Norfolk's Environmental Commitments left hanging by a thread

In 2019 Norfolk County Council promised to plant 1 million new trees within 5 years to help meet its carbon-neutrality target by 2030. 3 years on it has barely hit 1/5 of the total required to keep this commitment.

Rather than fess up to their own incompetence however, the council has decided to buy 800 acres of land at the public’s expense to count towards this target. This comes at a time when council tax rose by its maximum allowed amount this year, and the council already faces a £60m budget shortfall threatening jobs and our crucial services like health & social care.

Why should taxpayers’ cash end up in the pockets of already wealthy landowners to fund papering over the cracks of the council’s incompetence?

By contrast, North Norfolk District Council, which has been Liberal Democrat controlled since 2019 and remained so at the elections in May, have already exceeded their own tree planting target with time to spare. In March, new statistics also revealed that the top 6 councils for recycling nation-wide were all Lib Dem controlled. Norwich & Norfolk could do with more Lib Dem councillors.