Green Party call for Sheffield climate committee

Sheffield Council is reviewing its structure after a petition by campaign group It’s Our City gathered more than five percent of the electorate to trigger a referendum.

Around the time of the next local elections voters will decide if the council changes from its current strong leader and cabinet model to a committee system.

The options for a committee system are currently being investigated by the overview scrutiny committee who will come up with a plan and report back to full council in January next year.

Councillor Douglas Johnson, leader of the Sheffield Green Party and member of the overview scrutiny committee, said focus on the climate crisis should be an essential part of any system.

He said: “The climate crisis is something we all need to address as a matter of urgency and every aspect of council decision-making has an influence on it.

“We are proposing a new, cross-party climate emergency committee to work together and lead on implementing the changes Sheffield needs to make to be resilient for the future.

“Although the council is already looking at its governance needs for the long-term, there is an ideal opportunity to set up a new committee in the short-term. This needs to be done at the earliest opportunity because of the climate emergency.”

The council will soon be launching a consultation on how they operate for residents to get involved in the process.