Cornwall Council is set to debate what more the authority can do to tackle climate change, but councillors are in disagreement before the meeting starts.

A motion calling on the council to do more about climate change has been proposed by Liberal Democrat councillor Dominic Fairman and supported by his colleague and Cabinet member Edwina Hannaford.

The motion also has support from other Lib Dem and independent members of the council.

However Labour councillor Jayne Kirkham will table an amendment to the motion which she says is a “watery version”.

She has been backed by a Conservative councillor Martyn Alvey and is hoping she will get support across the chamber.

Explaining on her Facebook page that she had had many emails about the issue, she added: “I supported a bolder motion to align Cornwall with other councils who want to take urgent action on global warming.

“Labour have strong policy on climate change and the green economy. We were also the government who enacted the Climate Change Act.

“Therefore, I have proposed an amendment to the listed motion, seconded by a Conservative councillor, Martyn Alvey, to restore the motion to something that aligns with the declarations made by Manchester, London, Brighton and other councils around the world.”

In her motion Cllr Kirkham calls on the council to “declare a climate emergency”. This is an internationally recognised declaration which has been used by authorities in the UK and across the world to acknowledge the impact of the changing climate.

The amendment also urges the council: “Call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources necessary to achieve the target for Cornwall to become carbon neutral by 2030 and commit to work with other councils with similar ambitions.”

Cllr Kirkham has included the wording of the original motion as well but has amended to stating that the council aim to move towards carbon neutral by 2030.

The climate change is one of three that will be discussed at the full council meeting tomorrow. The other two concern a tick box for the Cornish on the 2021 census and another to address under-resourcing of the council’s countryside access team.

Other key decisions which will be made at the meeting tomorrow also include approving several Cabinet recommendations including whether to buy properties to use as temporary accommodation for people who find themselves homeless; whether to buy the derelict The Ganges restaurant in Penzance and refurbish it and whether to go ahead with plans to increase toll charges on the Tamar Bridge.

The full council meeting will also be asked to approve the council’s investment programme and agree to allow £159m to be used for the planned new town development at Threemilestone and Langarth.

Cornwall Council will meet at 10.30am tomorrow (Tuesday, January 22).