Scottish councils have been told to put climate change “at the heart” of their decisions less than a day after Perth and Kinross approved £32.5m in extra Cross Tay Link Road spending.
The Accounts Commission is the key independent body that holds councils to account, reporting on their performance.
The body has published a briefing helping local authorities to better consider the climate impacts of their decisions.
Less than a day before it published the briefing, councillors in Perth voted 12 to 4 to approve a 28% rise in spending for the Cross Tay Link Road (CTLR).
This brought the total budget for the project to more than £150 million.
A ‘wake up’ call
Labour councillor Alasdair Bailey proposed a motion calling for the SNP administration to delay or stop the project on climate grounds.
He said: “Hopefully this update from Audit Scotland comes as a wake up call for them, to remind them of what they agreed to in 2019 about the climate emergency.
“Climate change must be at the centre of decision making, not a peripheral thing to be shunted off to a sub committee as seems to be the case in Perth and Kinross.
“Earlier this week, when the £32.5m extra needed for the Cross Tay Link Road was up for debate, its impact on climate change was ignored by the 12 councillors who voted in favour of this environment-wrecking road.”
Flash flooding hit Perth on Wednesday, damaging homes and businesses.
Climate change makes extreme weather events, such as torrential rain and flash flooding, more likely.
Some residents suggested the CTLR money would have been better spent on tackling flooding.
Given the state of the run-off washing away the streets around me this morning, this money needs to be spent on what we already have. I fear the residents around Craigie Burn (and others) have been flooded again this morning for the second time in 3 years.
— David Howe (@Flashywhiskers) September 8, 2022
William Moyes is chair of the Accounts Commission.
On publishing the briefing, he said:
“This is the crucial decade for action on tackling climate change and councils have a critical role in meeting national targets and demonstrating real leadership.”
When asked about Perth and Kinross Council’s extra Cross Tay Link Road spend, a spokesperson added:
“‘Whilst we cannot comment on individual decisions made by councils, our briefing sets out how important it is for councils to take into account climate change impacts when making decisions, so that the actions they take align with their carbon reduction targets.
“We set out a number of mechanisms in the briefing that could help to do this, including climate change impact assessments.”
CTLR spend ‘frankly unconscionable’ during climate crisis
Dr Jill Belch is an opponent of the road project from Scone Community Council. She gave a deputation ahead of Wednesday’s vote, again raising the climate impacts.
She said: “The decision by Perth and Kinross Council to sanction the overspend for the CTLR is frankly unconscionable when we have a climate crisis.
“Other solutions via dialogue with the Scottish Government could have allowed the stopping of this foolish carbon producing project, I am sure.
“It is so disappointing having the biggest ever PKC infrastructure project being a major air and noise polluting road, with a string of houses along it exposed to this pollution and traffic danger.”
PKC is currently working to meet the Scottish Government’s 2045 Net Zero target.
The council has adopted a detailed Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.
Many believe the CTLR is the best answer to congestion problems in Perth city centre.
We approached PKC for comment on the Accounts Committee briefing.
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