On 1st February 2024, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council’s ruling Executive Councillors voted again to refuse calls to declare or even acknowledge a climate emergency. This is the third time refusal has been made by the Conservative Leadership and Executive since 2019, when Green Party councillors first called on the council to declare a climate emergency. Every single council bordering Reigate and Banstead has declared a climate emergency. [Note 1]. The council also failed to endorse Surrey’s Climate Change Strategy. [Note 2].
Cllr Moses (Con), the Executive member for Environment and Sustainability, refused to acknowledge the situation was an emergency at the meeting, on the basis of “a continuation of our previously stated approach, this is to recognise the continuing need for urgent action”, adding “these [climate emergency] are big words that are not needed”. Cllr Booton (Green) implored the Executive members to re-asses their mindset from the 2019 decision not to declare a climate emergency, in light of the overwhelming additional evidence in the years since, however no such acknowledgement came.
The Council’s Leader, Cllr Biggs (Con), gave an explanation that because there was no financial incentive to declare a climate emergency, he questioned what benefit it gave, preferring instead to commit to “actions that make a difference”.
Cllr Essex (Green) highlighted the problem that the proposed “actions” are not being treated with the urgency they deserve. Cllr Essex gave a number of examples, including his motion in 2011 to install solar panels on Council assets and use the revenue to fund community projects, which was rejected as not required at that point. Now the Council’s current plan is to deliver this in 2027/28 – taking 17 years from when this was put forward. Cllr Essex stated that taking 17 years to install solar panels: “doesn’t sound like acting with any sense of urgency whatsoever”.
Drawing on the current plans for Gatwick expansion and the introduction of a second runway, Cllr Essex highlighted that: “the increase in emissions from the flights on that second runway alone are more than the whole of the emissions from our borough council area. I think it’s important that we put some markers down and say this is something that we consider now to be important”.
The Executive voted unanimously to not declare a climate emergency.
Notes
1. Every single council that borders Reigate and Banstead Borough Council has already declared a climate emergency: Tandridge District Council, Mole Valley District Council, Epsom and Ewell District Council, Crawley Borough Council, London Borough of Croydon, London Borough of Sutton. In addition Surrey County Council has declared a Climate Emergency and is the agreed local authority on climate action in Surrey. Reigate and Banstead Borough Council not only refused to do what every one of its council neighbours has already done, but refused to endorse the Surrey Climate Change Strategy and Local Transport Strategy.
2. As well as the UK Parliament, Surrey County Council, Horley Town Council and all six of Reigate and Banstead’s neighbouring borough councils have declared a climate emergency.
References:
2019 Motion – https://reigate-banstead.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=136&MId=1415
2019 Executive response to motion – https://reigate-banstead.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=137&MId=1405&Ver=4
2022 Climate Emergency Question to Leader and response – https://reigate-banstead.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=136&MId=2003
2023 Motion – https://reigate-banstead.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=136&MId=2131
2024 Executive response to motion – https://reigate-banstead.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=137&MId=2144&Ver=4
List of councils who have declared a climate emergency – https://climateemergency.uk/blog/map-of-local-council-declarations
ENDS
Available for interview:
Cllr Jonathan Essex, Green Group Leader and proposer of motion
Cllr Joseph Booton, Green Cllr, and seconder of motion
