Town Council declares Climate Emergency

Ilkley Town Council declares a Climate Emergency

At a full council meeting on Monday 2 December, Ilkley Town Council passed a Climate Emergency Resolution.

This Council notes that many Ilkley residents are demanding action on climate change and recognises that individuals cannot be expected to make this reduction on their own.

Society needs leadership at international, national and local level. Local councils should not wait for their national governments to change their policies. It is important that cities and towns commit to carbon neutrality as quickly as possible.

Ilkley Mayor, Cllr Mark Stidworthy said ‘I hope we will now work with partners across the community to make a difference on carbon reduction and sustainability.’

Ilkley Town Council resolves to:

1. Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’.

2. Pledge to do everything within the Town Council’s power to make Ilkley carbon neutral by 2030, by reducing net carbon emissions year-on-year towards a target of zero carbon emissions from the town.

3. Call on the UK Government to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible, noting the Climate Change Act 2008, the recommendations of the Independent Committee on Climate Change, the 1 May 2019 declaration of a Climate Emergency by the House of Commons and the 12 June 2019 amendment of the Climate Change Act that commits the UK to achieving ‘net zero greenhouse gases’ by 2050.

4. Produce a climate action plan with the local community and partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors, including Climate Action Ilkley (CAI) and Ilkley Business Improvement District (BID); with reference to/guidance from the Leeds City Region Climate Coalition (of which Bradford Metropolitan District Council is a member).

5. Utilise (but not be limited to) the following local levers:

a) The formation of an Ilkley Town Council Committee with delegated responsibility for environment and sustainability, to determine criteria for 5b, to develop strategy and to review progress [the final

name and terms of reference for this committee to be agreed by Full Council]

b) Revised Ilkley Town Council policy criteria that will expect carbon reduction to be taken into account in all Town Council decision-making processes

c) Guiding documentation such as The Ilkley Neighbourhood Development Plan (INDP) and Ilkley Sustainability Plan (ISP) [subject to referendum/adoption by the Town Council], and “A summary

carbon roadmap for Ilkley Town Council”

d) An Ilkley Town Council-facilitated process of public consultation to identify priorities and actions in collaboration with stakeholders in the town

e) A physical ‘drop-in’ climate emergency ‘hub’ in conjunction with partners in the voluntary, public and private sectors, to provide information to residents and businesses on carbon reduction

strategies

6. Review progress by regular reports (6 monthly) of the above environment and sustainability committee to Full Council, with the addition of “Climate Emergency” as a standing monthly business item for the Full Council Agenda.

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