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£250,000 fund to stop climate change is axed
Green campaigners have hit out at a plan to scrap Lancashire's climate change fund.
The new county council leader Coun Geoff Driver wants to axe the 250,000-a-year grants to community groups aimed at reducing carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.
Instead, the Conservative wants to use the money to improve gullies and drainage across the county to help prevent future flooding.
But Friends of the Earth has joined the Labour opposition group in attacking the plans as "short-sighted" and is demanding that they are reconsidered.
The fund's previous projects have included wind turbine, carbon capture and micro-renewable energy schemes.
Coun Driver said: "Like everybody else I think we should reduce our carbon output, but climate change is already upon us and the people of Lancashire are being flooded out as the gullies cannot drain water away.
"I think the higher priority is to clean the gullies out.
"All we are doing with that 250,000 climate change grant money is making a political gesture and while we are doing it people are being flooded out."
But Marion Seed, joint co-ordinator of the Central Lancashire Friends of the Earth, said: "Some of our leaders are more concerned about whether they will get elected tomorrow rather than whether people will have a chance against climate change.
"I do regret that there is this either/or thing going on. Improving gullies and drains is necessary but we really should not be dismissing climate change.
"Measures to stop climate change should not be seen as an extra and should be part of the budget to help people within the community to do something.
"It's a great shame that he (Coun Driver) is thinking like that."
Labour Coun Jennifer Mein, opposition leader at Lancashire County Council, said: "I tend to feel the same as Friends of the Earth.
"If Coun Driver wants to put extra money into gully cleaning, there are other resources and money available to do that.
"He is being very short-sighted in taking away this climate change fund as we need to encourage the public generally to make an effort to reduce the effect of climate change and every small step is important."
The climate change fund has given out thousands to groups through the county's Lancashire Local groups.
These include Broughton Pre-School, which won 11,830 to pay for underfloor and attic space insulation and new wall cladding.
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Weather for Preston
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -3 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light sleet
Temperature: 3 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
