Councillor Gerrish in presenting his motion made reference to some alterations made to the version published in the agenda which reflected some amendments from Councillor Spillman’s Amendment.
The Motion now read as follows:
“Thurrock Council therefore resolves to:
1.1 Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ that requires urgent action;
1.2 Request that the Council’s activities become net-zero carbon by 2030;
1.3 Request that the Council embed this work in all areas and take responsibility for reducing, as rapidly as possible, the carbon emissions resulting from the Council’s activities;
1.4 Request that the relevant Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Climate Change convenes a Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change and a Climate Change partnership group, involving Councillors, residents, young citizens, climate science and solutions experts, businesses and other relevant parties. Over the following 6 months, the Group should consider strategies and actions being developed by the Council and other partner organisations and develop a strategy in line with a target of net zero emissions by 2030. It should also recommend ways to maximise local benefits of these actions in other sectors such as employment, health, agriculture, transport and the economy. The membership of this group should be agreed in consultation with Group Leaders;
1.5 Request that all reports in preparation for the 2020/21 budget cycle and investment strategy will take into account the actions the Council will take to address this emergency;
1.6 Request that the Leader write to the UK Government asking them to provide the powers, resources and help with funding to make this possible, and ask local MPs to do likewise.”
Councillor Gerrish was proud to present the Motion and recognised the need in Thurrock to address climate change due to the increase of air pollution, potential flooding, the proposed Lower Thames Crossing, proposed 13,000 new homes to be built in the borough and that this was the perfect time to make this statement. That Thurrock Council should take the lead on this and hoped that it would be tackled across party.
Councillor Gerrish was happy to take some of the amendments from Councillor Spillman Amendment Motion and agreed to accept 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3; altered the wording on 1.4 to say 6 months and added “membership of this group should be agreed in consultation with group leaders”; agreed to accept 1.5 and 1.6 but did not accept 1.7.
