Council chiefs insist they will push ahead with efforts to go carbon neutral and improve electric vehicle infrastructure despite a Lichfield councillor questioning the value of such steps.
The pledge from Cllr Angela Lax, cabinet member for ecology and climate change, follows comments made by her Conservative colleague Cllr Thomas Marshall.
The member for Armitage with Handsacre told a meeting of Lichfield District Council this week that they were “being led up the garden path” on efforts to tackle climate change.
His comments drew criticism from other members in his own party and elsewhere in the chamber.
And now senior figures in the Conservative group have reassured residents that the planning committee chair’s views are not those of the council.
Cllr Lax said the local authority had a “moral duty” to protect the planet.
“Let me make it absolutely clear that the leader of Lichfield District Council, Cllr Doug Pullen, and myself as the cabinet member for ecology and climate change, together with the cabinet and Conservative councillors fully support our ambition to be carbon neutral by 2050.
“We have a moral duty to protect our planet for future generations. You can see the climate action we are taking with initiatives across the district and with community groups on our climate change resources hub.
“Since the cxouncil declared a Climate Emergency we have worked tirelessly to drive forwards the actions needed to get LDC carbon neutral by 2050 while growing our local economy.
“Together with Staffordshire Wildlife, our nationally recognised ecology officers, have led the way in Lichfield District Council actioning a nature recovery declaration.”
Cllr Angela Lax, Lichfield District Council
Cllr Marshall, who lists a fuel oil supplier on his register of interests, told his council colleagues that they shouldn’t drive electric vehicles “because Greta Thunberg says we should” – and said he only did so because of “the tax breaks” he receives as a company car driver.
But Cllr Lax insisted Lichfield District Council remained committed to supporting the roll-out of infrastructure to support drivers such cars.
“We are pressing on with plans to install electric vehicle chargers across the district on council owned car parks and at Burntwood Leisure Centre, while working with the county council highways to get charging points installed at the kerbside. “
Cllr Angela Lax, Lichfield District Council
It would be great if the electric vehicle chargers that are installed in Council car parks etc. could be used with a credit card rather than requiring the download of an app. Having to download numerous apps to keep your car on the road is an additional deterrent to the adoption of electric vehicles. Some people don’t have the right kind of phone, space for another app or a decent signal. I’ve never needed to download an app to put petrol in my car. I don’t see why that needs to be the case for electric vehicles.
How many of the councillors have got electric cars and what make and range are they getting
Had Cllr Marshall confined his comments to the problems associated with electric cars, I would have some sympathy with him. There are genuine concerns, including the hazards of mining the materials, the production process, the hazard to blind/partially sighted people, the increased tyre wear, the disposal of the batteries, and the problem of producing enough electricity to charge millions of vehicles every day. You don’t get anything for nothing in this world, and there will be consequences. However, when he went on to rubbish net carbon zero, he stepped over the line. Snide references to Greta Thunberg don’t help (although she does seem conflicted these days between renewable energy and the rights of indigenous people). His credibility did suffer from only driving an electric car for the saving on tax.
Can Angela Lax explain. If there is a climate emergency. If Lichfield District Council is actioning a nature recovery declaration.
Why are they building a swimming pool and car park, on land that is currently a park?
LDC declared a climate emergency in 2019 did they? What did they actually do though? Did they insist on higher standards of insulation on new houses, and solar panels on new houses, air source heat pumps?
I expect the words in 2019 were just that with no actual action.
The different treatment of conservative councillors is disgraceful as a side issue.