Why? Because we're now 3rd party in Dover District
Because our councillors initiated 3 Climate Emergency Declarations @ town/parish level in 2019
Kent’s culture is deferential. Some say, who are you to challenge the establishment? Our party refounded in February 2015, then gained 10 seats in May 2019 parish and town elections. And we missed winning Eastry Rural district seat by 5 votes. Media support counts, and the Conservatives won 19 DC seats and a majority on DDC, Labour in opposition have 12 DDC seats, and they won a majority of the town seats on Dover Town and Deal Town Councils, while LibDems won one seat (on Sandwich Town Council). But our new councillors, not part of any majority group, did their homework and wrote 3 great motions for declaring CLIMATE EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS so that three town /parish councils become carbon neutral by 2025.
- Deal Town Council on 25th June,
- Walmer Parish Council on 3rd July,
- Dover Town Council on 17th July.
With public demonstrations + support in council chambers (THANK YOU!!), the motions we initiated were voted through, (amended in Dover), and our cllrs are involved in the committees implementing the work.
At District Council level, our coordinator Sarah asked DDC for a Climate Emergency Declaration on 6th March 2019 as a member of the public. We organised public support for Labour’s DDC Climate emergency motion on 24 July (referred to officers). So on 4th Nov when the Conservative Cabinet agreed to declare a Climate Emergency and to make DDC net carbon zero by 2030, we were delighted and felt our nudging had paid off!! We were offered a coopted seat on DDC’s new Climate Change Working Group and, after checking that the Conservative cabinet at DDC were setting up a cross-party group with seats for Labour too, we accepted, and committed to constructive cooperation. Of course, we reserve the right as a party to comment on the DDC process as it develops. Because we want the strongest possible action.