Seaton Town Council declares a carbon neutrality date and community meeting

2030 is the target date for Seaton to achieve carbon neutrality with the support of the community.  The decision made by Seaton Town Council, follows East Devon District Council’s declaration with a target of 2040 and Devon County Council’s declaration with a target of 2050.

By working together with members of the community, who will be invited to take part in public meetings and discuss topics such as housing, biodiversity, food and transport in Seaton, Seaton Town Council is optimistic this target will be met. The first local meeting will be held on the 16th October, at the Marshlands centre. Following a short introduction, topical breakout sessions will allow the community to give their personal opinions, knowledge and key detail. The community will be invited throughout the process to share their suggestions that the council can include in all future town plans and policies.

Cllr Martin Shaw, Devon County and Seaton Town Councillor says: “Responding to the Climate Emergency is paramount to Seaton as a community. Our challenge, to take action to reduce our net carbon emissions as quickly as possible, will be supported by a set of policies that will be created by the council and the community whose input is vital in achieving this target”.

Seaton Town Council has developed a working party to help brief the public and reach the target date. Cllrs Antoniou, Ledger, Shaw and Singh will form the working party. Suggestions on achieving neutrality were discussed at last night’s full council meeting and include pushing the council towards being paperless, investigating energy use throughout the town council assets and looking to move away from fossil fuels and towards electric vehicles for the town council fleet. 

East Devon District Councillor and working party member Cllr Dan Ledger says: “The first town meeting about the carbon neutrality target is being held in October and we are keen to start achieving this goal with the support of the community. Public participation is essential for any form of success in what we are trying to achieve for Seaton. I hope as many members of the public get behind the scheme and feed their ideas back to the Council so that we can form a comprehensive, fully engaging plan to take us forward together”.