Help Barrow become carbon neutral by 2037

Residents across Barrow are invited to join a Citizens’ Jury to help shape action on climate change have just days left to register their interest.

Barrow Borough Council is to form a Citizens’ Jury after it unveiled its ambition for the borough to become carbon neutral by 2037.

The jury will share ideas on lowering carbon usage across the area and hear expert opinions before reaching a series of recommendations for the council.

Letters were sent to 4,000 households across the borough that had been randomly selected from the Royal Mail’s address database by the Sortition Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit organisation that promotes the use of stratified, random selection in decision-making.

With the deadline of Monday, October 25 looming, anyone hoping to take part is urged to register their interest as soon as possible.

Ann Thomson, the leader of Barrow Borough Council and its lead member for Cleaner, Greener Neighbourhoods, will chair the Oversight Panel meetings.

She said: “This is an exciting opportunity for us to make a real difference not only in our borough but across the country. It’s a privilege to see Barrow becoming one of the first areas in the United Kingdom to create a Citizens’ Jury and lead the way in how we can tackle carbon emissions and climate change.

“We all need to do our bit to protect the planet, not only for ourselves but for future generations. Our residents can play a vital role in this and I’m excited to see what ideas come forward on how we can tackle climate change.

“I want to urge residents who want to make a real difference to sign up to the jury, there’s only a couple of days left to do so.”

Other work to help lower carbon usage across the borough is already underway through Low Carbon Barrow – a programme of projects designed to engage local communities on climate issues and sustainability over the next two years.

The Furness Climate Change Citizens’ Jury will involve a range of people who may have different experiences or opinions on the issue of climate change.

It will meet for 10 Tuesday evening sessions over a three-month period starting on November 16 and finishing on February 8, 2022, with a three-week break over the Christmas period. All participants will receive £250 in vouchers as a thank you for their time.

Only residents who receive a letter from the council can register to take part. Anyone who is aged 15 years of age or over in the household can register to be considered.