Councillors' Comments on the Strategy

"The Sustainability and Economic Strategy has lots of warm words, but in reality action on climate change in Mid Sussex is being kicked down the road yet again" 

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On the promised use of Green Home grants, "a target of 20% amounts to 290 dwellings over three years. Many of these residents are in private rental and are most likely to be in fuel poverty. This is a policy that could achieve both sustainability and making equality improvements to the lives of these residents. So my first question is, why is this target so unambitious?

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"Why is there no take up of Government transition to Sustainable Warmth and home Upgrade Schemes identified at this stage"?

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"How and when will this council engage with, and support, voluntary organisations such as [Fairer World Lindfield]?

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The Sustainability and Economic Strategy is, "an ambitious document...it's a direction of travel. It's taking us to a goal. We ain't going to achieve it in three years time. 

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"I think some of the ambitions in it are a bit ambitious. We should remember that a Shire District Council, thankfully has limited ability to command what happens in it's district."

I very much regret the fact that the vision does not include the words net zero and it does include the words economic growth…there was not a consensus on that. 

I feel this council is way behind some others on sustainability work. It’s one of the few councils which has never declared a climate emergency. 

But I do welcome many of the things in this strategy including the commitment to training both elected members and staff in carbon literacy. 

The biggest source of district wide carbon emissions is transport. There is nothing in this document about buses except a passing reference to rural bus networks. 

I’m dismayed at the unfounded rejection of workplace parking levies…which could be a source of revenue which could be spent on active travel and public transport.

There are many pious wishes in this strategy and a lot of lip service, but the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. 

On the addition of a plan to make a clear plan for nature recovery:  This was a positive thing to add in. We’ll be to not just be compliant with terms of [the Environment Act] but working together really be as ambitious as we can and be ‘best in class’.

I’d like to give my support and welcome this report. Many residents of my ward are very motivated and active with various environmental and sustainable initiatives, thus the approach that this strategy is taking, I expect to be widely welcomed. 

The emphasis on active travel I really welcomed as there’s much support locally for cycle routes to be enabled as, where possible, that would lead to easing of congestion.

Shared his concern that

‘Aiming for carbon neutral put those countries that do so (like Britain) at a competitive disadvantage to those that do not, especially in the medium term.

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However, I believe most measures needed to achieve net zero are also in themselves stimulating to the economy and will place this country and our district in a good competitive position as fossil fuels become ever-more expensive and vulnerable to global events.

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I welcome this plan’ integrated approach

It is good for our economy; it is good for our environment and it is good for our residents.

We’re facing a climate emergency, with only one reference to this phrase throughout the document and without mention in the glossary.  Precise targets on carbon reduction should run throughout and have a greater presence across everything we and our stakeholders do. 

The government’s own carbon reduction plan sets out a template for procurement and asks meaningful transparent questions about their supplier’s credibility. Please can we see similar carbon reduction measures of all stakeholders in our own procurement.

The report is comprehensive and evidence based. There’s a very clear commitment to develop in the strategy the carbon net zero action plan in the current year. I don’t agree that the vision and strategy relating to the economy shouldn’t include economic growth.  We’ve got to grow our economy.  You can secure economic growth and reduce carbon emissions at the same time. That is what’s happened in recent years in Mid Sussex as well as nationally.

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What’s going to help achieve net zero is new technology, green technology. It’s going to require the economy to produce those innovations and for the private sector to play a part as well. Procurement will need to be part of the net zero action plan.  It won’t be an overnight piece of work.  

We must become carbon net zero as a council and this strategy sets us on the path to that ambition and goal. Climate change is a big challenge for everyone and every council around the country has an important role to play.

We need a new approach driving economic growth and ensuring that we use investment to support our environmental goals.