A council which has repeatedly been challenged over the speed and scale of its carbon-cutting actions has made a U-turn to declare a climate change emergency.

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive agreed the authority would immediately adopt a climate emergency, following in the footsteps of several hundred British councils.

Senior councillors said the significant change in position by the Conservative administration had followed it listening to the requests of elected members from a number of political groups.

They added that not declaring a climate emergency could prove a distraction from its significant green efforts.

Commitments made by the council include support for the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s ambition to be the UK’s first carbon negative region – carbon neutral by 2034 and carbon negative by 2040.

These ambitions have been endorsed by the leaders of the Councils of York and North Yorkshire in the devolution deal requests submitted to government in December 2020.

An independent commission set up to examine levelling up for rural communities in the county last year found tackling climate change should be a priority, backing other ambitions for North Yorkshire to become a ‘green lung’ and to lead on employment in the green economy and a revolutionary energy transition.

In addition, the authority, which is the region’s largest employer, has sought to change staff work bases to cut commuting emissions and has made a £1m pump-priming fund available to support new carbon cutting projects, with just under half of the fund already allocated.

Harrogate acted in 2019

Nevertheless, neighbouring councils in Leeds, Darlington and York, as well as district and borough councils in North Yorkshire declared a climate emergency in 2019.

At the time North Yorkshire County Council stopped short of doing so, instead committing to producing a carbon reduction plan.

Read more:

• Residents may ask council to reconsider Otley Road cycle path
• Decision on North Yorkshire second homes council tax premium delayed

Since then, and particularly following May’s elections, North Yorkshire council’s leadership has faced increasing numbers of requests from campaigners and councillors to formally declare a climate emergency.

A meeting of the council’s executive heard the authority’s leadership was “absolutely committed” to getting its own carbon emissions in order.

Councillor Greg White, climate change executive member, told the meeting the authority was “keen to affirm how serious we are about tackling climate change” by declaring a climate emergency and pledging to play its full part in cutting carbon emissions.

He said the authority was doing everything possible to reduce its emissions and meet a challenging net zero emissions target it had set for 2030 while protecting key services.

‘Proud that we acted’

The council’s deputy leader, Councillor Gareth Dadd, told the meeting significant carbon cutting progress had been made across the council’s many properties and workforce.

He said:

“It’s often said that actions speak louder than words. Well I think as an authority we can be very proud that we have acted in a very positive way after recognising the climate emergency two or three years ago.”

Following the meeting, Cllr White said the authority had previously been reluctant to declare a climate emergency as it could be viewed as putting words above actions.

He said the council was already undertaking most measures people associated with tackling the climate change emergency.

Few local chief executives face a trickier task in the months ahead than the one confronting the new man in charge of Harrogate Spring Water.

Richard Hall has to convince a sceptical public and councillors that they should support plans to fell trees in the Pinewoods so the company can expand its factory and produce more plastic bottles.

Trees, plastic and a climate crisis are a volatile mix, as shown last year when more than 400 people objected to a larger expansion scheme put forward by the company that was ultimately rejected.

The campaign attracted national media coverage and a high profile champion in TV presenter Julia Bradbury.

Mr Hall hopes the outcome will be different this time and is keen to strike a conciliatory tone as the company prepares to consult on its revised plans before submitting a planning application.

He says:

“Expansion plans can often be challenged by local communities and that’s something that is not unusual per se, but we could have handled it better and we could have consulted better with the local community so there’s definitely a lesson to learn for us.

“We’ve got an opportunity to be much more open. There is an opportunity for people to come and talk to us, look at the plan and give us feedback.”

Richard Hall, at the company’s Harrogate factory.

Mr Hall is also keen to frame the debate in a wider context than trees versus plastic.

“It’s not really a question of how water is packaged — it’s a question of how food and other beverages are packaged. So if we are asked what are we doing to reduce the impact of packaging, I’d be very happy to respond to that because we are doing significant things.”

