The Green Party leader of Brighton and Hove City Council has responded to the National Audit Office report out today [Friday 16 July] which finds that central government has not provided local authorities with sufficient funds or clarity over their roles in achieving net zero. [1]
Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty successfully passed a motion at the Local Government Association General Assembly last week calling on the government to ensure that there is “adequate representation” for local authorities at COP26. [2]
Councillor Mac Cafferty said:
"From climate assemblies to retrofitting homes, it is local councillors and communities who are on the frontline of tackling climate change.
"However, as the NAO has highlighted today, the government simply does not recognise the leadership local authorities are showing on the climate emergency. Instead, the government continues to drag its feet by providing insufficient and fragmented funding, while never truly listening to what local communities need as we look to tackle the climate and ecological crises.
"It's clear that the UK will not get to net zero without strong local leadership driving change from the bottom up, and that is why just last week the Local Government Association recognised the need for local councils to have a seat at the table for COP26 in Glasgow later this year.
“We hope that the government finally hears what those in local government have been saying for too long now, and start to provide both the funds and the tools to make the change that is necessary."
ENDS
Notes
1
https://www.nao.org.uk/report/local-government-and-net-zero-in-england/
2