Chris Martin, Cotteridge meeting and CEQ CEA co-clerk has, as the Footsteps – Faith Community representative on the Birmingham Route to Zero Taskforce, joined with concerned Councillors and other environmental and climate action groups to send a public letter to Birmingham City Council. 

The letter, also signed by Simon Slater, EcoBirmingham’s new Director, requests that the budget being presented to Full Council on 23 February contains sufficient resource to immediately establish an Assistant Director – Climate Change and Sustainability post and a sustainability team.

Establishing the new team lead by a senior Council officer are two key aspects of Birmingham’s Route to Zero Action Plan agreed by Full Council on 12 January.  The letter acknowledges that the City Council, like all local authorities, is under financial pressure, particularly with Covid.  The Council has added ‘A city that takes a leading role in tackling climate change’ to the vision in its Financial Plan.  This will not be achieved without sufficient resource being allocated to the challenge. 

A copy of the letter is on the Footsteps website.

Friends who live in Birmingham Wards are encouraged to contact their local Councillors asking that they also insist that the City’s new sustainability team is established immediately.