Swindon Borough Council has set itself the target of  being carbon neutral within 10 years.

But while Labour and Lib Dem councillors supported the Conservative administration’s aims last night, they felt it didn’t go nearly far enough.

The council’s cabinet member for strategic planning Gary Sumner introduced a motion committing the council to producing no net carbon emission in its own operations by 2030.

He said: “This is achievable. We are well on the way to achieving it.

"This council owns two solar farms in the borough, producing five megawatts of electricity. At peak, in one day they can produce the entirety of the council’s power needs.

“But we cannot store all we generate.

He emphasised the need to get the support of the people of the borough.

Coun Sumner said: “We need to take Swindon with us and be an exemplar.”

A Labour motion, put forward by Jane Milner-Barry, would have committed the council to setting a carbon neutral target for the whole of the borough of Swindon, not just the council.

She said: “The motion says we need to achieve an 80 per cent cut in the council’s emissions.

"The council operations account for four per cent of the whole of the borough. An 80 per cent cut in the council’s emissions is just over three per cent of Swindon’s emissions.

"It’s nowhere near enough.”

That motion and a Labour amendment to Coun Sumner’s motion both failed, the vote being split on party lines, with 22 Labour and Lib Dem members in favour but 30 Conservatives against.