Campaigners in Bracknell are renewing calls for the council to declare a climate emergency.

Although Bracknell Forest Council has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050 it stopped short of declaring an emergency, which Reading and Wokingham Borough Councils did in 2019.

Now, the Bracknell Climate Action Group (BCAG) has called for Bracknell Forest Council to join others in  declaring an emergency to highlight the seriousness of the issue.

Kathryn O’Neal, a member of the campaign, said: “Declaring a Climate Emergency means that Bracknell is committing to placing climate change at the centre of all their decisions.

“The vast majority of councils in the country have already done this and this is an opportunity for Bracknell residents to show their support for such commitment in their own community.”

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The group is also asking for the council to take on more community leadership throughout the borough, as recommended by the government in its Build Back Greener strategy. They also want to see a more “measurable, ambitious and target-driven” climate action plan developed.

To rally public support, BCAG is urging residents to sign a petition calling for a climate emergency to be declared.

Mrs O’Neal added: “The council has the ability to bring together all the different sections of our community who can jointly have a big impact on reducing carbon emissions in our borough.

“We need action now, so please sign up and ensure your voice is heard.”

You can sign the petition on Change.org here.

If the council were to declare a climate emergency, it would have to be done at a full council meeting.

Councillor Dorothy Hayes MBE, the executive member for the environment, declined to say that the council would declare an emergency, but did highlight its efforts to tackle the ‘climate crisis’.

Cllr Hayes (Conservative, Ascot), said:  “Bracknell Forest Council remains committed to its efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

“We recognise the significant supporting role we can play to encourage local businesses, residents, and community groups to do their bit.

“Along with our neighbouring Berkshire local authorities, we have already engaged with both the Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership and the town’s own Business Improvement District to encourage greater collaboration when addressing climate change issues.

“In addition, we have moved to make it a mandatory requirement for all council decisions to consider the impact of the proposed action(s) on the environment and have climate change firmly embedded within our strategic plans.

“Furthermore, our revised Local Plan, which we expect to publish later this year, will demonstrate the ways in which we will tighten planning requirements aligned to minimising climate change impacts.

“We are also working in partnership with local private housing associations to help them access funding to retrofit* their housing stock and are looking forward to holding our first schools’ climate change conference in May.”

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Cllr Hayes highlighted other efforts the council is making, which include changes to waste collection that will see recycling rates increase from 43 per cent to around 55 per cent, and a home retrofitting project that has resulted in homes in Bracknell Forest receiving an average   EPC rating of ‘C’ for the borough.

Additionally, the council is working to install electric vehicle charging points in neighbourhood and community car parks.