With just a few weeks left to complete the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Council’s consultation on developing its 2025 Climate Strategy, we would like to make a few suggestions to help anyone who wants to respond by 31st December 2024.
You might have already sent a response, but please consider resubmitting if you agree with the points we’ve made below and hadn’t included them earlier.
This article won’t tell you how to answer every question, but it will offer some ideas for further thought and action alongside the multiple choice options available.
We’ve highlighted our suggestions in green below. Consider rephrasing them in your own words wherever possible.
Step 1: Visit the website
The online survey here takes around 10-20 minutes to complete, or even less time if you use our suggestions below.
Select “Click here to begin the questionnaire” then press the “Continue” button in the bottom right.
You’ll be asked to explain why you’re responding to the survey and to provide your postcode.
Step 2: Your concerns about climate change
Please share your views and concerns about climate change.
Most of these questions are multiple choice, so we have only added suggestions that the Council has not already included as selectable options.
Under What measures are you currently taking to address climate change in your daily life?, we’d recommend adding any of the following measures in the “Other” box:
campaigning and protesting, reducing air travel, fossil fuel consumption and waste (not just recycling), responsible investment, voting Green!
Step 3: Changes to your home
In the next section on “Our buildings”, you’ll be asked about what changes you’ve made or want to make to your home.
Under If there are any additional comments you would like to make in regards to your home, please use the space below, you could add:
I want the Council to provide a one-stop-shop service to explain and help me make changes to my home to reduce energy consumption. I want the Council to enforce Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards of homes in the private rented sector. I want more central government support, clearer regulations and standards across local authorities, more accessible grants, interest-free loan schemes and removal of VAT.
Step 4: Transport and air quality
Under If there are any additional comments you would like to make in regards to travel and air quality, please use the space below, we’d suggest adding any of the following:
I want more bus-only lanes to make buses faster and more reliable than travelling by car, more cycle paths and cycle parking, introduce differential parking charges for more polluting vehicles, Low Traffic Neighbourhoods linked to key school routes, last-mile delivery schemes, fully electric vehicle fleets within the next two years, more charging points, stronger action to reduce idling, aircraft emissions and noise.
Step 5: Our resources
Under Where would you like to see more investment across Richmond Borough?, we’d recommend adding any of the following in the “Other” box:
climate awareness training, conserving and restoring biodiversity (including net gain commitments from new developments), community food growing projects, divestment from high carbon intensive industries including pension funds, reducing waste, reporting and reducing the Council’s own emissions, supporting renewable energy generation on Council infrastructure, and continuing to oppose Thames Water’s Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA).
Under If there is one thing that you would like Richmond Council to prioritise, please provide details in the space below, you could add:
support community energy projects, including energy efficiency advice and retrofit coordination.
Step 6: About you
Finally, you can choose to complete the optional questions about your background and leave your email if you would like a copy of your response.
Once again, here’s the link to the online consultation survey. Please submit your response by 31 December 2024, and let us know what you think of the process.
You can also keep track of Richmond Council’s progress by visiting the Council Climate Action Scorecards website, which will be reporting again in 2025.
