A Bracknell councillor has been accused of using her position of power to ‘demean and belittle’ a petitioner at a recent council meeting. 

Member of the Bracknell Climate Action Group (BCAG) Kathryn O’Neil presented a petition containing 700 signatories to the council on November 30, which called on the local authority to declare a climate emergency. 

Ms O’Neil urged the council to take “urgent and decisive action to tackle the climate catastrophe” by developing a “measurable, ambitious, target-driven strategy” for the local community. 

Many neighbouring boroughs, such as Wokingham, Reading and Windsor, have already declared a climate emergency as they seek to reach the goal of net zero by 2050. 

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Ms O’Neil called on Bracknell Forest Council to listen to the signatories and do the same. 

She added: “Many spoke to us about their fears for their own futures and the future of their children.” 

Executive Member for the Environment Cllr Dorothy Hayes responded to Ms O’Neil’s petition by saying she will “indulge her”. 

Cllr Hayes stated that climate change has “been a priority” of the council since 2007 and suggested that it was “a shame that Ms O’Neil and her group had missed [her] last speech on this topic in July.” 

The Executive Member suggested that Ms O’Neil “clearly hasn’t googled the words ‘Bracknell Forest’ and ‘climate change’” as if she had done so the answers to her petition would “have clearly presented themselves”. 

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“If help is needed to access the internet, I am sure that our library staff would be more than willing to show how to get to such information as part of our warm hub initiative.” 

During an almost 20-minute repost to the petitioner,  Cllr Hayes said she hoped the “lack of knowledge is an access issue rather than […] an inconvenient truth”. 

Adding: “The truth being that this council has a long and successful programme of addressing man-made climate change head on.” 

Leader of the Labour Group at Bracknell Forest Council, Mary Temperton has called the councillors response “appalling” 

Cllr Temperton went on to say: “She was vehemently antagonistic and showed no respect or courtesy. Knowing the Petitioner could not respond or defend herself; Cllr Hayes used her position of power to demean and belittle. 

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Cllr Hayes said she “applauds and supports” everyone who is passionate about climate change”, with the petition providing the opportunity to “highlight this important subject and talk about what we have achieved”. 

She noted the groups “good intentions” but said the petition called for actions that the council “had already completed” – such as a climate change strategy that the council passed a motion on in 2019. 

“We have spoken with Ms O’Neil on a number of occasions and sought her views on tackling man-made climate change – both at public meetings and with council officers – her views and advice have been an integral part of shaping our strategy and approach.  

“We are thankful for her expertise and knowledge and are sorry that on this occasion she feels she was undervalued; this was never our intention”.