Tamworth Regional Council adopts Environmental Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan 2022-2026 in pledge to reach net-zero

Tamworth Regional Council has officially adopted the Environmental Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan 2022-2026 following widespread community consultation.

Tamworth Parents and Friends for Climate Action member Alice Milson was one of 58 residents who gave feedback on the plan, with developing a community advisory group a top priority.

"You make a draft plan, and then you go get community feedback, you put that plan into action and then you don't keep talking to the community," she said.

"I don't think that's the way to go about it."

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Before the strategy was adopted at a formal meeting, councillor Marc Sutherland said a community advisory group should be on council's radar in the future.

"If we have the community putting their hand up and being able to provide support, then we should potentially look at options to be able to keep including that level of communication," he said.

The strategy outlines priority areas including water, waste, energy, climate change, circular economy and natural environment.

Council has pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, reduce emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and develop an emissions reduction plan by 2025.

Ms Milson said the strategy was a "positive" step for a place like Tamworth which is "super susceptible to climate change".

"I was especially excited that there's specific action plans and they have measurable outcomes," she said.

"It's not just we will reduce, or we will increase.

"They're actually measurable and defined, it's really good Tamworth Regional Council has done that."

But change won't be cheap.

It's estimated to cost $980,000 to deliver the action plan across the next four years.

The goals and targets for next year alone will cost council $220,000.

Mayor Russell Webb said council is seeking further reports about how to fund the strategy.

"The money we will need to fund that strategy is quite extensive and we need to do that in a fiscally responsible manner," he said.

Ms Milson said she hoped money wouldn't get in the way of implementing adaption and mitigation plans.

"It's terrible to have to add costs to any budget at the moment," she said.

"But it's one of those things where, if you don't spend cents, you're going to spend dollars."

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