Lib Dem plan for Borough Council to reduce carbon footprint

11.30.00am GMT Wed 20th Feb 2008

Liberal Democrats have called on Chelmsford Borough Council to take real steps to reduce their carbon footprint. In a motion presented to Council on Wednesday 20th February, Cllr. Andrew Sosin called for all new Borough Council buildings to be carbon neutral in terms of how they are built & how energy would be produced and consumed within the buildings. The motion also called for any significant changes to current buildings to aim to substantially reduce the carbon footprint of that building.

Cllr. Sosin said 'Even though the Conservative-run Council have finally signed up to the Nottingham declaration on climate change, they have not publicly set any targets to reduce their carbon footprint, or stated any measures through which they will reduce it. By sending this motion to Cabinet, there are yet again avoiding any debate over their environmental credentials.'

Chelmsford Liberal Democrats believe the Council could reduce the energy bills on their Duke Street site by upto 20% through simple cost-cutting measures such as introducing double glazing and energy-saving lighting, and removing supplementary heating. The Conservatives' refusals to debate these proposals undermines their environmental credentials. It is all very well to claim to support tackling climate change, but where are their policies?