Surrey Tories refuse to act on climate change

Liberal Democrat Councillor Peter Lambell has condemned the recent refusal by Surrey County Council's Conservative administration to sign up to the national 10:10 climate change campaign.

The high profile initiative seeks to achieve a 10% cut in carbon emissions in 2010 and is supported by all the main national party leaders.

At the meeting of Surrey County Council on Tuesday, Cllr Lambell proposed a motion urging the Council to sign up to the initiative, which has been adopted by 27 Councils since the campaign was launched in September.

The Conservative controlled Council refused to even discuss the motion, instead referring the issue down to a Council Select Committee.

Cllr Lambell commented : "Council Leader Dr Andrew Povey has claimed that Sustainability and Climate Change must be a key part of the Council's agenda, but when it comes to taking action he has done little to confront this huge challenge"

He added "This is a wasted opportunity for Surrey County Council to show leadership on this issue. Early commitment to the 10:10 campaign by has the potential to influence the Copenhagen talks in December to make urgent cuts in global emissions a reality. This has been acknowledged by politicians of all parties, but the Conservatives on Surrey County Council continue to bury their heads in the sand".

Rosie Sharpley said: "David Cameron's Conservatives only pay lip service to climate change because they lack the will to commit to carbon emission reductions."