November 30, 2022 4.00 pm This story is over 26 months old

Hitting net zero eco target will be ‘expensive’ for Lincoln council

They may have to opt for greener services over cheaper alternatives

Going green will be more expensive than ever, Lincoln’s councillors have been told.

A senior City of Lincoln councillor admitted that hitting their carbon net zero target by 2030 would be a challenge due to the poor financial situation.

Councillor Bob Bushell (Labour), the Portfolio Holder for Remarkable Place, faced questions on whether the council was still on track to reach this.

He expressed confidence that the net zero goal was achievable – but it would be expensive.

Net zero is the goal of no longer adding to the amount of carbon emissions by 2050 in order to prevent the worst-case climate change scenario.

Many governments and local authorities are aiming to get there much sooner, but inflation could slow this down.

Councillor Tom Dyer (Conservative) asked whether the council would opt for cheaper services or more environmentally-friendly ones.

“Everyone in this room supports the ambition to become net zero,” he told the full council meeting on Tuesday.

“How do we balance the desire to do that with the current financial challenges?”

Councillors met at Lincoln Guildhall to discuss the city’s green future | Photo: LDRS/The Lincolnite

Councillor Bushell replied: “It will be a challenge, there is no doubt about it.

“We all want to become greener than we are, and we will do whatever it takes to achieve it by the date set.

“For example, members wished to move in a cleaner, greener direction with waste services, which will be more expensive.

“It will be difficult, but we will work with government to meet our goals.

“I’m pleased to see that the current administration have blocked fracking applications once again. Hopefully we will do away with the embargo on onshore wind farms as well.

“It will be expensive but I’m confident we can achieve it.”

Labour councillors also laid blame for the current financial problems at the feet of the Conservative government.

Councillor Neil Murray said that since his previous report last November: “Inflation has increased dramatically and the insecurities of Covid have been replaced by the insecurities of a Cost of Living crisis, and an economy crashed by incompetent government ministers.”

Councillor Hilton Spratt (Conservative) responded: “No government in history has ever contrived to damage their own economy, as you claim.”


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