Norfolk County Council voted to scrutinise every pound spent on net zero and climate-related programmes, after councillors backed a motion demanding greater accountability for environmental spending.

The motion, proposed by Cllr Nick Taylor and seconded by Cllr Kabeer Kher, passed with 46 votes in favour and 30 against. It calls on the Cabinet Member for Finance to carry out a review of all current council spending linked to net zero and climate initiatives.

The review must result in a published report setting out the total projected cost of those initiatives over the next five years. Going forward, any climate-related expenditure will need to demonstrate "measurable benefit to Norfolk residents and clear value for money" before it can be approved.

The motion argued that Norfolk taxpayers expect the council to prioritise "practical frontline services, value for money, and evidence-based decision making over symbolic or ideological initiatives."

The vote was one of only two motions to pass at a meeting where the majority of proposals were defeated. An opposition amendment that would have expanded the heating oil fund to also support households in switching to renewable energy was rejected by 64 votes to 12 shortly before the net zero motion was debated.

The council did not vote to extend its meeting beyond the three-hour limit, meaning several other motions on the agenda were dealt with on a vote-only basis without debate.