Council rejects motion to change carbon reduction targets

Thursday, 24 July 2025 06:05

Wiltshire Council has voted to reject a motion that called for the council not to be “constrained by unachievable county-wide 2030 carbon reduction targets” at its Full Council meeting on Tuesday, 22 July.

In February 2019, the council passed a motion acknowledging a climate emergency and seeking to make the county carbon neutral by 2030. The council’s Cabinet subsequently committed to making the council carbon neutral by 2030. This new motion sought to replace the 2019 vote; however, it was rejected by 45 votes to 23, with 19 abstentions.

Cllr Paul Sample JP, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate and Waste, said: “I am delighted that this motion was rejected by council members today.

“Our programme of climate action has made demonstrable financial savings since its introduction, so it is disappointing that this motion was brought forward.

“We are fully committed to making the council carbon neutral by 2030 and to helping the county to become carbon neutral by 2030 – and we have made huge progress over recent years. We are on track to become carbon neutral as an organisation by 2030, and our 2025 Climate Delivery Plan is already delivering significant climate-related benefits, while also saving money for Wiltshire taxpayers.

“The annual Climate Update Report will be presented to Cabinet and Full Council in October and this will be an opportunity for council to review progress. Our Climate Delivery Plans are refreshed on an annual basis, and so we continue to look for ways to reduce carbon and increase our resilience to climate impacts, using data to ensure our decisions are evidence-based.

"We've always maintained that as a council we can't change things on our own – and that’s why at the recent Wiltshire Climate and Environment Summit it was reassuring to see so many businesses and community groups in attendance that are joining us on this urgent journey and doing such innovative work in this area.

“The climate emergency affects us all and that is why it is essential that we do all we can to continue to reduce carbon emissions throughout Wiltshire.”

The rejected motion, which was brought forward by Cllr Ed Rimmer and Cllr Chris Vaughan, said: “This council should not be constrained by a motion demanding unachievable county-wide 2030 carbon reduction targets as set out in the 'climate emergency motion' and so repudiates it.”

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