West Lindsey council sets 2050 net-zero carbon target

West Lindsey District Council has set a target to become a net-zero carbon authority by 2050.

Councillors unanimously passed a motion at a full council meeting last night to create a strategy on sustainability and climate change to reach the target.

Under the plans, the authority will bring itself in line with the government’s net-zero plan.

Council leader, Giles McNeill, said the motion was “deliverable” and that the proposed strategy was “within our grasp to develop”.

The motion tasked the authority’s prosperous communities committee to develop a new strategy on climate change and environment.

West Lindsey District Council leader, Councillor Giles McNeill. Photo: Daniel Jaines

An outline strategy will be presented to the next annual council meeting.

It will consider achieving 100% clean energy across the council’s functions by 2040 and ensure budgets and planning decisions are in line with a shift to the zero-carbon target.

The strategy will also look to consider:

• How to support and work with all other relevant agencies towards making the entire area zero carbon within the same timescale
• Suggestions for budget actions and a measured baseline
• How the prosperous communities committee can consider the impact of climate change and the environment when reviewing council policies and strategies
• Any available research (that is expected to be forthcoming) from APSE relevant to this work
• Report on the level of investment in the fossil fuel industry that the council’s pensions plan has
• Ensure that all reports in preparation for the 2021/22 budget cycle and investment strategy will take into account the actions the council will take to address this agenda
• Call on the UK government to provide the powers, resources and help with funding to make this possible, and ask local MPs to do likewise

Councillor Lesley Rollings, Liberal Democrat member for Scotter and Blyton, welcomed the plan but warned that it needed to be delivered.

“I think it is really important that this does not become a strategy that sits on the shelf and has loads of vague things that do not happen,” she said.

Meanwhile, Conservative councillor, Owen Bierley, reminded councillors that they are “custodians” at the authority.

“The sooner that we get started on this piece of work and the faster that we move it on the better,” he said.

“I am really excited that we are starting to develop this strategy.”

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