Opposition Leader Challenges Reform UK Climate Motion in Havering Council-‘It Would Be A Retrograde Step’.
Councillor Gillian Ford has challenged a Reform UK motion on Havering Council’s approach to the climate emergency, arguing that abandoning the borough’s strategy would be a “retrograde step” and that measures designed to address climate change can also directly improve the lives of residents.
Speaking in the council chamber, Cllr Ford highlighted issues including extreme heat, fuel poverty, insulation, energy bills, tree planting, electric vehicle charging, public transport and safer cycling routes.
She also criticised Reform UK’s wider position on climate policies and called on councillors to support an amendment rather than the original motion.
Cllr Ford told the chamber in full:
“We will all have seen this month’s suggestion that more than 2700 people may have died in May and June due to the exceptional heatwaves; that doesn’t include July’s statistics which would almost certainly add to the losses. The majority of us within this chamber will have the ability to find refuge from the heat, but that isn’t the case for a significant number of our residents, living in poverty and on the breadline.
“Reform UK Ltd has received £24 million from oil and gas interests, accounting for more than two thirds of its total income, it is therefore hardly surprising that Reform UK Ltd are blocking or rescinding Climate Emergency Policies across the UK.
“So what is a ‘Climate Emergency declaration’, it is a generic title recognised across the globe with no costs attached. It is the delivery plan and framework where costs lie. But what are the costs? Who in this chamber would oppose the planting of more trees, the reduction in fuel poverty, cool spaces for our vulnerable residents, better insulation in council owned properties and cheaper energy bills for public buildings and for residents? As Diesel and petrol begin to be phased out we need to adapt and deliver EV charging points, we need a public transport network that has clean energy and not the hand-me-down London buses we have had over the last few years. We need safer cycle routes as we see more children wanting to ride a bike to school.
“Children cycling and walking isn’t just about net zero it is about their health and wellbeing, as The Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing heard for himself at the Healthy Weight Summit last week.
“The Cabinet Member of Economic Development has previously made it clear that actions have to be to mitigate against climate change in his other role as a developer. His proposed development on the old Ice Rink site was going to be ‘50 per cent betterment in terms of carbon’ ‘It’s not going to be an ordinary development we are looking for this to be a zero-carbon development’.
“In an Interview on Chain Reaction on Thursday 27th May 2021 the Cabinet Member stated there were ‘Emergencies in climate change’.
“And On the 4th August 2022 the Cabinet Member went even further by saying ‘Last month, the Met Office reported Britain’s hottest recorded temperature – a roasting 40.3°C. An extraordinary and terrifying milestone. Most climate scientists agree climate change is the reason we are seeing such brutal temperatures.’
“The Cabinet Member is absolutely right. These are the challenges we all face and one we have powers to address for the benefit of Havering residents and the generations to come.
“The impact of climate change hits the most vulnerable the hardest, with the lack of funds to seek mitigation measures. To abandon the Strategy is a retrograde step. Reviewing it however, provides the opportunity to revise and redirect the focus.
“Let’s be honest, the Council will always consider value for money, its relationships with residents, strategic partners, businesses, and the voluntary sector. It has also been very clear not to place unnecessary costs, restrictions on residents, motorists, businesses or essential Council services. We need collective co-operation the identification of areas of risk, the pooling of budgets, the sourcing of external funding and a strong delivery framework.
“It is for these very reasons we cannot support the Reform UK motion which is merely posturing and cowering to Reform UK Ltd.’s demands. The residents of Havering deserve better and turn to us for strong leadership, and to lead by example.
“We recognise that the Leader of the Council abstained from the climate Emergency vote in March 2023, however two Reform UK Councillors (former Conservative Councillors) supported the motion. We therefore expect the two former Conservative Councillors and the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, who has spoken so adeptly on climate emergency, to support our amendment and invite all of you within the chamber to do the same.”
The speech formed part of the debate over the future of Havering’s approach to climate policy, with Cllr Ford arguing that the existing strategy should be reviewed and refocused rather than abandoned.
Her intervention also sought to frame climate measures in terms of their everyday impact on residents, including lower energy bills, warmer and better-insulated homes, protection from extreme temperatures and healthier ways for children to travel.
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