Dorset Council declared a climate and ecological emergency in May 2019. Sincethen they have been gathering facts and writing a strategy and action plan. The Strategy and Action plan are now out for public consultation until 20th January 2021.
Dorset Action with a range of partner organisations have come together to hold online People’s Assemblies to help people have their say as part of the consultation process.
One of the organisers Caz Dennett explained that “In their strategy Dorset Council recognise that global warming, climate change and species loss is real. They state, “we have only 8-10 years at the current rate, within which serious action is required to avert this crisis and avoid the worst impacts”. However, the strategy and action plan works to a 20 year timeframe to become a net zero carbon Council and 30 years to be a net zero carbon county. There’s disconnect here. So it’s vital this is discussed as part of the consultation process, so people can share their views and suggest how to make the strategy more ambitious and help improve the plan.”
The Peoples Assemblies will provide an opportunity for people across Dorset to talk with each other about the emergency and Dorset Council’s response to it. The Peoples Assemblies held in February this year to collect and submit ideas to Dorset Council as part of their Climate Ideas Inquiry were well attended and well received.
During the Assemblies facilitators will collect everyone’s comments, opinions, ideas fears and questions. They will be in a summarised and submitted to the formal Dorset Council consultation process, on behalf of the Assembly participants. This means that everyone’s contribution will be heard by the Council.
Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, is very keen to see as many Dorset residents as possible participate in the consultation. Organisers are hoping that the Peoples Assemblies will help in achieving this and everyone should feel encouraged to make their own individual submission on the consultation. In fact it’s really important that they do. It’s easy to access on the Dorset Council website: Dorset Council’s Public Consultation
Above: People’s Assembly for Dorset Council Climate Ideas Consultation, Weymouth, Feb 2020
“The more people who come to these Assemblies the more weight our collective voice will have in the final consideration Dorset Council give to the action plan. Many Councillors in Dorset have expressed their support for these events and everyone is welcome to attend. So come along and lend your voice to this historical consultation,” said co-organiser Julie-Ann Booker.
The dates of Assemblies in November are Saturday 21st at 2pm, Monday 23rd at 10am, Weds 25th at 12.30pm and Thursday 26th at 7.30pm.
The Assemblies are being held online and if anyone doesn’t have access to the Internet they can still join in by phone. Information about how to take part can be found here: www.dtaction.co.uk/assembly
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