UK COUNCILS URGED TO SUPPORT GOVERNMENT'S EMISSION TARGETS

Local councils are being pressured by the LGA (Local Government Association), in an unprecedented move, to get them to sign up to support the unilateral cuts in CO2 emissions contained in the Climate Change Act. This statement is part of a little known document called the Nottingham Declaration. The LGA is determined to get all local councils to sign up by the end of the year and so are chasing the 10% who have not yet signed. My own council - New Forest - is the latest to sign, despite the doubts of some members. Given the massive propaganda campaign by the government, backed by most of the media it is not surprising that the majority of councillors would support this, but there is no doubt that opposition would be much higher if councillors were not pressured into voting for something that many do not really support. In the end I was the only councillor who voted against it, something I was prepared to do no matter what the consequences. It will be interesting to see if there is any press reaction to my objection. Of course I appreciate that this is of little interest to the majority of the general public who are concentrating on who is going to win the next TV talent contest. They will only become interested in this debate when the lights go out due to power cuts and their jobs disappear to China and India.