XR warning over climate assembly

The proposed Citizens’ Climate Assembly for Herefordshire “will just be a meeting of Hereford Extinction Rebellion”, a town councillor has warned.

Coun Mark Franklin made the remark at a full meeting of Bromyard and Winslow Town Council this week.

Bromyard West ward councillor Alan Seldon replied: “You are not alone in thinking that.”

The assembly is intended to be made up of 48 residents chosen from 14,400 randomly selected households, selected to represent the diversity of Herefordshire’s population.

Due to begin sitting in January, its recommendations will inform council policy and spending priorities as Herefordshire aims to become a zero-carbon county by 2030.

Coun Seldon was updating town councillors on several environmental and waste matters at county level. He warned that the council’s plans for waste collection from late 2023, due for approval this week, “will get squawks from residents”.

This foresees a new weekly food collection service, with “residual” (non-recyclable) waste only being collected every three weeks.

Its introduction will coincide with Herefordshire Council taking part-ownership of EnviRecover energy-from-waste facility at Hartlebury near Kidderminster, Coun Seldon said.

“It has never operated at full capacity because it has never had enough residual waste to power it – so has never worked as intended,” he explained.

New appointments to the town council said sustainability issues were among their priorities for Bromyard.

Edina Nagy, a third-year nutrition student, told fellow councillors she would promote farmers’ markets, litter picking, police patrols and neighbourhood watch schemes, and grow-your-own produce.

“I would like to understand how decisions are made, to become a better citizen,” she said.

She was joined by Chris Robinson, a recent Bromyard resident and driver for Malvern Hills District Council, who has recently finished a degree in politics and international relations.

Both were unanimously co-opted and signed declarations of acceptance of office. Ms Nagy will sit on the planning committee, Mr Robinson on finance.

Ms Nagy joins another recent appointment originally from central Europe, Krisztina Patchett, who with Barry Quantrill was appointed last month.

A student of environmental studies, she met Ms Nagy through volunteer litter-picking in the town and shares an interest in sustainability.

Ms Patchett said markets should serve as local “refill stations” for household products to reduce waste.

Town clerk Karen Mitchell said the new appointments “bring a mix of enthusiasm and experience” to the council, but that it still has two vacancies, one of which has to be filled by election.