Madam,

You report that Aberystwyth Town Council has declared a ‘Climate and Biodiversity Emergency’. The town’s mayor sees this as a way of putting pressure on ‘the higher levels of government’ to do things.

But what about things that the town council already has direct control over? If trees could speak, the mature poplars and cypresses that the town council is now cutting down in North Road park would have argued passionately, even begged, to be included in this ‘state of emergency’.

But over the last three years that case has had to be made by a small local campaign, which was easily brushed aside by the town council. Those trees were extracting CO2 from the atmosphere and providing habitat for other species – exactly what is required in a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency.

But now they are being butchered by an elected public body which seeks to benefit from association with concern for the plight of the environment, while simultaneously worsening that plight on the ground.

And now, the Cambrian News also reports, Cyngor Sir Ceredigion may declare a similar ‘state of emergency’ – but unfortunately too late for the long row of mature trees on the B4337 near Llanrhystud.

Around Christmas-time these trees were massacred, with the permission of the county council, so that a new and unnecessary dwelling could be built in open countryside – in direct contravention of a recommendation from the council’s own planning department.

If councils want to pose as saviours of the planet, it really would be more credible if they begun by changing their own behaviour.

Yours etc, Dave Bradney, Joppa, Llanrhystud.

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