RICHARD BURT - LOCAL LIBERAL DEMOCRATS REVEAL PLANS FOR ZERO CARBON WORCESTERSHIRE IN CARBON NEUTRAL BRITAIN

6.18.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 18th Sep 2007

West Worcestershire's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, Richard Burt, today revealed his party's radical recommendations to help transform the county into a beacon for tackling climate change, by creating a zero carbon Worcestershire in a carbon neutral Britain by 2050.

The measures, which have been drawn up by the local party as a result of a comprehensive environment survey, were presented by Mr. Burt to Chris Huhne MP, Shadow Environment Secretary at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Brighton.

Proposals in the local party's report 'include:

• Ensuring that environmental priorities are at the heart of council spending plans by publishing a full 'Green Budget' assessment of every budget and writing environmental policies and targets into all council decisions where appropriate.

• Setting up Climate Change Scrutiny Committees to provide strategic policy advice to councillors on local climate change and co-ordinate the work of council departments where it affects climate change and chase progress on targets.

• Including carbon reduction targets in regional spatial strategies and local development plans.

• Maximising local community benefit by encouraging, where appropriate, renewables schemes in which the local community has a share in the ownership and profits or benefits from reduced energy prices, for example through part-ownership by a community trust.

Speaking from the conference, Richard Burt said:

"With these recommendations the local Liberal Democrats have become the first local party to map out the route to a zero carbon Worcestershire in a carbon neutral Britain.

"We know that climate change is the biggest threat of our age - bigger even than international terrorism.

"We all have a role to play in tackling this threat and local action is imperative.

The recommendations will be presented to Malvern Hills District Council, Wychavon District Council and Worcestershire County Council in the coming weeks.

"Under our proposals, councils in Worcestershire would set the green standard for others to reach" added Mr Burt.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Chris Huhne MP commented:

"This commitment to a zero-carbon Worcestershire in a carbon neutral Britain puts West Worcestershire Liberal Democrats in the driving seat for taking local action to tackle climate change.

"Liberal Democrats have set out plans that are the first attempt of any British political party to tackle carbon emissions from every part of the economy: transport, energy, housing, offices and factories. The time for talk has passed; we need action.

"I commend Richard Burt and West Worcestershire Liberal Democrats for producing such a comprehensive and realistic route map for change."