Local residents are being offered the chance to quiz the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoral candidates on their environmental views and policies at a special event, held on Friday 31st March.
The Devolution agreement for the Cambridge-Peterborough area will see the first Mayor elected for the combined authority in May 2017.
Devolution is when certain power, responsibilities and funding are transferred down from Central Government to a local region. This could mean that important decisions are decided by a local combined authority, and could include topics such as housing, transport and infrastructure.
Carly Leonard, CEO of PECT, said: “It’s really important that residents get to hear the views of the mayoral candidates on environmental issues and how these will be factored into decision making. The Combined Authority will oversee ambitious economic plans for many years to come, shaping the future of our area. This is a major opportunity to find out how each of the candidates are considering sustainability and how these plans can not just grow the economy but demonstrate real responsibility to society and the environment.”
The Mayoral Hustings on Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability is being organised by Cambridge Carbon Footprint and Anglia Ruskin University’s Global Sustainability Institute, in association with Cambridge Cleantech. The event will be held at Anglia Ruskin University, and will then be broadcast in a live stream to Guild House, Oundle Road, Peterborough (PE2 9PW).
The Peterborough event will be hosted by the charity Peterborough Environment City Trust, and it will be an opportunity for local residents to watch a live stream of the debate, and pose their questions to the candidates via Twitter, using the hash tag #cpmayor17.
Taking part will be James Palmer (Conservative candidate), Julie Howell (Green), Peter Dawe (Independent), Kevin Price (Labour) and Rod Cantrill (Lib Dem).
Anne Miller, of Cambridge Carbon Footprint, said: “We decided to organise this hustings because the Mayor will have real power over issues that lots of people care about. Whether you want cleaner air, better trains and buses, more energy efficient homes, more abundant nature or more action to prevent climate change; these are all areas the Mayor and the new combined authority, with their responsibility for housing and transport, will have a big say in.”
The event, which begins at 6pm, is free to attend but booking is requested via the Eventbrite page. For more information, call 01733 568408 or email info@pect.org.uk.