He mentions several environmental initiatives Harrogate Spring Water supports and says the main issue is recycling rates. Harrogate Spring Water’s bottles are made using 50% recycled plastic and glass and Mr Hall says this would increase if more recycled products were available.

Read more:

• Hot Seat: Farewell to the Harrogate district’s transport chief
• Hot Seat: Leading the Harrogate district’s leisure revolution
• Hot Seat: Harrogate Town’s new CEO aims to take club to new heights

Water, he says, is “the healthiest beverage” and the company’s national reputation should be a source of local pride, not to mention the fact that expansion would create 30 jobs.

Packaging, he adds, is a separate debate. But he knows the argument will be tough.

“I accept there will be some discussion around it. It’s a hot topic. People are passionate about the climate. I just hope we get a balanced debate.”

New era

Mr Hall’s appointment marks a new era at Harrogate Spring Water, which can produce 36,000 bottles of 500 millilitre water per hour at its factory.

The company was bought two years ago by French multinational Danone but former managing director James Cain, who had been in charge for 15 years, continued to lead the business until Mr Hall arrived. Mr Cain is now a minority shareholder.

The takeover and expansion plans haven’t been the only issues to contend with lately.

Covid hit hard. According to Harrogate Spring Water’s latest annual accounts, gross profit for the year ending March 31, 2020, was £8.3m but crashed to £1.9m for the nine months to December 31, 2020 due to the closure of many places that sell bottled water, such as convenience stores, hotels, airports and train stations.

Mr Hall says business is now “recovering to pre-covid levels”.

Brexit, he says, impacted the company “a little bit” but nowhere near as much as covid. Inflation is a major concern now.

The company has stopped exporting water to Russia since the Ukraine war started but overseas sales account for only a fraction of business.

Last year the business withdrew its sponsorship of Yorkshire County Cricket Club amid the club’s racism row and has not renewed it, but it continues to be the official water of Royal Ascot.

Despite its national reputation, Mr Hall describes Harrogate Spring Water, which employs 78 staff, as a “small, local brand” compared with international brands like Volvic, and he doesn’t see that changing.

“We will look at expansion plans in the UK and Ireland. There’s lots of space to grow.”

Harrogate, he says, should be proud of its spa heritage.

“There are not many towns in the UK that can talk about their spa heritage. Harrogate is the top one. The water you find here is delicious.”

Danone all his life

Mr Hall, a keen runner, joined Danone in Tokyo a month after finishing university in Japan. He has remained with the company since. He is fluent in Japanese, where he lived for 25 years and has a Japanese wife.

As vice-president of Danone’s UK and Ireland business, his remit extends far beyond Harrogate Spring Water’s factory on Harlow Moor Road (pictured below).

Mr Hall lives in Oxford and expects to visit Harrogate twice a month.

His credentials are impeccable, having worked on other Danone water brands Evian and Volvic, as well as Yakult.

Being part of Danone, he says, brings “access to expertise and knowledge” but he constantly stresses the importance of the company retaining the local feel nurtured by the Cains. A new strategic plan is being created.

“The Cain family did a great job in building the brand. I want to look after it and grow it further. We are talking about a premium brand; we are not talking about a mass market brand.”

But how much the company grows will depend largely on whether its planning application to expand by two acres in the Pinewoods is successful.

It plans to revive a 2017 application that was granted outline permission, which means the principle of development is already established but the final details are not.

A banner protest this month.

Having outline permission will make the process easier but little is likely to be straightforward in such emotional terrain. Last year, protestor Sarah Gibbs stood outside the council offices dressed as a tree, and she has been back putting up banners around the town, saying there can be no mitigation for the loss of woodland.

Mr Hall reiterates he welcomes debate and that the company will listen. Would he talk to Julia Bradbury? He looks at his PR adviser who says he can’t see why not.

There is likely to be plenty of talking and listening before councillors decide whether the plant can be extended. Mr Hall will have to call on all his skill, expertise and years of experience if the company is to secure the outcome it wants.

Local Liberal Democrats have proposed setting up a citizens’ assembly to tackle climate change.

