Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s next meeting, on Thursday 16th July (agenda at https://democracy.basingstoke.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=143&MId=1714 ) , has a motion before it, “Climate Emergency SPD” (agenda item 17), which BTN would like to see passed. This motion asks the Council to consider fast-tracking a “Supplementary Planning Document” (SPD) to outline the measures that the Council expects for new developments to achieve net zero carbon, with a response in six months.
BTN asked for a climate emergency SPD at February’s Council meeting, but was brushed off with the response that it would take 18 months and by that time the Local Plan Update would be well on the way (due in 2023 at the earliest). Since then the climate emergency has only increased, with predictions of 1.5 deg C warming before the 2030 net-zero target set by the Council’s climate emergency strategy. Also we have seen, at local and national level, what government can do when it really appreciates that there is an emergency!
We don’t want to be brushed off again, so we need everyone to:
(1) Email or otherwise tell their Councillor you want this motion passed (go to https://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/participation to find your local councillor’s contact details);
(2) Watch the Council meeting online – the virtual equivalent of packing the gallery https://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/webcast;
(3) Submit a query to the meeting (by Tuesday 14th) https://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/content/page/61541/Public%20participation%20at%20Council%20meetings%20-%20October%202018.pdf and email your question to democratic.services@basingstoke.gov.uk addressing your query to Cllr. Mark Ruffell, e.g. What is the Council doing about the most recent global warming forecasts that it’s going to be worse than we thought https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/06/met-office-global-warming-could-exceed-1-point-5-c-in-five-years? Why hasn’t the Cabinet pushed through an emergency SPD months ago? How is the Council going to overcome the lack of commitment to carbon-neutral in the existing Local Plan? How is it going to ensure that the carbon footprint of Manydown https://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/rte.aspx?id=298&task=View&itemid=9746 and all the other new housing developments doesn’t negate the carbon reduction achieved so far? (if you ask about Manydown add Cllr. John Izett’s name to Cllr. Ruffell’s as the target).