A cabinet member with responsibility for helping tackle climate change should be appointed at Chichester District Council, Labour has argued.

New Labour councillors Kevin Hughes and Sarah Lishman have written to acting leader Eileen Lintill asking that consideration of climate change is ‘woven into every decision and action taken by our district council and that our district has the urgently required leadership on this vital issue’.

The letter notes that CDC has taken some positive steps, but believes it should go further in declaring a climate emergency.

Cllr Hughes, leader of the Labour group at CDC, said: “Climate change is an existential threat to humanity. By declaring a climate emergency, the council would be committing itself to taking real action to protect the district from this clear and present danger.”

The open letter, which is open to all residents to support and sign, is available through the Chichester Labour Party website.

This follows attempts by Labour councillors at West Sussex County Council to declare a climate emergency.

Michael Jones, Labour group leader at WSCC, previously stated: “We need a commitment to these environmental issues in our own interests and it is my hope that by discussing this we will also encourage a wider public debate that will focus on what opportunities there are for us locally.”