Calls for Northants councils to end investment in fossil fuels

Motions have been put forward in the North and West

By Natalie Bloomer

Northamptonshire’s unitary councils will consider motions this week which could see a move away from investment in fossil fuels by their Local Government Pension Scheme. 

UK council pension funds currently invest almost £10bn in fossil fuels with £59m of that coming from Northamptonshire, according to research by campaign groups Platform and Friends of the Earth.

Now, motions from the Lib Dems in the West and the Greens in the North have been put forward calling for the councils to divest from fossil fuels with both stating that doing so would be ‘one of the most impactful steps’ the authorities could take to reduce their impact on climate change. 

The North and West have a joint pension fund and decision making and the management of it have been delegated to a Pensions Committee.

There have been frustrations in the West over delays to the council’s climate strategy. Councillors had been expecting a briefing three weeks ago with a consultation going out to the public ab…