| Cambridge City Council Elections | |
|---|---|
| Polling Date | 2nd May 2019 |
| Ward | Abbey |
| Candidates (by Surname) | Naomi BENNETT (Green Party) Boris BOYD (Renew) Jake BUTT (Liberal Democrat) Haf DAVIES (Labour Party) David SMITH (Conservative Party) |
Question 1.
Do you agree that elected officials should now be responding to climate change as an emergency? Please answer yes or no. If ‘yes’, what do you mean by this? If ‘no’, why not?
| Naomi BENNETT (Green Party) | Yes; although it should have been considered an emergency years ago. To deal effectively with this emergency, every decision made by the City Council must have climate change as the starting point for discussion and action. As with any emergency, it needs strong leadership. We need officials willing to actively promote and push policies to minimise our carbon footprint, protect our environment and prepare for the impact climate change will have in Cambridge. |
| Boris BOYD (Renew) | We were unable to contact this candidate |
| Jake BUTT (Liberal Democrat) | This candidate did not respond to the questionnaire |
| Haf DAVIES (Labour Party) | Yes, elected officials should certainly respond to climate change as an emergency. The science is clear; we must take action now to ensure that the current crisis does not become a catastrophe. In order to protect our environment, tackle climate change, and create a sustainable future we need immediate and radical action, both in terms of changing individual behavior but crucially also by changing our social and economic systems. That’s why it’s key that elected officials understand the urgency and respond accordingly. Sustainability and achieving net carbon neutrality should be at the heart of all of our decisions. |
| David SMITH (Conservative Party) | This candidate did not respond to the questionnaire |
Question 2
Do you support the setting of a net zero carbon target for the city of Cambridge? If ‘Yes’ when do you think we should be aiming for Cambridge to be net zero carbon? If ‘no’, why not?
| Naomi BENNETT (Green Party) | Yes. The Green Party proposed a plan to the Cambridge City Council to make the target 2030. This was sadly rejected. It was not properly adopted a second time when the Council finally declared a climate emergency this year. We maintain that 2030 is the latest target we should be aiming for. In addition, a clear road map needs to be proposed to achieve this. |
| Boris BOYD (Renew) | We were unable to contact this candidate |
| Jake BUTT (Liberal Democrat) | This candidate did not respond to the questionnaire |
| Haf DAVIES (Labour Party) | Yes, Cambridge should definitely have a net zero carbon target. I support the City Council’s work to create Cambridge Climate Charter to set out how Cambridge can be zero carbon by 2030. The Charter will identify actions for the city and the council, will push for organisations and businesses across Cambridge to take up Carbon Management Plans, and will be a call to action to Government and other bodies to provide the resources and cooperation needed to achieve this target- the sooner the better. We need to work together to achieve carbon neutrality, and I will fully support the Labour Council’s effort to bring people together to create a zero carbon Cambridge. As well as supporting work to improve home efficiencies across Cambridge, if I am elected, I will campaign for a more sustainable transport infrastructure, from putting measures in place to encourage the roll out of electric vehicles, to upgrading our cycle infrastructure (I’m very excited to see works begin on the Chisholm Trail in Abbey), to improving public transport networks so that they are greener and more dependable, affordable, and accessible to as many people as possible. Reducing car journeys is key to reducing Cambridge’s carbon footprint and improving our air quality. |
| David SMITH (Conservative Party) | This candidate did not respond to the questionnaire |
Question 3
Cambridge City Council is a central organisation in Cambridge. What do you think its role is in local leadership in relation to climate action? What specific additional actions in relation to climate change do you support the City Council doing in the coming 12 months?
