A petition has been launched urging Swindon Borough Council to retain its Build a Greener Swindon Policy and Performance Committee, with campaigners arguing the authority’s own risk register highlights why dedicated environmental scrutiny remains essential.
The campaign comes as another spell of hot weather grips the UK and follows the publication of the council’s Corporate Risk Register, which identifies the potential failure to achieve a net zero borough by 2050 as a significant strategic risk.
According to the register, failing to properly plan for the transition to net zero could affect decision-making across the authority, increase costs and expose the council to reputational damage if climate change is not treated as a priority.
Supporters of the petition say those findings strengthen the case for maintaining a committee focused on examining the council’s environmental policies and progress.
The Build a Greener Swindon Policy and Performance Committee has been responsible for scrutinising the council’s Decarbonisation Framework, reviewing environmental performance, considering major infrastructure projects and monitoring delivery of its climate commitments.
Campaigners also point to the increasing frequency of heatwaves, flooding and severe weather events, alongside concerns highlighted in the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report about the links between climate change, air quality, access to green spaces and residents’ health.
Jane Milner-Barry, the committee’s first chair, said maintaining public oversight was a matter of good governance.
She said: “The council’s first duty is to ensure the present and future wellbeing and safety of Swindon residents. This means taking climate change seriously. We also have recent direct experience of how extreme heat depresses the town’s economy and are now entering another week of intense heat.
“It’s about ensuring there continues to be dedicated public scrutiny of one of the Council’s own strategic priorities. When the Council’s risk register recognises environmental performance as a corporate risk affecting every part of the council, maintaining transparent oversight is simply good governance.
“With more heatwaves on the way, now isn’t the time for the Council to be ignoring this as an issue and removing a key public space for conversations about such an important challenge facing us all.”
Supporters stress that the committee does not make executive decisions. Instead, it reviews evidence, questions council officers in public meetings and makes recommendations, allowing residents to follow how environmental policies are being implemented.
The petition remains open until 12 August 2026 and residents can sign it here: https://ww5.swindon.gov.uk/moderngov/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=80&RPID=168690382&HPID=168690382
