Tackling climate change is still vital and incumbent on us all urges council as it sets example

Hastings Borough Council is calling on everyone to do what they can to help tackle climate change, as it puts its climate change strategy at the heart of decision making and delivery.

In March, at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the council agreed its climate change strategy and action plan. The council has since set up an internal board of key officers, chaired by the leader, to oversee the implementation of the climate change strategy. The council will provide updates on progress via the its resident's newsletter and website.

As well as ensuring that the council does what it can, it will work closely with partners on what we can done with them to tackle climate change more broadly in the town.

To encourage and support others to do what they can, the council has created a new area on its website dedicated to tackling climate change with information and resources to give businesses and residents ideas for what they can do.

Cllr Kim Forward, leader of the council, said,

"We were one of the first councils in the country to declare a climate emergency. Although Covid-19 has been our focus over the past few months, this has not stopped us also continuing working towards tackling climate change.

"Alongside producing a climate strategy and action plan, setting out how we will tackle climate change, we have now brought together key officers to form a board which I will chair, which will ensure our climate change strategy informs all that we do and how we do it. 

"We understand that climate change is not just something we need to address separately anymore, but something we must address in everything we do going forward. We also know to make a real difference we must work with partners and our communities.

"The plans being developed by the council and its partners over the next few months, such as the town deal, the local plan and the town's recovery plans, will be an excellent opportunity to rethink what we do and embed tackling climate change at the heart of our major programmes and strategies. I am pleased the town's local strategic partnership will be leading and joining up this work.

Cllr Maya Evans, lead for natural environment and leisure said,

"Within my new cabinet role climate change is still a key focus; bearing responsibility for overseeing the climate action plan, and ensuring sustainability is embedded at the heart of our local plan review.

"The council cannot tackle climate change alone. We need to work together to change our habits to make sure we have the best chance of reducing the impacts of climate change.

"We have created a brand-new section on our website, which shows exactly what we at the council are doing and includes details of our strategy and our action plan. We have also provided information and advice on things we can all do individually to make a difference.

"It's important that we all start making small changes that have a positive impact on our environment."