A motion before Harrogate Borough Council’s full council next week will propose it declares a climate emergency and sets up an assembly within three months to look into the issue.

It follows the creation of the first UK-wide citizens’ assembly to discuss measures to tackle climate change. 

The national citizens’ assembly last month submitted its views to six House of Commons select committees, including the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee and Environmental Audit Committee.

Read more:

• Why Harrogate Borough Council won’t declare a ‘Climate Emergency’

• Could cars be banned outside primary schools in Harrogate?

The motion submitted by Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats, which will go before the borough council, says:

“That this council declares a climate emergency not a climate change. To make sure this is dealt with as an emergency the council agrees to setting up a local, ‘citizens climate assembly’, within the next three months to discuss the issue, just as the government has done.”

Councillors will vote on the motion at a full council meeting on October 14.

Last year, the council rejected declaring a climate emergency and instead set out a plan to cut carbon emissions over the next two decades.

The local authority has also created a dedicated cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability, which is currently Cllr Phil Ireland.

What does a climate emergency mean?

“Climate emergency” was the Oxford English Dictionary word of last year and over two-thirds of all UK councils have now made the declaration.

It derives from the green movement created by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and the Extinction Rebellion group.

Although largely symbolic, councils have used declarations of climate emergency to drive environmental policy and give some green momentum to issues such as housing, energy and education.

Harrogate Borough Council swam against the tide in 2019 when it refused to declare a “Climate Emergency” — instead opting for a carbon reduction strategy that sets out how the authority aims to cut emissions over the next two decades.

But with the UK government saying a green-based recovery will be key to how we bounce back from Covid-19, the opposition Liberal Democrats are again putting pressure on HBC to make the pledge — but would it amount to anything meaningful?

What does declaring a “Climate Emergency” mean?

“Climate Emergency” was the Oxford English Dictionary word of last year and over two-thirds of all UK councils have now made the declaration.

It comes from the green movement created by Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion and the pledge has been used as a line in the sand for organisations wanting to improve their environmental footprint.

It’s largely a symbolic gesture but councils have declared climate emergencies to drive environmental policy and give some green momentum to issues from housing, energy and education.

Climate emergencies have been declared across the political spectrum, including by 42 Conservative district authorities, but it has meant different things in different places.

For example, as part of the Conservative-led Gloucester City Council’s declaration, they aim to use 100% renewable energy across the council’s operations by 2030.

The Labour-led Warwick District Council included a pledge to build all new council homes to the UK Green Building Council definition net zero carbon buildings, which is housebuilding to the strictest environmental standards

Some councils including Bath and North Somerset, even have a cabinet member for climate emergency who has a specific brief to drive the agenda.

A political manoeuvre?

In 2019 the Liberal Democrats tabled a motion to HBC calling on them to declare a climate emergency, which was knocked back by Conservative council leader Richard Cooper.

As reported at the time by the BBC’s Local Democracy Service, he suggested the motion was a political manoeuvre.

He said:

“We shouldn’t actually be voting on whether there is a climate emergency or not. To have a vote is to say climate change is a matter of opinion – it is not, it is a fact.”

Instead, HBC set up what it boldly called the “most radical environmental manifesto put forward by a borough council ever”, including a carbon reduction strategy that aims to make Harrogate a net-zero carbon economy by 2038. This means Harrogate would balance the number of greenhouse gases emitted with the equivalent emissions that are offset.

Harrogate’s Climate Coalition was also created that brings together councillors as well as green groups and local businesses with the aim of working together in the name of sustainability and helping the environment.

Read more:

• Council “disappointed” over emergency cash for cycle lanes

• 26 cyclists a year injured in collisions in Harrogate

Progress so far

Last month, environmental campaigner Malcolm Margolis quit Harrogate’s Climate Coalition, citing a “lack of action” around sustainable travel.

ClientEarth, the environmental lawyers who beat the UK government in court over illegal levels of air pollution in 2015, say climate action at a local level can “transform” people’s quality of life.

But they warned councils they need to be bold and not wait for policy from central government.

