North Northamptonshire Council Scraps Climate Emergency Declaration

North Northamptonshire Council has scrapped its climate and environment emergency declaration.

The original declaration was made in 2021, with a series of recommendations adopted to reduce emissions and raise awareness of the causes and impacts of climate change.

The decision to rescind the move came after the Reform UK led authority backed a motion put forward by two of its councillors at a full council meeting on Thursday.

The council’s net zero target has already been moved from 2030 to 2050, in line with the current national target.

A protest was held outside the Corby Cube prior to the meeting and public speakers spoke against the proposal.

A protest was held prior to the meeting.  Pic: Kettering Green Party

However, the motion, proposed by Reform UK councillors Leon Gibbs and Lee Duffy, was approved by 37 votes to 16, with four councillors abstaining.

Green Party leader Cllr Emily Fedorowycz argued the decision overlooked the concerns of local residents. She said an official Government survey this year found 78 per cent of people were worried about climate change.

Among those speaking against the motion was 11-year-old schoolgirl Stevie Clements, who told councillors that delaying action could create bigger and more expensive problems in the future.

Retired science teacher Russell Attwood also addressed the meeting, saying the declaration could be scrapped but the underlying science could not.

Reform councillor Leon Gibbs defended the decision, saying the authority had delivered £4.38 million of decarbonisation projects, including work at Corby Swimming Pool, Corby Cube and Desborough Leisure Centre.

He said councils should revisit language that no longer describes the work they are doing, adding that an emergency should be something urgent, immediate and exceptional.

North Northamptonshire Council will now use Environmental Consideration Assessments instead of the previous Climate Change Impact Assessment process.

The council says the new approach will continue to focus on environmental impacts without imposing unnecessary administrative requirements.

Kettering MP Rosie Wrighting said she was “very disappointed” by the decision and argued that national and local government should continue promoting climate policies.

The council’s decision does not remove the national 2050 net zero target.