Plastic Free Community motion supported by all councillors

Councillors agreed a motion to support community work towards making Hastings a Plastic Free Community at Full Council on Wednesday 22 January. 

The motion was introduced by Cllr Jo Walker, lead councillor for environment and neighbourhood wellbeing, in support of Plastic Free Hastings with Surfers Against Sewage. 

Cllr Walker said: “I’m really pleased this motion was supported by all councillors, supporting Plastic Free Communities is the first step towards achieving Plastic Free Community Status for Hastings. It will not cost the council any money or extra work but means that Plastic Free Hastings can continue and expand their excellent work they have already begun, to reduce the single-use plastic within our town. There are plenty of alternatives to single-use plastic that can be easily used and reducing the amount of plastic that is being thrown away is a simple step we can all take to help our planet.” 

Two amendments to the motion were accepted by Cllr Walker and the amended motion was agreed unanimously. 

The full motion text is as follows: 

Plastic Free Communities 

‘Plastic Free Communities’ is an initiative by the marine conservation and campaigning charity ‘Surfers Against Sewage,’ which aims to help prevent single-use plastic from ending up in our seas, rivers and green spaces. 

The worldwide production of plastics reached a staggering 400.3 million metric tons in 2022. This marks an increase of about 1.6% from the previous year. Much of this newly produced plastic is for single-use items, such as drink bottles and food packaging. In many cases, there are practicable sustainable alternatives available that can be either refillable, or re-useable. 

‘Plastic Free Communities’ is being implemented across the UK. Our neighbours in Eastbourne have already been awarded their Plastic Free Community Status. It is about working together - through positive and collective action - to reduce dependence on single-use plastic, all the way back to the brands and businesses who create it. Achieving the ‘Plastic Free Community’ status does not mean there is no plastic at all, it means that our community is starting work to reduce plastic pollution, pulling together different aspects of the community and collaborating with everyone to bring about the cultural change we need to reduce plastic pollution. 

The five objectives that need to be met for our community to achieve ‘Plastic Free Community’ status: 

Engage the Local Council – Council to pass a resolution supporting the journey to ‘Plastic Free Community’ status. 

Business Champions – Campaigners to work with businesses in our community to help them reduce single-use plastics and become champions. 

Community Allies - Inspire the wider community to spread the plastic-free message. 

Community Actions and Events - Mobilise the community in events to raise awareness. 

Steering Group – Campaigners to form a group of local stakeholders, with a representative of the council, and meet at least twice a year to take the community campaign forward and monitor progress. 

Once the five objectives are in place, our community will receive its Plastic Free Communities Award.  

Building on previous good work 

In 2018 this Council passed a motion to understand the significance of pollution and environmental degradation caused by the disposal of plastic, with the target of phasing out single-use plastics within all our premises by the end of 2019, and to lead by example; which has been achieved.  

Therefore, this Council resolves to strengthen the original single-use plastic motion and build on the good work which has been done to date in reducing the amount of plastic pollution in our environment. This motion supports the Council’s aspiration to gain ‘Plastic Free Community’ status for Hastings, to show our commitment to make a positive impact, and to be part of a larger movement to protect our planet. 

The Council pledges to: 

1. Continue to lead by example and ensure single-use plastic items are not used in our premises and operations, wherever it has the power to do so. 

2. Encourage and support all plastic-free initiatives in Hastings, promoting the Plastic Free Communities campaign and support events that aim to raise awareness of single-use plastics and reduce the use of them. 

3. Support a representative of the council to sit on the Plastic Free Community Steering Group. 

Independent Councillor Amendment -  

4. For this Council to write to the Prime Minister copied to Ed Milliband and Helena Dollimore expressing our anger at the uncontrolled production of non-recyclable plastics on an industrial scale and asks that the Climate Secretary take action to ensure reductions alongside the community actions taken by towns like Hastings. 

Labour Amendment - 

We share the new Government's ambition towards a zero waste economy where resources are kept in use for longer than reuse and recycling.  

And we believe the actions being taken by the Government will help to create new jobs and investment while protecting the environment and moving us towards net-zero ambition.