England's first green district council has defended selling a £2million investment at a £165,000 loss to avoid fossil fuels and reduce debt.

Mid Suffolk District Council, which was the first green party-run council of its kind, has confirmed it divested from the Schroder fund to bring investments in line with council policy to pursue decarbonisation and to reduce borrowing.

The fund included investments in tobacco and fossil fuel companies, like Shell, but had seen its value fall from £2 million to approximately £1.8 million earlier this year.

Leader Andy Mellen argues the loss occurred under the previous Conservative administration, which they believe used "accounting loopholes" so that the loss did not appear in the council’s account until they took over.

At the Mid Suffolk District

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