Do you want to see electric car charging points installed in Rother District Council (RDC) car parks in Rye? Or do you want to see trees protected and more trees planted around the town? If so, RDC is asking for your input and have launched their draft environmental strategy covering the years 2020-2030.
Their Environment Strategy and Action Plan has three broad policy themes:
Clean growth – ensuring the impact of development is not detrimental to the environment, and that they consider the environment through their planning policies and economic regeneration initiatives.
Healthy places – putting in place policies and encouraging initiatives which have a positive impact on the environment and the district.
Sustainable services – leading by example and ensuring that minimum impact on the environment is core to the council’s operations and services provision.
RDC have encapsulated their vision into one paragraph: ‘The air will be cleaner as the need to travel will be reduced and those of us that do travel will travel by bike, public transport, electric vehicle, or on foot. The natural and built environment will be enhanced and protected for current and future communities.
'The council will be a carbon neutral organisation; the district will be tackling and adapting to climate change. More energy will come from renewable or low-carbon sources, such as solar. Fewer people will live in fuel poverty. Waste will be reduced. The district will be resilient to the impacts of climate change including heatwaves, droughts and flooding. We will each use less water. Everyone will play their role in reducing their impact on the environment.’
RDC recognise that many of the changes required are outside of their control. Where this is the case, they have committed to work with partners to develop a district-wide action plan, or lobby the appropriate authorities where necessary.
This strategy, and its delivery plan, aim for both the council and district to be carbon neutral by 2030, 20 years ahead of the national UK target. This is a huge challenge for the council and can’t be achieved without your input so have your say here.
The deadline for you to submit your comments is still currently May 18, but this may be extended. The previously arranged public events have been cancelled due to the ongoing Covid-19 lock-down and Rother will be confirming if these events will be rescheduled.
