Plans to reduce sustainability budgets by £200,000 have ignited debate over Gloucestershire County Council’s dedication to meeting its climate change commitments.
The council, responsible for an annual carbon footprint equivalent to 400 tonnes of CO2, has set an ambitious target to achieve net zero emissions by 2030. Net zero refers to balancing greenhouse gases emitted with those removed from the atmosphere.
However, with just four years remaining until the 2030 deadline, Green Party councillors have raised serious concerns about whether cutting sustainability funds will hinder progress toward these goals.
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During a recent corporate overview and scrutiny committee meeting discussing the 2026/27 budget proposals, Councillor Chloe Turner (Minchinhampton) acknowledged the financial pressures but challenged the claim that the budget was sufficiently “green”.
She argued that funding for the nature, climate, and waste reduction portfolio remains inadequate. “I take issue with this being called a ‘green’ budget,” she stated, highlighting a £445,000 shortfall over four years for critical climate adaptation efforts.
Regarding the proposed £200,000 reduction in sustainability budgets, she questioned, “We are four years from 2030 — what do these cuts mean in practice for the climate and nature team? How does this align with the council’s pledge to address the climate and ecological emergencies?”
In response, Councillor Martin Horwood (Liberal Democrat, Leckhampton and Warden Hill) pointed out that although one sustainability budget is reduced, other environmental expenditures are increasing. He emphasized investments in ecology initiatives, sustainable urban drainage systems, and maintenance of trees and hedgerows.
“It’s true one budget is going down, but overall there is a direct increase in environmental spending,” Cllr Horwood said. He also stressed that tackling climate change is a council-wide responsibility, noting that funding road improvements indirectly supports public transport and cycling, contributing to greener outcomes.
Cllr Horwood highlighted successes in reducing emissions from council facilities by switching to renewable energy sources. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that 90% of the council’s carbon footprint stems from suppliers and contractors.
“To ignore emissions from our supply chain would mean overlooking the majority of our environmental impact,” he commented.
To address this, the council has formed a group tasked with monitoring suppliers’ carbon emissions and encouraging them to implement reductions, reflecting a holistic approach to achieving their net zero target.