00:03The doors of Session House surrounded by protesters led by the Green Party.
00:10As furious at counter-demonstrators as they were at Reform UK's motion
00:15to retract Kent County Council's Climate Emergency Declaration.
00:20This element, net zero, actually works for the council.
00:23We save money because we've got fewer energy costs.
00:28We work on more efficient buildings now.
00:31We've got two solar farms which power the whole of Kent's streetlights.
00:38This is a nonsense and a distraction and it's not supported by the science.
00:50Temperatures continued to rise inside the council chamber.
00:54As the leader outlined a draft strategy for how KCC may tackle the challenges of the next three years.
01:02Which will be finalized by November.
01:05It's a really poor document, a lot missing from it.
01:08For instance on transport it has nothing to say particularly about buses or trains or walking or cycling.
01:14They seem to think people only get anywhere by car.
01:17There's nothing about higher or further education, colleges and universities.
01:21We desperately need higher skills if our economy is going to go and people will enjoy more enjoyable lives.
01:27It's quite a disappointing offer and a disappointing lack of vision.
01:31But despite wide-ranging debates on everything from vaccines to transport, the new administration still feels confident the public are on side.
01:41People voted for Reform UK in overwhelmingly large numbers in May because they wanted an administration to do things differently from the past administration that was here for nearly 30 years.
01:52So we came in on a mandate to do things differently, to tear up the old rule book, start again and see if we can offer better value for money for the taxpayer.
02:00To see if we can still protect the environment and do all the sensible things, but not be hysterical about it.
02:06You know, be sensible, be the grown-ups in the room.
02:08Politicians will begin looking ahead to Reform's first budget in the coming months.
02:13But with placards and protests on the steps of County Hall, it's clear the political climate here has changed since May.
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