Questions raised over Perth and Kinross Council climate committee's own sustainability

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Perth and Kinross Council's Climate Change and Sustainability Committee's own sustainability has once again been questioned after its latest meeting was removed from the council calendar.The committee had been due to meet publicly on Wednesday, February 19 at 1pm but the meeting is no longer on the online schedule.The local authority said it was taking "a different approach to business" with a presentation being given to councillors; however it is understood there were no items of business on the agenda.Perth and Kinross Council released a statement that "instead of the usual agenda, councillors will be treated to a showcase of community-driven projects that have received funding through the Green Living Fund".In May 2024, Perth and Kinross councillors voted against a call to combine the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee with the Economy and Infrastructure Committee to save time and money.Councillors Angus Forbes and Noah Khogali tabled a proposal to councillors to combine the two committees.

The Conservative councillors argued the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee - formed in 2022 - "regularly has very little business to conduct other than general 'housekeeping' council business".

They argued there was "an opportunity for efficiency in merging the two committees".But deputy council leader Eric Drysdale said the proposal to abolish the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee would "send out all the wrong signals to the public".

Fellow SNP councillor Ken Harvey said it would be "going backwards".Independent councillor Dave Cuthbert added: "It's not quantity but quality that matters."Councillors voted by 24 votes to 14 to reject the proposal.