ClientEarth climate lawyer Sam Hunter Jones said:

“There is a collective failure by local authorities across England to plan adequately for climate change. Too often climate change is perceived to be just a national or international issue and therefore solely the responsibility of central government.”

According to the local Liberal Democrats at Harrogate’s current rate of reducing CO2 emissions, it is way off reaching its 2038 target for net-zero and would struggle to achieve it by 2050.

Lib Dem Cllr Pat Marsh said she has written to Conservative cabinet member for sustainable transport, Cllr Phil Ireland, calling on HBC to declare a climate emergency and improve the way the Climate Change Coalition is run.

Cllr Marsh said:

“To effectively play our part in addressing this environmental crisis, it is imperative that we declare a Climate Emergency and commit to becoming net zero carbon by 2030 at the very latest.”

Caroline Linford set up the green group Sustainably Harrogate and told the Stray Ferret that it’s essential HBC makes the pledge.

She said:

“It’s essential that HBC understand the likely impact of the changing climate on the Harrogate district, as well as explore practical solutions which are available to them. I believe declaring a Climate Emergency would focus the council on this mission and help engage the wider public to take the action.”

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“As agreed by the council in the Notice of Motion last year, the council supports measures to address the climate emergency as outlined by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

“Our carbon reduction strategy outlines an action plan for a number of priorities with an overall vision of having net-zero carbon emissions by 2038. Further information is available on our website.

“We have also launched the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition, a group of businesses, public sector organisations and voluntary groups, which promotes and implements carbon reduction activities throughout the Harrogate district.”

Extinction Rebellion Harrogate picked the Prince of Wales roundabout today to hold a demonstration highlighting the climate emergency.

The group told The Stray Ferret it had chosen the location as it wanted “somewhere striking” to draw attention to its cause and to re-ignite the group after lockdown.

It is hoping the demo will lead to more people wanting to join its ranks. Drivers blew their horns as they passed the group of around 20 demonstrators.

Read More:

• Extinction Rebellion Harrogate says it will hold regular cycle rallies
• Bilton homes will be “catastrophic” to the environment claim residents

Questioned as to whether the demonstration was safe or could have been distracting to drivers, Jess Thompson, coordinator for Extinction Rebellion Harrogate’s action group said:

“Our intention isn’t to distract drivers- we know safety is paramount. The banners were large and so drivers could easily see our messages. We want to highlight that time is up – we are living in a real emergency and we demand action.”

Ms Thompson told the Stray Ferret that the police had spoken to them and asked them how many were expected and how long they were staying there but took no action to stop them demonstrating.

Liberal Democrat councillors have renewed their calls for Harrogate Borough Council to declare a climate emergency and demanded that the process be more transparent.

Pat Marsh said she had written to the Conservative cabinet member for sustainable transport with her calls but has not received any kind of response.

She has now written to Councillor Phil Ireland for the third time:

“I’m becoming more and more concerned about the lack of transparency in this process. I fear that your lack of response is just yet another example of the local Conservatives’ and councils’ unwillingness to engage with those with differing views.”

The local Liberal Democrats have said that the council’s Climate Change Coalition should be replaced with a Citizen’s Assembly on the Climate Emergency.

Read more on this story:

• Why the council cut trees down on the Stray
• When 60 cyclists join Extinction Rebellion rally in Harrogate

Council across the country have declared climate emergencies as an acknowledgment that they need to act on the causes and impacts of climate change.

They say this is the best way to attract the “fresh ideas and bold action” necessary to take on the challenge faced.

“To effectively play our part in addressing this environmental crisis, it is imperative that we declare a Climate Emergency and commit to becoming net zero carbon by 2030 at the very latest,” Pat Marsh added.

What has Harrogate Borough Council done?

Harrogate Borough Council has said that it will aim to have a net zero-carbon economy by 2038.

The council said it will make sure that its own operations will be clean and efficient while helping others in the district to achieve the same.

In its carbon footprint report, the council had seen a steady fall in recent years from 9,300 tonnes in 2016/2017 to 7,900 tonnes in 2018/2019.