Liberal Democrat amendment ensures cross-party support for divestment from fossil fuels

Last week at a meeting of Full Council a Liberal Democrat amendment to a motion calling on divestment from fossil fuels was passed with cross-party support.

The amendment, proposed by Liberal Democrat Councillor Jake Sampson and seconded by Conservative Councillor Graeme Coombes, called on Bedfordshire Pension Fund and Border to Coast Pension Partnership to divest from fossil fuels. It also highlighted the fantastic work the Council has done in combatting climate change since Mayor Dave Hodgson was elected in 2009 on its march to become carbon neutral by 2030. Prior to the meeting, there was a lot of hard work and cross-party discussion to establish a motion that all members would be happy to vote for. At Full Council, the amended motion was passed almost unanimously, with Green Party Councillor Ben Foley the only member to vote against.

Following the meeting, Councillor Jake Sampson said "I am so pleased that our amendment was passed with cross-party support that we had worked hard to build. Climate change is an issue that should cut across party lines and this shows that each councillor is supportive of our common climate goals. It is a real shame that Cllr Foley didn't vote for the amended motion, unlike every other member, because he wanted to dispute investment on cycle lanes. This is even more disappointing considering the Council will be spending over £6 million on cycling. As the youngest councillor sitting in the Council Chamber tonight, I wanted to stress the importance of professionalism and cooperation and I thank every single other councillor who voted for this amendment."

The amendment also ensures that the Council will support Mayor Dave Hodgson and his Executive as they continue to provide leadership on climate action across the Borough; continue to reduce the Council's own carbon emissions to reach net zero by 2030; and continue to drive sustainable businesses practices, home activities and transport across the Borough and beyond.

Mayor Dave said "I am really pleased that we were able to get support for our amendment from across the Council Chamber. It shows that this Council is serious about tackling the climate emergency. We will continue to invest in sustainable projects to reduce emissions across the Borough."