A new cross party forum has been set up to oversee East Lothian Council meets it Net Zero commitments led by the county's first Scottish Greens councillor.
Shona McIntosh will chair the local authority's Climate Change and Sustainability Forum after it was approved at a virtual meeting of the full council earlier today.
In 2020 East Lothian Council published its Climate Change Strategy which sets out its commitment to tackling the climate emergency and aims to become a Net Zero Council in a Carbon Neutral East Lothian.
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The forum will be tasked with providing political oversight and ownership of the delivery of the council's climate change strategy with a learning estates review and community assets review expected to be looked at by its members.
Alongside Councillor McIntosh, the forum will include council leader Norman Hampshire, depute leader Councillor Shamin Akhtar, housing spokesperson Councillor Andy Forrest and Councillors Lyn Jardine, SNP and Lachlan Bruce, Conservatives.
East Lothian Council Leader, Norman Hampshire, said: “The recent COP 26 meeting highlighted both the urgency and the need for individuals, businesses and governments at all levels to work together to tackle the challenges of climate change.
“The new forum is an exciting initiative which recognises the challenges ahead but also demonstrates the collaborative efforts and commitments required to deliver on achieving our key objectives for the organisation and the wider county.”
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