Reform UK scrap climate emergency pledge in County Durham

A motion by Durham County Council’s deputy leader Darren Grimes to rescind the 2019 declaration was approved despite opposition from cross-party councillors and campaigners.  

The decision, confirmed at Wednesday’s county council meeting, is one of the party’s most contentious moves since taking over control of the local authority and is believed to be a UK first.

Cllr Grimes said: “We are done with expensive virtue signalling tripe and care about our residents.”

The previous council environment pledge aimed to achieve net zero emissions by 2045 and ran alongside the current Climate Emergency Response Plan. 

However, Reform said it is prioritising other council services. The party renamed several key council departments in May, including removing references to climate change in one key cabinet portfolio.

An alternative ‘County Durham Care Emergency’ pledge was voted through, which Reform said will help recognise the “critical and escalating crisis” in children’s social care, including Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision. 

The Annfield Plain and Tanfield councillor warned that the ongoing crisis is the “most urgent threat to the well-being of our children and the financial stability of our county.”

Cllr Grimes added: “We seek to declare a real care emergency thats devouring our kids and coffers in tandem.”

A huge crowd of campaigners gathered outside Durham County Hall before the vote to oppose the controversial proposal. 

Several banners and placards warned of the ongoing climate crisis, telling council leaders to ‘get your heads out of the sand’. Another message, held by one young boy, read: ‘If you care… allow me to have a future”.

(Image: The Northern Echo)

Opposing the motion, Liberal Democrat Mark Wilkes said the council has saved £13 million in the past year through climate-saving efficiencies and labelled the Reform motion “cynical and insulting”. 

He added: “The issues we face in social care have nothing whatsoever to do with climate change.   

“It is our young people who are going to be most impacted by Climate Change, and indeed, the savings we have been making off the back of our action on the climate, including energy efficiency measures, is actually helping us to protect frontline social care services.”

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Durham County Council received a national award last year for its carbon reduction and was praised for its use of green technologies, including wind turbines, solar panels, and battery storage.

Jonathan Elmer, Green Party councillor for Brandon, also opposing the Reform plea, said: “ If Cllr Grimes really cared about SEND provision, he’d have brought this motion without reference to climate change. 

“He’d have worked for cross-party consensus on it, he’d have looked to get ideas and input on how to improve the lives of SEND kids in County Durham from across this chamber. 

“But instead, he’s stoked controversy and division. Undoubtedly, many people will conclude it’s the controversy that he really cares about”.

Reform councillors voted to approve the motion by 62 votes to seven with 17 abstentions.