Climate change commission starts mission to tackle climate concerns

Cabinet at Stoke-on-Trent City Council have confirmed details of how a climate change commission will work to change the city’s environmental priorities.

A commission will gather evidence for four months and will be led by councillor Carl Edwards, cabinet member for the environment. Stoke-on-Trent City Full Council in July declared a climate emergency – the climate change commission have now established their priorities to improve the city’s environmental credentials.

In October Stoke-on-Trent City Council cabinet members approved proposals to move towards being a single use plastic-free authority by 2023. In a report that largely focused on what the council purchases through its procurement activity, and how it can move to items which are not single use plastic, clear plans have now been set in place to implement a pragmatic and phased approach.

The council will be focusing on what they purchase, requiring a higher standard of its providers, not only through the goods it buys, but also in terms of the environmental credentials of its suppliers. This will include food catering, medical and social care contracts as well as small ad hoc contracts such as vending machines and water fountains.

For four months starting on January 1, 2020 to April 30, 2020, the climate change commission group will gather evidence through targeted engagement on the issues that the city is concerned about, and how they can be resolved. The cross-party commission and senior council figures will hear evidence from a range of individuals and groups including young citizens, business representatives and University representatives.

Councillor Carl Edwards, cabinet member for environment said: “This approach will help us to tackle the climate issues Stoke-on-Trent is currently facing. As one example we are committed to reducing single-use plastic usage and to recycle where possible as it’s important we take steps to protect our planet. Crucial to what we deliver as a city is based on what priorities we set out now and working together with the public to ensure we are all proactively doing our best to help protect the environment. Whether that’s making sure to recycle correctly or taking the initiative to plant a tree, we can all do our bit.”