Medway Council is asking residents to voice their thoughts about its climate change action plan as part of a “refresh”.

The authority declared a climate change emergency in 2019 and created a set of priorities and plans to make a difference to the Towns’ carbon emissions.

This included creating more cycle lanes to enable people to reduce car use, installing solar panels and electric vehicle charging points, and planting more trees and stimulating habitats which can take in carbon.

The council's goal is to make Medway carbon neutral by 2050.

It has set up an advisory group to provide updates on its progress - although the most recent update available online is from November 2022 and the last meeting of the group was in February 2023.

As of the last meeting, between July and October 2022, there were 74 installations of solar panels through the Solar Together Kent scheme held in partnership with Kent County Council, with a further 22 booked.

Although Medway Council came under fire the same year after its planners told the local authority it should refuse permission for its own plan to install solar panel on the council offices at Gun Wharf amid concerns it would be harmful to the Grade II listed building.

There were also plans to install energy-efficient heat pumps in 20 council-owned buildings which were due to begin early in 2023.

Medway Council were contacted for a more up-to-date estimate of the progress made on the action plan.

The refreshed action plan seeks to consolidate some of the previous aims and focus on sustainable travel and transport, reducing energy consumption and increasing renewable energy use.

Other aims include better education about fighting climate change, waste management schemes to improve recycling, and enhancing natural habitats to protect them.

Residents can respond through an online survey about how important they think aspects of the plan are and give their thoughts on what the authority should be doing to combat climate change.

There will also be six events held throughout April where locals can meet the council’s climate change team, ask questions and give feedback.

All of the events are between 9:00am and 14:00pm and will be taking place at:

- Dockside Shopping Centre today (April 3)
- Riverside County Park on April 9
- Twydall Library on April 16
- Strood Library on April 17
- Rochester Library on April 22
- Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre on April 22

The online survey opened for responses on April 2 and will be available until April 30. To find out more and contribute to the survey click here.

Medway Council’s portfolio holder for climate change and strategic regeneration, Cllr Simon Curry (Lab), said: “Everybody knows how important tackling climate change is, and we all have our own part to play.

“Taking the opportunity to refresh our climate change action plan allows us to ensure we are focusing our efforts in the right places and in the best ways possible.”