Kingston has its first “carbon neutral” councillor - a 40-something Tory who gets the bus to council meetings and plants trees to offset the mountain of leaflets and agendas he reads.

Ian George, 43, pays about £35 a month out of his £12,605 a year councillors’ allowance for three trees a month to be planted by a company.

The councillor, who lives in a flat in Surbiton, has dubbed himself the carbon neutral councillor.

Coun George said: “I’m not in favour of forcing people into actions but I think it is a good idea and if other people think it is a good idea then it’s up to them.”

Carbon offsetting works on the principle that each tree negates environmental impact, although some people have compared it to the indulgences in the Middle Ages, when sinners paid monks to take on their sins, but often continued in their ways.

Martin Birley, at Transition Town Kingston, highlighted Coun George’s non-car use - he does not own one - as the main way of driving down his carbon footprint.

He said: “I’m happy the councillor is concerned about the issue enough to try to do something about it. Whether what he is doing is enough or sufficient is something that we all have to learn over the next few years.”