SALISBURY City Council has pledged to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) bill - but it proved a divisive topic for councillors.

The bill was discussed during a meeting on March 7.

Cllr John Wells told the meeting the bill would "actively improve the natural world by protecting and restoring The UK's eco systems" and establish a citizens assembly to recommend measures in a new climate and ecological emergency strategy.

He felt the city council should "actively and publicly" support it.

However, the motion was slammed as "politicking" by Conservative councillor Charles McGrath who said he could not support.

Claiming that it "cheapened" the work already done by councillors and the cross-party commitment on this.

He said "a lot of good work" had already been done on the climate action plan adding: "Hopefully it will produce something that is really fruitful and send the council in the right direction."

Cllr Annie Riddle didn't understand why it was "politicking" and why supporting this bill, which it had been urged to do so by various environmental groups in the city, would undo anything which was echoed by Cllr Ian Tomes.

"This isn't about one or the other," he added. "These issues are actually bigger than just the city council."

Fellow Conservative Cllr Jeremy Nettle said: "I would rather see us do something more practical than say we are going to sign up to this and walk away and then say alright that's another tick in the box."

Adding that the CEE bill "does nothing to influence local people here in Salisbury which we have a massive opportunity to do in getting people moving forward".

Mayor Caroline Corbin expressed her surprise at the opposition by Conservative councillors.

The meeting heard the motion to support the bill had actually come from the public.

Deputy mayor Cllr Tom Corbin added: "It shows we are trying to be serious about this and still trying to lobby government and still active both trying to represent our community at local level but also trying to reflect that upwards."

And Cllr Wells felt the bill would give what the council were trying to achieve "greater impetus" adding: "We have very limited capacity to affect climate change as Salisbury City Council but if we can support this bill that will certainly help us in trying to achieve what we are trying to achieve as a council."

The council voted to support the bill and that the mayor write to MP John Glen to lobby for his support.

Get more Salisbury news. 

You can also like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date, as well as signing up for one of our newsletters.

If you want online news with fewer ads, unlimited access and reader rewards - plus a chance to support our local journalism - find out more about registering or a digital subscription.

Email newsdesk@salisburyjournal.co.uk with your comments, pictures, letters and news stories.