WORCESTER City Council’s role in leading the local response to climate change has been endorsed by residents, local businesses and stakeholders.

Last year the City Council declared a climate emergency and pledged to make Worcester carbon neutral by 2030.

The Council set up a cross-party steering group to prepare a draft Environmental Sustainability Strategy and, earlier this year, a consultation was launched to give local people the chance to have their say on its proposals.

Now the results of that consultation have been published and are set to be debated by the Council’s Environment Committee on October 27.

Cllr Joy Squires, Chair of the Council’s Environment Committee, said: “We have had a strong and useful response to our consultation and it’s been good to see that the City Council’s leadership on tackling the climate emergency is supported.”

Cllr Andy Stafford, Vice Chair of the Council’s Environment Committee, added: “Residents, businesses and other organisations have told us that they want to see the City Council co-ordinating and facilitating projects and partnership across the city that will help us to make Worcester an environmentally sustainable city.”

The consultation included three webinars, an online survey, individual meetings with key organisations and stakeholders, and an exhibition in the Guildhall courtyard for three days.

It asked people to give their views on the Environmental Sustainability Strategy and its key themes:

• Making the City Council carbon-neutral

• Making Worcester a carbon-neutral city

• Helping the city to achieve a sustainable, low-carbon economy

• Protecting Worcester’s natural environment

• Preparing the city for the effects of climate change

• Reducing the consumption of resources.

In addition to showing strong support for the City Council’s leadership role in tackling the climate emergency, the consultation results also show a desire for improved walking and cycling infrastructure in the city. A key recommendation from the webinars was the promotion of opportunities and incentives for large employers to encourage active travel.

The highest overall level of response was support for protection of the city’s natural environment.

The Environmental Sustainability Strategy has been revised to reflect the response to the consultation and will be considered by the Environment Committee when it meets on October 27. The Committee will be asked to recommend that the strategy is formally adopted at the next meeting of the full Council.