Councillors call for more electric car charging points in bid to meet climate emergency declaration for Northamptonshire

Opposition councillors have called on Northamptonshire County Council to install more electric car charging points if it wants to meet its carbon footprint targets.
Some councillors want to see more electric charging points in NorthamptonshireSome councillors want to see more electric charging points in Northamptonshire
Some councillors want to see more electric charging points in Northamptonshire

The comments came during a debate on air pollution at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting (July 9) at One Angel Square, where it was revealed that poor air quality had contributed to more than 200 deaths in Northamptonshire in 2017.

The figures sparked concern, especially given the county council’s climate emergency declaration last month, which saw it pledge to try and make the county carbon neutral by 2030.

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Looking at ways to solve the problem saw some councillors advocate the authority doing more to improve the infrastructure for electric vehicles within the county.

Liberal Democrat councillor Dennis Meredith, addressing council leader Matt Golby, said: “It’s quite clear to me that we have to encourage cars to go electric, and if we don’t do that there’s not much future as I see it for young people in this world today, because our planet will not be able to sustain younger people if people of our generation don’t take this on board.

“I think we have got to encourage and liaise with the borough councils to get electric charge points in place.

“I would suggest that as part of the scrutiny process that we look into this, and I think that it’s your responsibility, leader, to liaise with your cabinet to get more electric charging points throughout Northampton. If we don’t achieve this how are we going to have zero carbon rates in 2030?”

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Councillor Golby responded: “We agreed at the last council meeting the carbon reduction target, and I know some of the districts have done as well. That’s something that we’re forming and that is cognisant in the policies that we are putting together as we work towards the unitary, so I am satisfied we will be doing everything we possibly can to address these issues.”