Back in May, Shropshire Council declared a climate emergency. Officers have been working to draft council policies to make tackling the emergency a priority. Now, climate is set to be one of the main topics on the full council meeting on Thursday 19 December, with a petition and a council paper. A Lib Dem and Green proposal to double the tree cover in Shropshire is also on the agenda. There will be a discussion about the long awaited replacement of streetlights with LED lights. 20mph limits outside schools and on resident streets will also be discussed.
Among other items, the Lib Dems have tabled a motion on better organised and quieter fireworks to protect animals and children.
The meeting will finish with a discussion of the council’s Shrewsbury shopping centres and purchase of a property in Oswestry. This debate will be held behind closed doors.
Climate change
Petition. A petition submitted by Shrewsbury Friends of the Earth will be the first item on the agenda. Twenty minutes will be allocated for presentation and discussion. Agenda 5.
Climate Strategy. Next up is the council’s Shropshire Climate Strategy Framework. As I explain in this article, its mostly about the council moving to zero carbon not about Shropshire as a whole. Agenda 6.
Streetlights. Replacement of all the SOX streetlights in Shropshire with LED lights is up for debate. This has long been a Lib Dem demand but council leaders were always worried about the cost. Now it will happen by 2023. Agenda 8.
Trees. A motion put together by Lib Dems and Julian Dean, Green councillor, calls for a doubling of tree cover in Shropshire. Agenda 16.
20mph speed limits
Outside schools. A motion from Dan Morris, Conservative member for Burnell, calls for 20 mph limits outside Shropshire schools. Agenda 16.
Residential streets. A motion from the Lib Dem group calls for a 20mph speed limit on side streets. Agenda 16.
Fireworks
Shush! Another motion, signed by five Lib Dems, calls for the council to work to reduce the impact of fireworks on animals and children. Agenda 16.