Torridge U-turns over climate report

It now "fully endorses" findings

Torridge councillors have U-turned over a previous agreement “to note” a plan which addresses climate change, deciding to “fully endorse” it instead.

Just a few weeks ago, the community and resources committee “noted” the Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly adaptation strategy, but this has now been overturned as it was considered “hypocriticial” given the authority had declared a climate emergency.

The item was fully endorsed when it came back to the community and resources committee this week.

Cllr Lyndon Piper (Lib Dem, Holsworthy) said that just to note the report gave a “very bad” signal and was “slightly embarrassing”.

He said some of the original discussion where one councillor said that children were being “frightened” by all the information on climate change was “alarming”.

The report commissioned by the region’s Climate Impacts Group and led by a company called RSK Group identifies regional climate impacts, risks and opportunities, how the region can create the conditions for people to adapt over the next five years, and a three-year action plan.

But Cllr Rosemary Lock (Con, Two Rivers and Three Moors) said there were inaccuracies about agriculture in the report  and council leader Ken James (Ind, Milton and Tamarside) said: “There is nothing to do with Torridge in it. It’s all right debating about the sun and the rain but flooding and coastal erosion are what affect us here. The big issue we have is rising sea levels at Westward Ho! and that is not in the report at all.”

He said there is some concern about a disclaimer in the report which suggested its authors would not necessarily stand by everything that was written, and that is “unacceptable”

“Having said all that, I think we should just move on,” he added.

Cllr Peter Hames (Green, Appledore) said he believed the report is incredibly comprehensive, with advice to councils which could adapt it to their own situations.

“We should endorse it and use it as an invaluable document going forward in the face of horrendous climate conditions which one can see around the world at the moment.”

He referred to temperatures of 50 degrees in Delhi and South East Asia and the heatwave in Britain two years ago with death rates related to high temperatures.

“We need to get on with ways in which we can adapt, please, please endorse this report,” he pleaded with members.

Cllr Teresa Tinsley (Lib Dem, Bideford) said: “I understand we are in the front line of climate change here with flooding, sea levels and farming and have an elderly and less healthy population which is susceptible to extremes of heat.

“It’s very sensible we have a strategy and incumbent upon us as leaders in community to understand and manage the risks associated with that. I welcome the report as a framework.”