Friday, November 12, 2010

The Commonweal School on Friday evening hosted a 'green' question time event, organised by Swindon Climate Action Network (SCAN) and Oxfam as part of the national 'Big Climate Connection' campaign. Members of the public asked questions to North Swindon MP, Justin Tomlinson, Councillor Peter Greenhalgh from Swindon Borough Council, Marion Royer representing Swindon Chamber of Commerce and Dr Gary Mantle, Director of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. South Swindon MP, Robert Buckland was also due to attend, but had to withdraw due to other urgent commitments. Chairing the discussion was Dave Brown who retired from the Swindon-based Natural Environment Research Council but is still actively engaged in climate change research and he added to the discussion with his considerable knowledge on the various subjects raised.

Questions covered a wide range of environmental issues but there was broad agreement on most issues. Marion Royer suggested that ‘there is a lack of a shared vision’ preventing things changing, yet many businesses ‘are very confused by the measures that they should be taking’. Justin Tomlinson said that ‘I know from Westminster that there is cross-party support for tackling climate change’ and he called for the Government to ‘be straight forward and speak with one voice’ to give the necessary clear information and guidance.

Some of the school students, from the ‘Climate Cops’ team, helped run the evening and one of them, Jess asked why it was necessary to have so much bright street lighting in parts of Swindon, when the older parts of town had much lower light levels. Peter Greenhalgh responded by saying that he would like a considerable reduction in the levels of lighting across the town, which would reduce demands on the council tax as well as reducing carbon emissions. However, he said that when he has made such suggestions he had been 'publicly derided' by elements of the local media.

To a question concerning overseas development Gary Mantle said that he believed that there is a strong ethical and moral reason to provide support to poor countries where people are already suffering and dying as a result of climate change. He added that climate change is not really an environmental issue, but a social issue requiring solutions to global poverty and social justice.

The liveliest discussion of the evening came from a question by Andrew Muirhead on the issue of car parking. Most panellists asserted that generous car parking provision was essential for a thriving economy. However, Gina Adams, from the floor said that she had voluntarily given up owning a car some five years ago. However, the lack of action to set up car clubs, recent significant cuts to her local bus service with increases in fares and reduced parking charges, have forced her to once again own a car. Peter Greenhalgh, robustly defended the level of car parking provision, adding that subsidising bus services is unsustainable and he would like to see community organised mini bus services rather than subsidising uneconomic routes. Gary Mantle offered an alternative view by calling for leadership and investment to provide alternatives to car usage and also to trade in a more sustainable way.

Andy Parsons, chair of SCAN said 'We were very pleased to have so many turn up on a wet evening in November to ask difficult questions of our politicians and businesses. This subject is still very much on the agenda and I am pleased to hear broad agreement on most issues, but we need urgent and concerted action to get things moving. We have had a very positive and well-informed discussion, but we urgently need our community leaders to convert their talk into action!