CHESHIRE East Council has voted to back the UK100 pledge despite claims from one councillor it would cost £5 billion to achieve the carbon zero aims across the borough by 2045.

The motion, proposed by Knutsford councillor Quentin Abel was that Cheshire East makes the UK100 pledge and asks the relevant committee to determine whether the council should join the UK100 Network.

Following some opposition from councillors it was carried with 40 votes in favour, 10 against and 19 abstaining.

Cllr Abel told the full council: "This is the most pressing and important issue that we face as mankind and as a planet.

"This proposal builds on what we have already agreed to do and what we are successfully achieving in Cheshire East."

He said the UK100 pledge 'unleashes the power of our industries and our businesses to move further, and to take direct action'.

"I speak as the owner of a small business [in Manchester] who has indeed done this.

"Often during the week, we are actually net zero and we are achieving that and, when we have excess energy, we give it to Manchester," he said.

Cllr Tony Dean said: "I support this motion in both of its parts, as I believe it will give us even more impetus to carry out the climate change mitigation actions that we've already agreed in this council."

But Wilmslow West and Chorley councillor Mark Goldsmith told the meeting: "I won't commit Cheshire East to a wild promise, costing billions, based on a flimsy-three page motion at the end of the council meeting."

He said: "Cheshire East has already made a commitment that its own activities will be carbon zero by 2025 and we are well on the way to making this happen.

"However this motion says Cheshire East will ensure all its residents and businesses will also be carbon zero by 2045.

"However, just removing all the borough's gas boilers alone will cost around £1bn and these only account for about 20 per cent of our collective emissions, so this pledge will cost £5bn or more to achieve.

"So on what basis is Cheshire East being asked to fund this £5bn investment? Well, there's almost none whatsoever.

"Promising the earth with no way of knowing how we will achieve it, seriously undermines the council's credibility.

"Our word is our bond. We recklessly gamble with our reputation by making such a big, big promise on such flimsy and inadequate plans."

He said the money spent on a £40,000 management report for this could be better used to pay for social workers.

Congleton's Cheshire East councillors had no further comment.

The pledge includes making Cheshire East's services and premises emit no carbon emissions.

Cheshire East HQ is on Westfields, Middlewich Rd, Sandbach, seven miles from Congleton.

See also: Congleton to host Climate Festival and Green Fayre ahead of COP26

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