Westminster Citizens’ Climate Assembly day four, July 16 2023

Participants continued to develop their ideas and constructed a set of final recommendations to present back to the council.

The focus of the assembly is to explore the important question: 

• How can we overcome the main barriers to Westminster becoming a net zero city by 2040 together and how do we ensure this is delivered in the fairest way? 

Purpose of day four

To help participants to: 

1. Finalise and agree a set of recommendations  
2. Present the final agreed recommendations from the assembly  

Welcome

Participants were welcomed back to the assembly, for their final day.  

Activities

Refining the recommendations

The prototype recommendations from day three were placed on tables throughout the room. They also placed with their relevant feedback from fellow participants and the assembly discussion during the afternoon of day three. Each table was split into small writing groups, and each group was asked to write a final version of each recommendation, outlining: 

• What actions need to make the recommendation happen in the short, medium and long term.
• Top three reasons why this recommendation is important.
• What needs to be considered to deliver this recommendation in the fairest way.
• Who needs to be involved.
• Who is responsible for implementing this recommendation.

Roaming review and feedback

As on day three, participants then individually roamed around the room, reading each draft recommendation, and voting on their level of support for each one. Participants also noted any comments on what it would take for them to increase their level of support, if the initial rating was low.  

Creating final recommendations

Each recommendation was then shared with tables across the room, along with detail on their level of support, and comments which participants provided. Groups throughout the room used all the feedback to revise their recommendation. 

Final vote

When each recommendation was revised, they were read out one by one. Participants were asked to vote on their level of agreement against each recommendation. Any recommendations receiving less than 80% agreement was noted as a minority recommendation. Those receiving more than 80% agreement were noted as a majority recommendation.

Preparing presentation back to the council 

All majority recommendations were given back to groups in the room, where time was spent planning a presentation to the council. Participants related their recommendations back to the overarching question of the assembly. They outlined how their recommendation will help overcome barriers to reaching net zero by 2040, in the fairest way.

Presentation back to the council

Each writing group presented their final recommendations back to the Council. These were received by: 

• Cllr Adam Hug, Leader of the Council 
• Cllr Matt Noble, Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Regeneration and Renters 
• Cllr Ryan Jude, Deputy Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Biodiversity 
• Cllr Cara Sanquest, Cabinet Member for Resident Participation, Consultation Reform and Leisure 
• Damian Hemmings, Head of Climate Emergency 

Open mic

Each member of the council shared their initial feedback on the recommendations they had received.  

Receipt of recommendations

Leader of the Council, Cllr Adam Hug thanked all facilitators, external speakers and testers for sharing their knowledge and insights to support this process, before expressing thanks and gratitude for the incredible role that participants have played in making the assembly a success.  

The significance of the assembly process, and it’s crucial role in supporting the city to tackle climate change to deliver a Fairer Westminster was emphasised before a short outline of the next steps post-assembly.  

Wrap up, open mic and close

Participants reflected on the journey they have taken from day one to achieve an agreed set of recommendations for the  council.  

Participants shared what they each were able to take from being involved in the process, and the assembly ended with the quote below being shared with the room:  

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.

What happens next?

Participants will have an opportunity to share any comments and feedback with the council about their experience of being involved as an assembly member. They will then work with one another, and Involve, to develop a final recommendation report for the council. This will be presented formally to the council in autumn.

We will then share comments, outlining the immediate plan for implementing these recommendations.

We are keen for this assembly to be the start of the conversation rather than the end, so we are exploring a range of opportunities for how we can come together with communities and help continually tackle the climate emergency.