Residents will be able to engage directly with the council’s draft climate change adaptation plan and will have a chance to express their views on the proposals and make suggestions.
John Slinger MP and Mary Creagh MP, the Minister for Nature, will address this free event, which will be held at the Benn Hall on 9 November from 10am to 2pm.
It will be in the format of a World Café engagement, and there will also be a marketplace for partner organisations to inform participants of what they do locally and opportunities to get involved. Organisations already signed up to attend include: Warwickshire Wildlife Trust (WWT), Garden Organic, Rugby Eco Hub and Rugby Borough Council’s waste management team.
The key output from the event will be a report reflecting the views and opinions expressed on the day. This will be used to inform the council’s work in relation to climate adaptation.
The climate adaptation action plan will be the first practical step to address climate change on a borough wide basis. Until now the actions taken have tended to focus on developing policy and taking action within the council’s remit, such as energy efficiency measures in council housing.
Speaking about the event, Cllr Alison Livesey, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for operations and traded services, said: “I am really excited that, for the first time, Rugby Borough Council will be engaging residents in a different way. Together we’ll explore how we as a borough adapt to climate change and involve residents directly in a conversation about this hugely important topic.
“Participants will engage with a series of questions about the possible impacts of climate change on the borough and how we should adapt. The outputs of the event will directly influence the final version of our adaptation plan, so this is a real opportunity to influence council policy. It is wonderful to have Mary Creagh MP, the Minister for Nature, address the event, which underlines what an important step forward the event is for Rugby Borough Council.”
Cllr Jerry Roodhouse, Rugby Borough Council's Liberal Democrat group leader, said: "Are you concerned about the changing climate? The weather is changing, we can all see it - more storms, heavy rain. The opportunity at this event is for us to work together and feed into the Borough's adaptation plan which will be used in the coming months. It is a great opportunity, so please come along."
Dan Green, deputy chief executive of Rugby Borough Council, said: “In Rugby, extreme weather events are already being experienced by our communities and they are predicted to become more frequent.
"Residents of the borough have seen first hand the devastation caused by climate change impacts, such as flooding.
"We can no longer talk about climate change as a problem for tomorrow - it is a reality today.
“We must take urgent action to ensure the borough's residents, businesses and communities can continue to thrive.
"We invite all to attend this important event and have their say on the actions we take to adapt to climate change.”
To sign up or find out more, residents can go to: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rugby-borough-councils-climate-adaptation-world-cafe-event-tickets-1031020759847