On September 7, 2020, Marlborough Town Council declared a climate emergency and tasked a working party to create an action plan, taking guidance from the approach of similar town councils such as Bradford-on-Avon. At yesterday’s, February 1, Town Council meeting, councillors voted to accept several recommendations from the working party.
These included seeking funding from Wiltshire Council for more electric charging points in the town. Clarification is also needed as to whether the infrastructure is already in place in the High Street to support any further installations.
The recommendations included the plan to extend the Swindon to Marlborough cycle track so that it joins up with the Tesco business estate and then continues through Marleberg Grange to St John’s School.
The working party will also seek clarification from Wiltshire Council on the material considerations placed on planning applications in terms of climate and environmental impacts. Importantly, proposed new housing in the Neighbourhood Plan will be low energy.
Wiltshire Council will also be contacted regarding street lighting. Cllr Mervyn Hall commented, “Replacing the old sodium lights with LED is the most beneficial lighting action we could take.”
If an ecological survey of the Common is carried out in association with the proposal for the third rugby pitch it is suggested that this is expanded to include other open spaces in the town.
The Working Party will invite representatives of the Bradford-on-Avon Climate Emergency group to visit and to share some of their initiatives. They will also contact Danny Kruger MP to seek his support with the work of the group.
The Marlborough Players complete audio play trilogy
