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Climate Emergency Commission

Warrington's Climate Emergency Commission was set up by the council, after it declared a climate emergency in 2019, in recognition that the climate crisis is a more-than-council issue.

A key part of our work has been creating a new strategy to guide local action across the borough.

Warrington's Climate Emergency Strategy

We all have a part to play in tackling the climate crisis. The Warrington climate emergency strategy presents a common route map to encourage local action so that we can make impact bigger than the sum of our individual parts. We urge you to read the latest version of the strategy and bring forward an action plan in support.

Creating the strategy

The strategy is the outcome of a wider public conversation. We published a position paper in the wake of the UN’s COP26 climate conference in November 2021 and invited comments on it. 

The results of this consultation were then used to inform the development of the strategy. You can read the original position paper and a summary of the consultation.

The commission's purpose

Our purpose is to lead the local public conversation on the climate emergency, including the direction we need to be heading and what we can do in Warrington to help. 

Our role is also to advise the council on meeting its climate emergency commitments, including its goal to be a net zero carbon organisation by 2030. 

You can view the Commission's first annual report below.

 

The commission's membership

We are comprised of a number of advisors with a knowledge and interest of climate issues and representatives from different organisations and communities in Warrington. This includes business, youth, environment and community representatives. The full list of our members and their organisations is available below. 

Importantly, the commission is supported by the council, but has an independent voice.

 

Warrington's Climate Emergency Commission members

Cllr D. Ellis (Chair)


B. Tolhurst – Business Declares
Cllr J. Henshaw – Cabinet Member for Sustainability & Climate Change
C. Harris / J. Melling – Cheshire Wildlife Trust
A. Moore – Culture Warrington
A. Jukes – Natural England
T. Hunt – University of Chester
H. Buckard – Teacher / Schools Representative
L. Green – Warrington Borough Council
S. Fitzsimons – Warrington Chamber of Commerce
D. Cowley – Warrington Community Energy
A. Ridge – Warrington NHS Integrated Care Board
M. Seeley – Warrington & Vale Royal College
L. Groarke – Warrington Youth Voice


Support/Secretariat
B. Lipscombe – Warrington Borough Council
L. Pullan – Warrington Borough Council (communications support)
R. Lees – Warrington Borough Council
I. Lee - Warrington Borough Council

Climate Emergency Commission - Terms of Reference

Role of the Commission

The commission’s main focus is on promoting activity in support of the climate strategy. Its role – set out in the strategy is:

Advisory

  • To act as an advisory forum to help encourage and co-ordinate local action
  • Advise Warrington Borough Council on its climate emergency response in support of the strategy

Promotion and engagement

  • Promote the production of action plans in support of the strategy
  • Provide a conduit to share information and signpost support via a website, social media channels and directly
  • Encourage sharing of experience
  • Help organise a public climate emergency forum to encourage wider participation and seek to engage with key stakeholder groups through existing or new forums and networks as appropriate
  • Help arrange representative citizen assemblies or panels when needed to consider further development of the climate strategy particularly in areas where progress is slow or controversial

Reporting and planning

  • Help gather and present data on progress and the barriers and risks to progress
  • Produce annual progress reports, through which the strategy is reviewed and revised, and make these reports available publicly and via Warrington Borough Council

Membership

The commission is not an open membership forum, but its membership can be expanded in circumstances whereby the commission agrees it would be beneficial to advancing local climate action in line with the strategy. In such cases new members may be added by invitation from the Chair with agreement from commissioners.

Relationship with Warrington Borough Council

The Commission is intended to provide an independent voice on climate matters in Warrington to assist and encourage an effective response to the climate emergency across the borough as a whole. 

It was established by the council in recognition that that the climate emergency requires much more than a council response. It continues to be supported to help fulfil its role, with the council providing a secretariat and assisting with communications. 

To fulfil its role to advise the council, the council regularly reports its activities and plans to the commission with senior councillor and officers attending commission meetings.

The commission’s activities are also reported periodically to council cabinet as part of a climate emergency update report.

Meetings

The Commission aims to meets virtually once every two months.

Meetings are supported by a council officer secretariat.

Agendas are set through the Chair of the commission.

Reporting

In the interests of transparency notes from the commission’s meetings are shared publicly via the Commission’s website www.warringtonclimatecommission.org.uk.

To ensure feedback from commission meetings on council activities, notes are also shared with senior council officers.

To fulfil its anticipated role in the climate emergency strategy, the Commission will produce an annual progress report and make this available publicly and to inform Warrington Borough Council.

 

As of September 2022

How the commission works

The commissions meets at least four times a year. To fulfil our purpose, we seek to:

  • Act as ambassadors for local climate action;
  • Engage the public, private, third sector and the wider community to help improve understanding of the issues and the action that needs to be taken including leading the public conversation to shape a local, borough-wide climate strategy;
  • Build a better picture of existing climate action in the borough and use this to encourage further action; 
  • Help ensure that learning is shared, and opportunities to promote awareness and training opportunities are pursued; and
  • Produce public reports on climate topics including local progress in the face of the climate emergency.

Stay in contact

You can keep in touch through our social media channels including on TwitterFacebook and LinkedIn or by emailing info@warringtonclimatecommission.org.uk.

The commission also has a mailing list, which is hosted by the council, that you can join to receive the latest news and information about the Climate Emergency in Warrington. 

You can also make a pledge via the Warrington-wide ‘Commitments to Act’ campaign to help inspire others to play their part and do their bit. When making a pledge you can also opt in to receive Warrington climate emergency updates.

Climate emergency newsletter

Sign up for the climate emergency newsletter to stay up to date with news, events and actions you can take to help make Warrington a better place to live!

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