Oxford City Council Green Group was celebrating another success today, as the Council's ruling Executive Board took the decision to switch to 100% 'green electricity' as soon as possible. Prompted by a Green motion to a recent session of Full Council, along with repeated questioning from Green councillors, the move has been welcomed by environmental campaigners(1).

Cllr Matt Sellwood, who is the Green Party representative on the Executive Board, commented: "Oxford City Council switched 75% of its electricity usage to 'green' sources when the Green Party was part of the administration. It has taken Labour another four years to complete the job that we began, but we are very glad that they have finally submitted to Green pressure on this issue. I am particularly pleased that the Council have agreed to purchase energy from suppliers who pledge to build new renewable capacity, thus using our purchasing power to expand the UK's renewable energy supplies."

Monday's Executive Board meeting also agreed to further investigate the construction of a large wind turbine on City Council land, another Green Party idea originally raised in a motion to Full Council. The report made it clear that there was no reason that the Council could not pursue this idea, and committed the administration to preparing a full analysis of the possibilities by the end of July.

Cllr Matt Sellwood added: "This is an exciting time for climate change policy in Oxford. When coupled with the recent Green Party budget successes, these latest moves forward have the potential to make a real impact on the Council's carbon emissions."

FMI: Contact Cllr Matt Sellwood on 07974745529 or matt@greenoxford.com

Notes for editors:

(1) To view the relevant Council report, see:

http://www.oxford.gov.uk/council/meeting-diary.cfm/document/15218/