South Tyneside drops climate emergency pledge

South Tyneside’s climate emergency declaration has been dropped after a vote by the council’s Reform UK members, marking a sharp turn in the borough’s approach to environmental policy. The decision came at Thursday’s full council meeting, where Reform councillors backed a motion to rescind the 2019 pledge despite objections from rival councillors and environmental campaigners.

Cabinet member for housing Steve Smith brought the motion and argued the council could still improve the local environment without keeping the formal declaration in place. His proposal said core services, economic growth and the cost of living should come before climate targets that are not required by law. The motion also called for a review of any policies, targets and spending commitments introduced after the declaration was adopted.

The council was also asked to restate support for clean streets, parks, recycling, flood protection and other environmental services that residents use every day. Smith’s motion said future environmental projects should go ahead only if they are affordable, backed by evidence and offer clear benefits to local people. That language was central to the case made by Reform UK members, who framed the vote as a matter of priorities rather than a rejection of environmental work altogether.

Opponents saw it differently. Green group leader Rachael Taylor said the motion set up a false choice between climate action and good local services. She said the council already weighs affordability, value for money and evidence before spending public money, and argued there was no sign that scrapping the declaration would save money or improve services. Her criticism went to the heart of the political divide: whether the borough needs a formal climate pledge to keep pressure on decision-makers, or whether ordinary council business is enough.