At its meeting on July 18th 2019 the full Council voted unanimously to declare a Climate Emergency across Wokingham Borough and to commit itself to being carbon neutral by 2030.

In order to achieve this crucial aim, and to live up to our environmental responsibilities we understand that it is essential we take steps to immediately reduce the amount of carbon we either directly or indirectly use each year.

It is clear that no responsible Council can take action on climate change without seeking to drastically reduce the amount of single use plastics consumed by both its residents and by the Council in it’s every day operations.

In face of the overwhelming evidence about the impact that single use plastics have on our lives, climate, seas, rivers and broader environments, Wokingham Borough Council commits to ensuring that – wherever possible – single use plastics are eliminated from use within the Council, and all Council controlled environments, as soon as possible.

This would be achieved by:

·         Phasing out the purchase of single-use plastic products through services commissioned by the Council where possible and as soon as practicable.

·         Bringing regular reports to future committee meetings, describing the Council’s plans to eliminate single-use plastic from the organisation, including a timetable for doing so.

·         Working with Wokingham’s businesses, community groups and residents to share advice, ideas and best practice on using sustainable alternatives

·         Working with schools to support the aspiration of Wokingham’s young people to eliminate plastic waste from our environment.

·         Seeking to work with neighbouring Councils to tackle single use plastic use across the wider Berkshire area.

·         Sign-posting on all Council buildings and properties to forbid the bringing of single use plastics onto the property.

·         Sign-posting on all Council buildings and properties once it has become single use plastic free.

The Council considered the following Notice of Motion submitted by Gregor Murray and seconded by Laura Blumenthal.

‘At its meeting on July 18th 2019 the full Council voted unanimously to declare a Climate Emergency across Wokingham Borough and to commit itself to being carbon neutral by 2030.

In order to achieve this crucial aim, and to live up to our environmental responsibilities we understand that it is essential we take steps to immediately reduce the amount of carbon we either directly or indirectly use each year.

It is clear that no responsible Council can take action on climate change without seeking to drastically reduce the amount of single use plastics consumed by both its residents and by the Council in its every day operations.

In face of the overwhelming evidence about the impact that single use plastics have on our lives, climate, seas, rivers and broader environments, Wokingham Borough Council commits to ensuring that – wherever possible – single use plastics are eliminated from use within the Council, and all Council controlled environments, as soon as possible.’

This would be achieved by:

·         phasing out the purchase of single-use plastic products through services commissioned by the Council where possible and as soon as practicable.

·         Bringing regular reports to future committee meetings, describing the Council’s plans to eliminate single-use plastic from the organisation, including a timetable for doing so.

·         Working with Wokingham’s businesses, community groups and residents to share advice, ideas and best practice on using sustainable alternatives

·         Working with schools to support the aspiration of Wokingham’s young people to eliminate plastic waste from our environment.

·         Seeking to work with neighbouring Councils to tackle single use plastic use across the wider Berkshire area.

·         Sign-posting on all Council buildings and properties to forbid the bringing of single use plastics onto the property.

·         Sign-posting on all Council buildings and properties once it has become single use plastic free.’

Gregor Murray emphasised the negative environmental impact of single use plastics.  Whilst there had to be some exceptions, such as for health and wellbeing reasons, there was in the main, no reason, for the Council to use single use plastics.

Laura Blumenthal commented that residents were doing their bit and that the Council also needed to play its part, in order to take more residents with them in its green ambitions.  She felt that the Motion built on a lot of work that was already being done within the Council.

Rachel Burgess reminded the meeting that Section 4.2.13.1 of the Constitution stated that ‘after a Motion has been proposed, seconded and the proposer has made his/her speech the Mayor will ask if any Member wishes to speak against the Motion.  If no one wishes to speak against the Motion then the Mayor will put the matter to the vote.’  The Mayor, having established that no one wished to speak against the motion, put the matter to the vote.

Upon being put to the vote, the Motion was declared by the Mayor to be carried. 

RESOLVED:  That at its meeting on July 18th 2019 the full Council voted unanimously to declare a Climate Emergency across Wokingham Borough and to commit itself to being carbon neutral by 2030.

In order to achieve this crucial aim, and to live up to our environmental responsibilities we understand that it is essential we take steps to immediately reduce the amount of carbon we either directly or indirectly use each year.

It is clear that no responsible Council can take action on climate change without seeking to drastically reduce the amount of single use plastics consumed by both its residents and by the Council in its every day operations.

In face of the overwhelming evidence about the impact that single use plastics have on our lives, climate, seas, rivers and broader environments, Wokingham Borough Council commits to ensuring that – wherever possible – single use plastics are eliminated from use within the Council, and all Council controlled environments, as soon as possible.

This would be achieved by:

·         phasing out the purchase of single-use plastic products through services commissioned by the Council where possible and as soon as practicable.

·         Bringing regular reports to future committee meetings, describing the Council’s plans to eliminate single-use plastic from the organisation, including a timetable for doing so.

·         Working with Wokingham’s businesses, community groups and residents to share advice, ideas and best practice on using sustainable alternatives

·         Working with schools to support the aspiration of Wokingham’s young people to eliminate plastic waste from our environment.

·         Seeking to work with neighbouring Councils to tackle single use plastic use across the wider Berkshire area.

·         Sign-posting on all Council buildings and properties to forbid the bringing of single use plastics onto the property.

·         Sign-posting on all Council buildings and properties once it has become single use plastic free.’