Since being elected last May I have repeatedly challenged the leader of Colchester City Council over claims that ‘tackling the climate emergency’ is the council’s first priority. The council’s Lib-Dem leadership does absolutely nothing to tackle the most significant impact of climate-change on our area – rising sea-levels and rapidly increasing coastal erosion. In fact, it sets a zero budget for sea-defence.
Last week Conservative councillors proposed a budget amendment to re-allocate £100,000 from the “sustainability” budget to sea-defence. This issue affects not only Mersea and Pyefleet which I have the privilege to represent, but also Old Heath and the Hythe – including Rowhedge and Wivenhoe wards. Regrettably, with the brave exception of Wivenhoe councillor Sean Kelly, the Labour and Liberal-Democrat councillors representing these wards voted against this.
This is not a new issue. Local sea levels are now 37cm higher than in 1900. They are currently rising at 4mm a year, but the mid-range predictions from the UK’s climate-change committee expect them to rise by 25-35cm over the next 25 years. Research from Imperial College suggests rising sea-levels will increase coastal erosion rates by 700 percent. While in 2022 the BBC publicised research showing North-Essex and the Blackwater estuary were among the council areas most affected by rising sea-levels.
One cannot help thinking the current Lib-Dem leadership of Colchester Council are somewhat like a person who parks their car on the beach at low-tide (we do get such visitors on Mersea!), becomes engrossed reading a story in the Guardian about the effects of melting sea-ice on polar bears – and falls asleep at the wheel, only waking up when the water is lapping at their feet.
When it comes to tackling climate-change it is surely time for the Lib-Dems running Colchester City Council to wake up and focus on local issues!
Dr Martin Parsons
Colchester City Councillor for Mersea and Pyefleet
Last week Conservative councillors proposed a budget amendment to re-allocate £100,000 from the “sustainability” budget to sea-defence. This issue affects not only Mersea and Pyefleet which I have the privilege to represent, but also Old Heath and the Hythe – including Rowhedge and Wivenhoe wards. Regrettably, with the brave exception of Wivenhoe councillor Sean Kelly, the Labour and Liberal-Democrat councillors representing these wards voted against this.
This is not a new issue. Local sea levels are now 37cm higher than in 1900. They are currently rising at 4mm a year, but the mid-range predictions from the UK’s climate-change committee expect them to rise by 25-35cm over the next 25 years. Research from Imperial College suggests rising sea-levels will increase coastal erosion rates by 700 percent. While in 2022 the BBC publicised research showing North-Essex and the Blackwater estuary were among the council areas most affected by rising sea-levels.
One cannot help thinking the current Lib-Dem leadership of Colchester Council are somewhat like a person who parks their car on the beach at low-tide (we do get such visitors on Mersea!), becomes engrossed reading a story in the Guardian about the effects of melting sea-ice on polar bears – and falls asleep at the wheel, only waking up when the water is lapping at their feet.
When it comes to tackling climate-change it is surely time for the Lib-Dems running Colchester City Council to wake up and focus on local issues!
Dr Martin Parsons
Colchester City Councillor for Mersea and Pyefleet
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