UPDATE ON CALL TO ACTION

Dear South East Climate Alliance members and supporters,
There has been a lot happening across Surrey and Sussex since our Call to Action was issued.  And nationwide, a bunch more councils have declared a Climate Emergency - most recently Portsmouth, Haringey and Plymouth.  Here's a quick update, some reminders and some suggestions for the next phase of the climate emergency campaign which will focus on the upcoming District and Borough local elections.

Surrey County Council decision
First off, some disappointing news from Surrey.  The climate emergency motion put to the County Council on March 19th was passed, but only after being heavily amended and the term ‘climate emergency’ being removed. The end result was that it was very watered down from the original. Here's a press report of the meeting.  Observers commented that many of the councillors seemed poorly informed about climate change and its implications. We can learn from this, especially that it seems a significant education process is needed for councillors. Dorking Climate Emergency group are now planning to focus on the approaching district elections, getting people to ask relevant questions to candidates & also contacting each one by letter.  

West Sussex County Council
West Sussex County Council is next on the list.  Their postponed climate emergency motion is due to be debated on April 5^th.  There is still time for letter writing to councillors. So if you have groups you haven’t approached yet, or people you know who live in other wards in West Sussex, please keep up the stream of letters. The more letters councillors get from ‘ordinary’ people the more they may be encouraged to vote for the motion. Here is the link again with information about letter writing to pass on: West Sussex Call to Action
 
Given the feedback from Surrey, it would be even better if you can arrange to meet your county councillor to discuss the motion. Building up constructive relationships with them on this issue will stand us in good stead for the future.  The indications from meetings held so far are that councillors are responsive to personal contacts, but may need persuading that the climate emergency movement isn't just a bandwagon.  
 
It would be good if we can all help in drumming up support for the demonstration outside County Hall, Chichester on April 5^th, the day of the debate. A large peaceful crowd of concerned citizens will help to put over the message. Here’s a SECA poster to print out or, better still, make your own message. Meet at 9.45am at the Market Cross. Here’s Worthing Climate Action Networks facebook page for the event.
 
District and Borough council elections
Elections for District and Borough councillors will take place on May 2^nd (County council elections won’t happen again until 2021). The election campaign period during April will be a great opportunity for us to reach out to candidates of all parties and try to get climate change and declaring a climate emergency well and truly on their radar.
 
So now is the time to start planning how we can do this in our local groups. If you have suggestions please share them on the SECA closed facebook group or email SECA on southeastclimatealliance@gmail.com. We will send out a summary of these suggestions ASAP after the steering group on 2^nd April.
Here are some starter suggestions:

• Take photos of candidates with their name on a pledge card, then share on social media, making sure you tag in @SECA_UK (on Twitter) and @seclimatealliance (on Facebook)
• If you are a member of a political party, you could raise the issue of declaring a climate emergency at the next meeting (and take a pledge card along with you)
• Start another letter writing campaign in your local area, this time to all the candidates. Write yourselves, get friends and neighbours to write as well asking the candidates if they would support a climate emergency motion if they were elected.
• Meet up with the candidates, discuss climate change with them, raise the concept of declaring a climate emergency. Point them to the SECA website.
• Are there any hustings being organised in your area? Can you put a question? Or can you invite the candidates to a meeting of your local group to put questions to them?

A list of candidates should be published on your local council website from April 4^th.

Many thanks for your help and support on the campaign.
Best regards,
Sally
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Sally Barnard, Coordinator – South East Climate Alliance (SECA)
on behalf of the SECA steering group
Website:  www.seclimatealliance.uk       Email:  southeastclimatealliance@gmail.com