Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council has voted to rescind its 2019 climate emergency declaration, formally ending the borough's "Net Zero Newcastle 2030" commitment. The decision has already identified £6.2 million in savings.
What the council is scrapping
The new council administration has scrapped the Sustainable Environment Strategy to prioritise core services and value for money. Plans to replace the council's waste collection fleet with electric vehicles have been cancelled, saving over £2 million in direct costs. An additional £4.2 million in planned spending on charging infrastructure has also been removed.
Council leader's statement
Council leader Cllr Jonathan Gullis said the previous administration wanted electric bin lorries but failed to budget for the charging costs. "This Council will not spend residents' money on Net Zero virtue signalling when bins need collecting, streets need cleaning and communities need keeping safe," he stated.
Next steps
Officers have been instructed to review all remaining climate-related spending and redirect unbudgeted money to frontline services while meeting legal environmental obligations.