THE first ever Green chairman of Stroud District Council has wasted no time in pushing the climate change agenda.

Councillor Norman Kay, who made history last week ago by being elected the Green Party’s first chairman at Ebley Mill, has nominated local environmental organisation Transition Stroud as his official charity.

As a member of Nailsworth Climate Action Group himself, Cllr Kay is hoping this choice will put environmental issues right at the top of the agenda at the council.

The former Nailsworth mayor also wants to see all councillors sitting on SDC given some form of targeted training on climate awareness issues in the future.

On taking office at the council’s annual general meeting, he said: “I am exceedingly aware of this honour, and I thank council for the opportunity to be your chair.

“I will do my best to serve council and the whole district for the next year.

“This is period of grave peril to all humankind through global warming and climate change. It will affect our country profoundly.

“Some areas will disappear underwater. Our productive agricultural land will be significantly affected.”

The councillor for Horsley added: “Therefore I want to promote the activities of the Transition towns and similar movements in the district, partly in raising some funds for them as the opportunity arises and partly by encouraging their educational activities.”

The Transition Towns movement currently has two groups in the district, in Stroud and in the Cam and Dursley area.

Erik Wilkinson, one of the voluntary directors of Transition Stroud said the organisation “works for a positive future with more locally grown food, less waste, affordable sustainable energy, better transport and strong communities”.

“All are welcome and everyone is needed to help reduce our carbon footprint. We are excited and grateful that Norman Kay, as the new chair of Stroud District Council has decided to focus on this key issue.

“We divide our work into three parts – engagement activities such as our film evenings, learning activities such as our SkillsGain programme and action activities such as our Edible Stroud or Repair Cafe.

“We are non-political and seek to engage all the population in the issue of climate change.

"For it is the only issue - in that it subsumes all others.”