LEADERS of Wiltshire Council and of the Liberal Democrat opposition had a face off over environmental issues during a cabinet meeting at County Hall this morning.

In the first cabinet meeting since campaigners saw Wiltshire Council pass a motion acknowledging a Climate Emergency, councillors were divided about the council’s plan to respond to the issue.

During a debate on the Wiltshire Local Development Scheme (LDS), Wiltshire Council leader Jane Scott responded to questions from the opposition leader about way to implement environmental issues into the strategy.

Cllr Ian Thorn called for more clarity on when a new Climate Change portfolio holder or cabinet member could be introduced in the next six months to take on responsibility for the environment.

The LDS splits Wiltshire into four distinct Housing Market Areas and lays out Wiltshire Council’s plan on building future housing, planning and the creation of Neighbourhood Plans.

Wiltshire Cabinet described itself as a leader in environmental issues and said that climate change factors were considered throughout all the work the council does, including the LDS.

Cllr Scott said: “There will be full consultation with the LEP, CPRE, local councils, members of the public and of course people interested in climate change on the Local Development Scheme. They will put their views forward and be taken into account, but the whole council will not be taken over by the one motion.

“We are fully aware of climate change. Just because you put a motion forward doesn’t mean we haven’t been thinking about it in the first place. What you suggested in the motion was already part of our plans. Let’s not get excited, you didn’t change the world because of that motion, that process was going through any way.”

Cllr Thorn said: “I am quite excited by what we did, I believe it is quite significant and I think many people are excited too. We want to be part of the process. Do we have the expertise to take on the challenges in relation to the local development scheme to implement the policies we started to discuss?”

Cllr Toby Sturgis confirmed that the council did have resources to increase its environmental work and had become a “leading authority” in climate change but were held back by national policy over environment issues.

He said: “We cannot make national policy. National policies are more important than our local plan review but without them being changed we are in a bit of a straight-jacket.”

A cabinet member or portfolio holder for climate change could be introduced in the next six months.