Swindon Green Party has called on the borough council to strengthen its response to climate change, warning that now is not the time to weaken environmental scrutiny as the town experiences another spell of extreme summer temperatures.
The appeal follows proposals to abolish the council’s Build a Greener Swindon Policy and Procedure Committee, a move the party says risks pushing environmental issues further down the political agenda.
Joint chairs Andy Bentley and Repi Begum have written to Councillor Matt Chandler, Cabinet Member for Strategy, Resilience and Green Infrastructure, asking what arrangements will replace the committee and how environmental policies will continue to receive proper oversight.
The Greens argue that recent periods of extreme heat, which have seen schools affected and health warnings issued for vulnerable people, underline the need for stronger action rather than fewer dedicated forums.
In their letter, they also point to previous flooding in Swindon as further evidence of the challenges posed by climate change.
Mr Bentley and Ms Begum said: “This is not a party-political matter – these events will only get more frequent and more severe. Strong action and leadership is needed now.”
While acknowledging that the committee had not always fulfilled its potential, the pair said they were concerned that removing it without a clear replacement would reduce accountability on environmental issues.
Their letter highlights several areas where they believe progress has stalled, including the allocation of a £2 million grant for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, which they say has yet to result in a spending report more than two years after the funding was secured.
They also question tree planting figures presented to the committee, the lack of follow-up on recommendations to improve the energy efficiency of council housing, and what they describe as insufficient scrutiny of Thames Water over wastewater treatment.
In the letter to Councillor Chandler, they write: “The committee was seen as an opportunity to deliver green policies for the people of Swindon. Although it failed to live up to its full potential, we are seriously concerned that removing the committee without a significant replacement will lead to environmental policies being completely ignored by SBC.
“As the Cabinet Member for Strategy, Resilience and Green Infrastructure, could you please confirm what your plans for replacing the committee are, what specific steps will be taken to ensure that environmental policies are considered with the seriousness they deserve, and how you will guarantee that action will be taken urgently to address the issues raised?”
Swindon Borough Council has announced proposals to streamline its committee structure, although the authority has yet to respond publicly to the Green Party’s concerns about how environmental matters will be scrutinised in future.
The council has previously said it remains committed to addressing climate change and delivering its environmental priorities, with further details of any revised governance arrangements expected to be considered as part of wider constitutional changes.
