UPDATE: Bruton Town Council has adopted the Working (Advisory) Group Terms of Reference (ToR)

Bruton Town Council has resolved to adopt the Climate EmergencyWorking (Advisory) Group Terms of Reference (ToR) on the 30th April 2019

Climate Emergency Working Group
(Advisory Group)

Number of Members:

A Core Group of 6-12 appointed Advisors, including 1-3 Councillors
Full Working Group open to all people who live, work, or attend school in the Parish of Bruton, or its adjoining Parishes

Frequency of Meetings: At least every two months; frequency and timing to be determined by the Working Group.

Open to the Press and Public: Yes (unless a Resolution is made to exclude the press and public for a specific item / specific reason)

Quorum: 5

Overall Purpose / Scope:

To advise the Town Council on implementing the ‘Climate Emergency’ declared on 26 March 2019;
To assist the Town Council with practical work to deliver the nine ‘Climate Emergency’ resolutions (pasted at the bottom of these Terms of Reference), with particular reference to resolutions 3, 4, 5 and 8;
Scope as defined by resolution 3: “To do everything within the Town Council’s power to make Bruton carbon neutral by 2030”.

Specific Responsibilities:

To engage the whole community in addressing Bruton’s ‘Climate Emergency’ – including, but not restricted to, our residents, school children, businesses, employers, faith groups, community organisations, and visitors.
To source data and other information in support of these objectives – in particular seeking Bruton and South Somerset specific data, where possible.
To make recommendations to Full Town Council on how its policies and activities might be modified to reduce emissions – including, but not restricted to, Town & Neighbourhood Plans, Planning, Transport, Land & Property, Services & Amenities, Communications, Grants.
To make recommendations to Full Town Council on how the Town and Parish of Bruton could contribute to the 2030 target – developing initiatives and project as appropriate.
To develop a rolling plan to “to make Bruton carbon neutral by 2030” – first draft and proposals for adoption to be presented to Full Council by September 2019, and thereafter to be reviewed annually.
To make recommendations to Full Town Council on any calls that should be made of South Somerset District Council, Somerset County Council, Westminster, and any other external bodies for the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible.

Resolution passed unanimously by Full Council on 26 March 2019

Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’
Write to Bruton’s schools thanking our schoolchildren for demonstrating their ecological concerns, and pledging support for addressing this as a Council;
Pledge to do everything within the Town Council’s power to make Bruton carbon neutral by 2030;
Set up a Working Group to review all Town Council policies and activities to assess how they might be modified to reduce emissions. This Working Group to report back to Full Council within 6 months with a Proposal for adoption by the TC. Said Proposals to be reviewed annually.
In the absence of Bruton specific emissions data, to work to make our contribution to South Somerset achieving our regional target by 2030.
Call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible;
Sign up to the Covenant of Mayors;
Work with Bruton’s residents, businesses and other organisations to meet the 2030 target.
Call on All Local Principal Authority Councils to take similar actions.

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