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Eco warriors have said they are disappointed councillors rejected a council tax hike to help save the planet.
Representatives from Friends of the Earth and Extinction Rebellion attended Denbighshire’s full council meeting this week to see whether members would sanction a rise of around 55 pence per month for a band D property.
The extra cash, proposed in a motion by Denbighshire councillor Graham Timms,  would have been used to fund extra climate change initiatives in the county.
Denbighshire branches of the eco groups welcomed the council’s stance on tackling what it called the “climate emergency” within the county but warned it needed to go further and faster.
A joint statement from the groups said: “We wholeheartedly support the council in this work and we also need to hold them to account.
“We want to see them treating this as a real emergency and changing what they do in every area of council business, towards rapid de-carbonisation, reversing losses in biodiversity, and involving and informing the public.
“The whole council needs to be engaged from staff through to Cabinet members. All councillors seemed to be in support of this, regardless of party politics.
“We were, therefore, extremely disappointed that a majority of councillors voted against an increase in the budget allocated for 2020/21 to kick-start the actions they identified that would make an immediate impact.”
Denbighshire approved a rise of 4.3% on its share of council tax in Tuesday’s meeting, costing band D properties an extra £57 per year.
The authority had braced itself for a 4.8% rise, which would have added a further £7 onto average band D bills.
However a better than expected settlement, after Welsh Government grants were increased, meant they could keep bills down.
As proposer of the council tax hike cllr Timms, who represents Llangollen, called for a “a complete change in thinking by the council”, adding: “This is not business as usual.”
A report on the council’s strategy to reduce its carbon footprint pledged to stop supplying plastic cups and get rid of water dispensers in three main council offices.
Carbon filters will be fitted to taps so staff can get fresh water and they will be encouraged to bring re-usable cups to work.
Vending machines in the three offices; County Hall, Caledfryn in Denbigh and Russell House in Rhyl, will be phased out under the plans.
A council group will look at potential savings in carbon emissions across school catering facilities over the next 12 months.

By Jez Hemming – Local Democracy Reporter