Sam Riches joined the Cabinet of Lancaster City Council just a few weeks ago and one of her first duties was to play a small part in recognising the fantastic work that the Green-led administration has been undertaking in tackling the Climate Emergency. Along with other councillors, she attended the prestigious MJ Achievement Awards ceremony in London last week, where Lancaster triumphed in the category Leadership in Responding to the Climate Emergency.
The award is in recognition for work in delivering the Climate Emergency Local Plan Review, which focused on how new developments can be made better for nature, that homes are highly energy efficient and that residents are better protected from flooding, receive lower fuel bills and have better access to travel.
Leader of Lancaster City Council, Green Cllr Caroline Jackson in (orange dress) receiving the Leadership in Responding to the Climate Emergency award, with Sam Riches to Caroline’s right(navy dress) and Lib Dem Deputy Leader Cllr Peter Jackson to Sam’s right, and Council Officers . Far left, star of radio and TV Sally Phillips ,who presented the awards. Photo by Mark Mercer with permission of Hemming Group Ltd.
Sam Riches writes:
It was a great pleasure to attend the prestigious MJ Achievement Awards ceremony in London on Friday 20 June, which is billed as an opportunity to ‘Celebrate the stars of local government’. Lancaster City Council was shortlisted in several categories, including Local Authority of the Year. That is clear testament to the efforts made by council officers and elected members to work with and for the communities across our district.
We triumphed in the category ‘Leadership in Responding to the Climate Emergency’. I’m standing between our own Cllr Caroline Jackson, in her role as Leader of the Council, and Cllr Peter Jackson of the Lib Dems who is Deputy Leader. Up until a few weeks ago it would have been Cllr Gina Dowding rather than me in the line-up, and we owe a great debt of gratitude to Gina for the work that she has done with the Climate Action team – she will now be putting equal energy into her new role as Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition at the County Council. The political leadership shown by Gina and Caroline in particular, and other Greens more generally, has been crucial in getting the Council to the position where it has merited this recognition.
The citation said:
‘Lancaster has shown determined leadership by embedding climate action at the core of planning policy. Punching above its weight, it has challenged national barriers through its climate-first Local Plan. Judges praised its quiet confidence, community engagement and national influence. Lancaster is an excellent blueprint for local leadership on the climate emergency.‘
A short video featuring Caroline’s reaction to the award, alongside the responses of some of the key officers:
Representatives of Lancaster City Council’s Climate Action team at the MJ Awards, by permission of Hemming Group Ltd. Photo by Mark Mercer.
More on this story from the Lancaster Guardian