A council has rejected a call to declare a climate emergency - but made a commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

Numerous authorities in Kent including Swale, Maidstone, Gravesham and Canterbury have declared a climate emergency in recent months.

But despite the trend, councillors at Conservative-led Ashford Borough Council voted against the motion.

Cllr Steve Campkin (Green) put forward the motion calling on a climate emergency in a full council, calling on the council to make Ashford carbon neutral by 2030.

A handful of protestors from Extinction Rebellion Ashford also attended the meeting to show support for Cllr Campkin.

The newly-elected councillor for the Willesborough ward said: “Climate change has been happening now and it has been happening for decades.

“We are responsible for Ashford’s contribution to this action. We must reduce our carbon emissions to zero and invest in renewable energy and infrastructure.

“Let’s formally declare a climate emergency and show that we are going to do something about it.”

"We are saying our town is going to be carbon neutral by 2030 and to be the first to get to 80% by 2025...” Cllr Clarkson

But Cllr Campkin’s motion was narrowly rejected, with 14 councillors voting to declare a climate emergency and 16 voting against the movement, with many councillors stating the term “emergency” was not appropriate.

Following the outcome, council leader Gerry Clarkson (Con) proposed a counter motion, keeping the commitment to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2030, with a further target to have 80% of emissions eliminated by 2025.

“I am against declaring it a climate emergency,” Cllr Clarkson said.

“Not because I don’t think it is important but I would like to pass a motion that actually sharpens up delivery. We are saying our town is going to be carbon neutral by 2030 and to be the first to get to 80% by 2025.”

“I know that there’s a long list of councils that have declined an emergency. The sad thing is that most of them are going to be carbon neutral much later.

“We are saying that our town is going to be carbon neutral by 2030 and to be the first to get to 80% by 2025.”

Reflecting on the environmental progress in the borough, Cllr Paul Bartlett added: “We now request air quality assessments from developments and new developments now require at least one car charging point.

“The M20 Junction 10a project will reduce standing traffic and additional air diffusion tubes have been put in along the M20.

“We might even reinstate Smartlink, which links all parts of the town with a bus route.”

Read more: All the latest news from Ashford