots global political protest about global warming, known as 350.org. This number comes from the most recent research which shows that, above the level of 350 parts per million C02 in the atmosphere we can't have a planet similar to the one on which civilisation developed or to which life on earth is adapted.

"Unfortunately we're already past that point, at 390 parts per million C02, and this is rising by 2% annually. That's why the Arctic is melting and why the world's climate is changing in front of our eyes.

"That's why there is a new campaign in this country: the 10:10 commitment, where individuals, businesses and organisations make a commitment to reduce their carbon footprint by 10% during 2010. I have signed up to it, so has my business and so too has Cllr Wallis.

"Many Councils across the country have also signed up to 10:10, among them Hartlepool, Lewisham, Warwickshire, The Wirral, Southwark, Lambeth, Camden, Nottingham, Manchester, Oxford, Coventry and many, many others." At the Labour Party Conference this week, Ed Miliband issued a call for all Labour Councils to sign the 10:10 pledge.

"Can I ask Cllr Wallis whether he will carry out the necessary discussions with officers and colleagues with a view to bringing to a future meeting of this Council, or Cabinet, a motion which we can approve which commits this Council to sign up to the 10:10 pledge? Bearing in mind though, that this would not just mean supporting the principle of 10:10, it involves making a commitment to achieve that target."