Councillors 'blocking' Liberal Democrats on climate actions

A vote on a proposed amendment to the City of York Council’s (CYC) Safeguarding York’s Future motion last month has led Liberal Democrat councillors to call for cross-party action on climate change.

Liberal Democrat councillors said the motion did not secure commitments on issues such as tree planting and flood defences in the city.

A show of hands at a full council meeting on July 20 decided by more than two to one that the amendment put forward by Lib Dem councillor Pauline Widdowson was lost.

Liberal Democrat councillors said executive member for environment and climate emergency Cllr Kate Ravilious proposed a motion which attacked the previous Liberal Democrat / Green administration’s Climate Strategy.

The Lib Dems say this had been adopted last year with cross-party backing.

Cllr Kate Ravilious said she hoped Liberal Democrat councillors would take a new tack and work with the council (Image: City of York Council)

Cllr Widdowson said: “It’s hugely disappointing that at a time when the impacts of man-made climate change are clear for all to see, the new Labour administration seems to be more focused on trying to rubbish the achievements of the previous administration, rather than working in partnership on this very important issue."

Cllr Ravilious said the current administration was unable to accept the Liberal Democrats amendment because it tried to brush some of the challenges that the previous administration had failed to address under the carpet.

She said: “It’s disappointing that the Liberal Democrats' first action around our Safeguarding York’s Future motion is to attack us publicly, rather than come and talk to us, discuss any differences and find common ground."

The Liberal Democrats said the motion did set out some commitments for action but said omissions from it included the commitment to continue the plan to plant a tree for each York resident.

Cllr Widdowson highlighted the award-winning community woodland in the Rural West York ward, which she said currently has 92,000 trees planted from a target of 210,000.

Another 4,000 trees were planned for urban areas.

The amendment had also set down assurances to deliver planned flood defences to protect communities like in Fulford, and to produce a Code of Practice to inform landowners, residents and farmers about what can and cannot be done with the council managed verges across the city.

Cllr Widdowson said: “The aim of our amendment was to was further strengthen the motion in the key areas of tree planting, biodiversity and flooding.

“We are all too aware of the actions all of us need to take – not just the council - to cut carbon emissions and reduce energy running costs."

Cllr Ravilious said: “The Labour administration has stated its commitment to work constructively across all parties, where there is a genuine commitment to partnership work.

“As I stated at the full council meeting, we are committed to continuing the ambitious tree planting programme, completing the flood defence schemes and we are already drawing up a code of conduct around management of grass verges across the city."

York is one of 122 global cities that have been named as leaders in environmental action and transparency in 2022 by not-for-profit charity CDP, formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project. 

The city was a new entrant in 2022.

In December 2022, the Climate Strategy was approved by the council after three years of deliberation.

Overall control of the CYC was determined after a local election on May 4 this year which saw Labour gain the 24 seats necessary.