| Naomi BENNETT (Green Party) | Around the city the council should:- Improve green spaces, and increase tree planting. In tree removal planning applications have the default response be refusal, unless excellent reasoning can be shown for the need to remove the tree. Require new builds incorporate planting, and also to incorporate low carbon building materials, and technologies such as solar panels to generate either electricity or hot water for the building. Work to require buses be emission free, as they contribute a lot to air pollution in the city. This would require working together with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayor. Improve bus routes so that people don’t feel they “have to drive” as public transport is inconvenient. Improve areas where cycling is dangerous to encourage cycling rather than use of cars. Look into nappy recycling services. Many people in Cambridge are using disposable nappies, which – with the right treatment – can be mostly recycled. |
| Boris BOYD (Renew) | We were unable to contact this candidate |
| Jake BUTT (Liberal Democrat) | This candidate did not respond to the questionnaire |
| Haf DAVIES (Labour Party) | I believe the Council’s role is to lead by example by reducing its own emissions and encouraging others to do the same, and to be a campaigning Council on behalf of all Cambridge residents. The City Council leads by example by cutting its own carbon emissions by investing in carbon reduction projects across Council buildings and vehicles. The Council is on track to reduce its emissions by a fifth compared to 2016 levels by next year, and is taking decisive steps including proposing a Clean Air Zone in the city centre and planting thousands more trees. The Council can also use its leadership role within Cambridge to encourage change throughout the city. For example, regular Climate Leaders events facilitate discussion between major organisations, campaign groups and other stakeholders, and the Cambridge Climate Charter will call on groups, businesses, and individuals to adopt Carbon Management Plans. As a central Cambridge organisation, the Council can also campaign on behalf of all Cambridge residents. The City Council has signed the Charter for Cleaner Air and has declared a Climate Emergency, and I fully support the Council’s upcoming work to create the Cambridge Climate Charter and to declare a Biodiversity Emergency. In making these interventions, the Council serves as a voice for the city, showing that protecting the environment is a top priority and calling on Government and other bodies to join us in fighting climate change. |
| David SMITH (Conservative Party) | This candidate did not respond to the questionnaire |
Question 4
Green spaces and trees remove carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the atmosphere, provide shade, help reduce flooding and often contribute to a feeling of well being. Would you support a more ambitious tree planting programme in Cambridge city? Also, suggestions have been made recently to create new areas of woodland around Cambridge. Would you support ambitious tree planting programmes around Cambridge city?
| Naomi BENNETT (Green Party) | Yes and yes. Reforestation is critical and Cambridge needs to play its part. This could be a fantastic opportunity to combine climate action with education, by having school children do trips to learn about reforestation, and to plant trees. |
| Boris BOYD (Renew) | We were unable to contact this candidate |
| Jake BUTT (Liberal Democrat) | This candidate did not respond to the questionnaire |
| Haf DAVIES (Labour Party) | I am fully in support of Labour’s ambitious scheme to plant 7,000 new trees across the city, with the aim of planting 16,000 new trees by 2030. Trees are crucial to our local environments, making our areas healthier, greener, and contributing to residents’ wellbeing. We can already see the benefits of the new trees that are being planted in Abbey, and I look forward to seeing more. If elected I would support and work with Council colleagues to help ensure the delivery of the tree planting programme and the exciting plans for new wildflower gardens, and I would support planting new areas of woodland around the city too. |
| David SMITH (Conservative Party) | This candidate did not respond to the questionnaire |
Question 5
Finally, do you know the size of your own Carbon Footprint? Can you identify one thing you’d like to change but haven’t yet managed to move your own carbon footprint towards zero carbon?
| Naomi BENNETT (Green Party) | I have estimated my carbon footprint using an online calculator as 3.8 which as you would expect from a Green activist is below average. My biggest carbon footprint issue is computing and internet. There seem to be a lot of trade-offs – and it’s difficult to be sure that you’re making the right choices. |
| Boris BOYD (Renew) | We were unable to contact this candidate |
| Jake BUTT (Liberal Democrat) | This candidate did not respond to the questionnaire |
| Haf DAVIES (Labour Party) | I have calculated my Carbon Footprint and am taking steps to reduce it. For example, I eat a vegetarian diet, buy clothes second hand, and use my bike as my main form of transport. My carbon reduction goal this year is to reduce my packaging waste, particularly in relation to food packaging. I buy loose fruit and vegetables when I can, but all too often there’s too much packaging associated with the food we buy. One way I want to reduce waste and eat sustainably is by starting to grow some vegetables at home, as well as buying plastic-free from the market and grocers when possible. Given this goal, I’m particularly excited that Cambridge is aiming for the silver Sustainable Food City accreditation later this year. |
| David SMITH (Conservative Party) | This candidate did not respond to the questionnaire |