\n Reform, which polls show could pose a major threat to Welsh Labour\u2019s dominance of the Senedd at next May\u2019s election, has a four strong group on Torfaen Borough Council.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n When its ruling Labour cabinet discussed a report measuring how it has performed against targets, such as reducing energy use, in its plan to tackle climate change and address threats to the natural environment senior councillors appeared to take aim at Reform.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n Cabinet member, and Pontnewydd councillor, Sue Morgan who has responsibility for sustainability said \u201csome members\u201d of the council claim there a greater threats than climate change but said \u201cthis Labour administration knows better\u201d while council leader Anthony Hunt said the council is committed to action due the threat posed rather than it being \u201csome ultra woke council\u201d.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n Cabinet member David Daniels, who also represents Pontnewydd in Cwmbran, went further and said he would \u201ccall out\u201d Reform who he said don\u2019t want work to address climate change to continue.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n In response Cllr David Thomas, who leads the Reform group on Torfaen council, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the party \u201crespects\u201d the council\u2019s ongoing work on environmental issues but said: \u201cWe reject unscientific alarmism and policies that harm the economy.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n A report for the cabinet highlighted the council has completed, or is on course to achieve, 81 per cent of the actions it said it would take in its five-year climate and nature emergency action plan agreed by the cabinet in February 2022.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n The plan shows, against a baseline year of 2019, the council has reduced emissions from its buildings, vehicles and streetlighting and produced financial savings through lower utility bills.\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n Cllr Morgan said Storm Claudia, which badly impacted neighbouring Monmouthshire, demonstrated the real threat to \u201cour beautiful valley and wellbeing of our families\u201d.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n She said: \u201cThat should leave us in no doubt, if we ever were, this is no time to put our heads in the sand or fingers in our ears.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cSome members of this council may want to convince us the threats come from other directions or might want to divert us to issues of traffic management or pseudo patriotic gestures but this Labour administration knows better.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n Addressing the financial impact Cllr Morgan said it would be \u201cworth paying\u201d even if it cost the council but said it is saving money and bringing in funds: \u201cThe report clearly shows our work to tackle these twin emergencies is bringing in considerable external funding and lower running costs for the council, community organisations and buildings and that is freeing money for teachers, community support and a thousand other things.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n