Rother councillors declare climate emergency

The pledge was made at a full council meeting on Monday (September 16), as councillors unanimously passed a motion put forward by the Rother Alliance – the council’s cross-party leadership group.

Introducing the motion, cabinet member for environment and transport Kathryn Field (Lib Dem) said: “We as councillors and the council are in a very good position for influencing the rest of the community. We are role models and we can take people with us.

“The government has a target of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, we believe that actually we should aspire to being carbon neutral by 2030. We have been told we have 11 years before the damage to the climate of this planet is irreversible.

“I think 2030 is a very reasonable target and it should be at the forefront of our minds to work hard for that goal.

“We can’t do this on our own. We must involve the community, we must take them with us and not do it to them. 

“I’m hoping that in the new year we can have a conference in Bexhill to talk to people, get their ideas and in particular speak with young people. It is after all their futures.”