Croydon Climate Action’s Draft Mayoral Pledge

Croydon Climate Action has drafted a set of proposals which it will ask the Mayoral candidates to agree to. If you have any comments for amendments please let them know by Friday next week (21 January) to croydonclimateaction@gmail.com

MAYORAL PLEDGE

We ask all Croydon Mayoral candidates to commit to the following measures:

On taking office:

1. Commit the council to fully implementing all 23 Recommendations of the March 2021 Croydon Climate Crisis Commission Report and communicate progress at least annually.

• Commit to working relentlessly to seek out ways and opportunities to reduce emissions and environmental impacts.

• Instigate a full audit of Councillors’ and senior officers’ skills and knowledge relevant to the climate emergency and the above commitments to take place within the first year, to be followed with a plan to fill any identified gaps.

Within the first term, use the power and public profile of the Mayor to develop, promote or support policies or programmes to:

• Protect, promote and increase tree cover and greenspace on council land and use tax and planning measures to incentivise the same on private land.

This would be demonstrated by:

• Mature, healthy trees and woodland protected from development
• Unused green spaces such as verges, roundabouts and the boundaries of council-managed sports pitches left to grow wild; the reasons publicised and signs and boundary markings used as necessary
• A significant area of each public park reserved as a demarcated wildlife habitat
• Neighbouring green spaces linked by safe wildlife pathways
• Disincentives in the planning process or local tax regime leading to a reduced number of paved over gardens or other green space

• Monitor, report on and take action against breaches of environmental obligations

• Air pollution levels measured hourly at sites across the borough and published in real time, if possible, otherwise within days
• Environmental clauses included in all supplier contracts
• Monitoring, publication, and enforcement action taken against breaches of contracts by council suppliers or planning rules and legislation by any company or organisation in the borough which increase pollution, energy use or waste or otherwise have a harmful environmental effect
• 20mph speed limits visibly enforced where they are in place and the number of speeding fines in these locations published
• The climate impact of all proposed council policies is analysed and published before their adoption

• Promote sustainability through local schools

• Encouraging Croydon schools to become Eco Schools and STARs schools
• Challenges set and awards given for school environmental activity

• Use Council resources and Croydon’s position as London Borough of Culture 2023 to support and publicise local sustainability projects

• A borough-wide green composting scheme available to all residents
• Community gardening and farmers’ markets publicised using council channels
• Community-managed sustainable services used and promoted by the council