Column | Councillor Kevin Guy – 03/07/2026

As I write, we are in the middle of the second heatwave of the year, which has seen record-breaking high temperatures. We are also dealing with the aftermath of a sudden, intense storm.

This has been an extremely challenging time for our community, especially for vulnerable residents and people providing frontline support services.

The heatwave has caused widespread disruption, including to schools and the transport system. Flash flooding and lightning strikes damaged buildings and roads.

Our council workers responded quickly to the storm and are continuing to deal with disruptions.

The impacts on people are still emerging, but we know that health services, including hospitals and ambulance services, have been under strain. The rare red heat-health alert warned of a risk to life for even the healthy population.

It’s true that we’ve always had heatwaves and storms. However, we know that extreme weather is now becoming more severe and more frequent due to climate change.

So, what can we do?

We know we have to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. As a council, we have already made a commitment to tackle the Climate and Ecological Emergencies, working towards a district that is nature positive, net zero and climate resilient. Many communities, organisations, businesses and individuals are already acting at pace to tackle these emergencies too.

Alongside this work we need to adapt our physical environment and behaviours to take climate change into account. We’ll be hearing more about “climate resilience” and we will all have a part to play.

Adaptation can mean simple things like adjusting the timings of waste and recycling collections, so our crews can finish their rounds before the heat of the day. Or the community and council working together to provide free ‘cool spaces’ where people can go to cool down, rest and stay safe.

However, some problems will need much bigger interventions.

Much of our infrastructure in this country wasn’t designed for extreme weather. That includes roads and railways which were designed years ago for ‘normal’ British levels of heat (whereas hotter countries use different materials and engineering designs).

It includes drainage systems that can’t cope with a month’s worth of rain in one hour even though they are improved and well maintained. And it includes older buildings that quickly overheat in higher temperatures, becoming uncomfortable and even unsafe. That includes many schools and hospitals.

The council is already embedding climate adaptation into organisational planning and decision-making and acting to improve our buildings, including care homes and day services.

However, the government must also act to urgently prepare the country for more extreme weather – for example by investing in cooling for hospitals and schools. Our new Climate & Nature Strategy will directly address future resilience of services.

We want to hear your views on what matters most to you as we plan for a cleaner, greener and more resilient future. Please respond to the survey on the council website. It’s open until 24th July at: www.bathnes.gov.uk/help-shape-our-climate-and-nature-strategy.