Once again into the breach...

Tomorrow I face yet another SNP/libdem contradiction in terms, the Policy and Strategy committee which provides neither policy nor strategy.

There are two Climate Change items, (see here and here) which are of huge importance and I am glad to see them on the agenda. Both draw heavily on the work we began.

I am going to ask for the following changes.

That we note that the Council was one of the first to sign the Scottish Climate Change Declaration in January 2007, (not a peep on this in either document, thy just cannot admit we did anything worthwhile but yet steal all out ideas)

agrees that a top priority for the Sustainable Development Project Board and Team must be training for neighbourhood partnership members in incorporating sustainable development objectives into their community plans, (the plan says local decisions are crucial but I will be interested to see if they will invest in local people)

agrees that all council reports should have an paragraph included that articulates the "environmental impact" of the policy being reported using a template to be agreed by the Sustainable Development Project Board and Team, (this would demand all officers think about climate change in every aspect of their work.. will they take that risk?)

I am also going to call for more powers for local government to make our contribution. Imagine if we had powers to vary council tax of individuals or businesses that recycle, or produce carbon neutral homes, or to vary car parking for gas guzzlers ((up) and low emission cars, (down), or a myriad of other incentives so our carbon action is positive as well as negative.. imagine.. but will this lot be brave..? I shall let you know!