The climate crisis in Welwyn Hatfield has been dismissed by a councillor who claimed he ‘just wasn’t aware’ of the problem, despite the council’s action plan being ranked as the worst in Hertfordshire.

At a full council meeting on Wednesday, Cllr Craig Stanbury claimed there was no crisis in the borough despite one being declared back in 2019.

“I will try and keep this brief. I just wasn’t aware that we had a climate emergency in Welwyn Hatfield,” he said.

“I think there’s probably one in China, probably one in America, probably one in Brazil, India, Russia, but not in Welwyn Hatfield.

“I think we should just move on, and I move that we just move to a vote and end this discussion about a non-job really.”

Addressing the claims made by the Hatfield South West Conservative, a chuckling Mayor Peter Hebden simply responded: “Okay.”

Cllr Stanbury’s dismissal of the emergency comes after Welwyn Hatfield's climate action plan was ranked as the worst in Herts by not-for-profit campaigning organisation Climate Emergency UK.

325 plans were scored according to 28 questions grouped into nine categories, with Welwyn Hatfield's score of 28 per cent putting rock bottom of the list for the county, while Three Rivers' 55 per cent made them best performing council in Herts.

Authority

Score

Rank

Three Rivers

55%

1

St Albans C&DC

53%

2

Hertfordshire County Council

50%

3

Dacorum

44%

4

Hertsmere

42%

5

Stevenage

38%

6

Watford

36%

7

East Hertfordshire

32%

8

North Hertfordshire

31%

=9

Broxbourne

31%

=9

Welwyn Hatfield

28%

11

Speaking to the Welwyn Hatfield Times just a day before the council meeting, Liberal Democrat councillor Paul Zukowskyi insisted the Conservatives' claims about the climate crisis were all ‘hot air’.

“Despite all the bluster and noise from the Conservative administration, Welwyn Hatfield is the worst-performing council in the county.

“This comes as no surprise whatever. Lots of hot air in the council chamber from the Conservative councillors must have only added to the emergency. No substance is the council’s problem.

“Last year at the budget meeting we proposed a cost-neutral programme that would have paid for a senior climate emergency officer to drive matters forward. The Conservatives said such a post wasn’t needed.

“We will be proposing a new post again next week, hopefully, this time the Conservatives will listen.

“I won’t be holding my breath, though, the Conservatives' commitment to addressing the climate emergency has never been worth the paper it was written on.”

While discussing the 2022/23 Budget at Wednesday's meeting, the Lib Dems asked for an amendment to include a Climate Change Officer, but councillors voted to approve the original budget proposals by 23-18.