Thatcham Town Councillors to take climate change training in carbon literacy course

Thatcham Town councillors are to take a climate change course following a vote in favour of carbon literacy training.

A Finance and General Purposes Working Party unanimously decided to give the course, provided by Climate Guide, the go ahead, in a virtual meeting on January 24.

A financial allocation, from the Climate Emergency Earmarked Reserve, of £1,300 will go towards the course called ‘Carbon Literacy Training for Elected Members and Senior Officers’.

Following a recommendation from the council's Environmental Working Party meeting on November 17, the course was proposed by its chair, Richard Foster (Lib Dem, Thatcham Colthrop & Crookham).

He encouraged that councillors undergo the course, on a topic that was highlighted in the 2021 United Nations' Climate Change Conference (COP26).

“Members will be aware that last year they will have followed COP26 and realised it only just about achieved the threshold of keeping the climate change debate alive, with a chance of meeting the target the scientists say we must meet of allowing temperatures to rise above 1.5 degrees centigrade,” he said.

“But what it did show is that there’s still an enormous amount of importance to be attached to individuals at a local level.

“I am in favour of bringing this back in front of all councillors, reminding them of obligations we have.”

Mr Foster said that the course would win back awareness from those who are “fairly disinterested”.

He added: “I am aware we are in the light of budget problems but unfortunately the planet doesn’t stand still in front of that, we need to keep doing.”

Mr Foster's proposal was seconded by Liberal Democrat colleague Owen Jeffery (Thatcham Central) who said the course was a “worthwhile spend”.

He added: “Twenty years ago I didn’t comprehend what significance the issues were and I was in the group of those that thought there was an awful lot of noise being made about very little.

“I finally twigged and understood and came aboard, knowing we had to do something about climate change.

“Society changes because individuals become aware of something and make a decision to become aware of something and become acknowledgeable and that’s the point at which change is made across the globe.”

Deputy town mayor, Jeff Brooks (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) stressed that councillors were “all more than keen” to support training on climate change.

He said: “All information, training and education on this subject is valid, therefore I support it.

"I have personally found every councillor on this council has high understanding on this matter with a lot of desire to mitigate whatever council is doing in terms of its carbon output.

“I don’t see any lack of appetite from our councillors from getting involved in tackling this.”