On Wednesday 9th October, councillors in Trafford will get the opportunity to vote on a divestment motion tabled by the Green Party Group.
The motion, entitled “Investing in Green Solutions Instead of Fossil Fuels”, calls on the Council to:
- Ask the Leader to write to the Greater Manchester Pension Fund to request a position statement within 3 months on the potential impact that divesting from fossil fuel assets will have on the GM Pension Fund. This statement should assess the impact that a gradual programme of divestment and diversification over a 2-5 year period will have on the future liability profile of the fund.
- Mandate our representative on the Fund to call for and work towards divestment.
- Work with trade union representatives and the workforce to involve them in divestment and diversification plans, providing them with a comprehensive assessment of the impacts and benefits of these changes.
- To focus re-investment in areas that minimise climate change and reduce the Fund’s carbon footprint; while ensuring the Fund continues to generate a sufficient level of return to ensure the current and future sustainability of the fund.
This is a great opportunity to put more pressure on the pension fund, and we’ve sent a briefing to every Trafford councillor to clarify a number of the misleading and inaccurate statements in the GM Pension Fund report referenced in the motion.
How you can help
1. Contact your councillors: If you live in Trafford, please email your councillors asking them to support the motion. You can find their contact details on the Trafford council website or by entering your postcode on the Write to Them website.
2. Come to the Trafford Council meeting on Wednesday night: Meet at 6pm on Wednesday 9th October at the main entrance of Trafford Town Hall on Talbot Road (opposite the cricket ground). Bring placards and your friends and family!