COUNTY bosses have pledged to do more to tackle climate change.

Councillors at Hampshire County Council (HCC) have vowed to work with experts, campaigners and residents to come up with an action plan in a bid to tackle climate change.

The news comes a few days after civic chiefs in Eastleigh also joined the ranks of 168 other councils across the country to declare a climate emergency.

In a debate during the full council meeting held in Winchester last week, county councillors  put aside their political differencies and agreed that a detailed plan and dates have to be set in order to achieve net zero carbon.

It comes as Liberal Democrat Councillor Martin Tod moved a motion asking the county council to set an “ambitious schedule of specific dates”.

He said: “If we are declaring a climate emergency then we need to make sure there’s real urgency in the plan. I’m very grateful that today we have committed to a timetable and schedule.  It is vital we pay tribute to the campaigners, it is vital that we respond to what they ask and it is vital that we take the important steps.”

Cllr Keith Mans, leader of HCC, said: “I am in favour of dates, I am in favour of carbon neutrality. It isn’t going to be easy but I do believe if we do the right things  and if we use technology in any way possible to achieve some of the aim that we want we will achieve the proposals that are put in this particular recommendation.”

Meanwhile, councillors at Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) agreed to put in place measures to ensure the authority will achieve zero carbon emissions  by 2025 and will support communities and businesses across the borough to do the same by 2030.

The measures will include establishing a cross-party working group which will include representatives from within the local community.

The group will report to the borough council within six months with a new climate change strategy alongside immediate actions the council will take to address the emergency.

This will be  followed by a detailed action plan.

It comes after EBC declared a climate emergency after a motion was jountly moved by Liberal Democrats Councillor Rupert Kyrle and independent group member Cllr Gin Tidridge.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked Hampshire County Council when the authority will come up with a detailed plan but they were unable to comment.