North Somerset Council

12(9)
 
North Somerset Council

 

REPORT TO THE EXECUTIVE

 

Date of Meeting: 14th June 2005

 

Subject of Report: Mainstreaming Sustainable Development in North Somerset

 

Town or parish: All

 

Member presenting: Deborah Yamanaka

 

Key Decision: Yes

 

Recommendations:

That the following proposals are approved for action:

Short-term (2005/06)

  1. Produce a 3-year sustainability action plan as a mechanism to support delivery of the corporate value of improving quality of life for current and future generations.  (By October 2005)

 

  1. Support the development of sustainability criteria for the Council through the Core Officers Group.

 

3.      Raise awareness about sustainability throughout the Council by delivering:

 

  1. Develop sustainability criteria and associated guidance by March 2006 for:

·        All committee, executive and council decision making

·        Council policies

·        Reviews of plans, strategies and projects

·        Best value reviews

·        Committee reports

·        Council publicity and promotion work

·        Induction

 

  1. Report back to Executive by October 2005 on progress and on the draft action plan/ strategy for 2006/07 – 2008/09.

 

Medium-term (2005/08)

Complete sustainability review of the Council’s services in light of this year’s service planning to promote what we are already doing and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. 

 

Long-term

Work with the NSP to develop and publish Quality of Life Indicators to monitor progress on delivering on the Community Strategy

 

 

1. Summary

1.1 This report evaluates the Council’s delivery of sustainability since the publication of the North Somerset Local Agenda 21 and Environment Strategy ‘Towards a Greener North Somerset’ in 2000.  It also outlines recent developments in the wider sustainability agenda that will change the focus of sustainability work in the future.

1.2 The report introduces current legislation and guidelines that support sustainable development and introduces proposals for mainstreaming sustainability within North Somerset, including ways directorates can support sustainable development activity.

1.3 The report includes a number of boxed ‘case-studies’ which highlight some of the activities already underway that contribute to sustainable development in North Somerset. 

 

2. Policy

2.1 Corporate

The sustainability agenda is cross cutting with implications for all Council policies, which is expressed in the Corporate Plan through the value:  “We will provide a better quality of life for current and future generations”. This is a very broad value that at present has limited guidance as to what it covers or the level of contribution council services are making towards achieving this value.

 

2.2 Community Strategy

Sustainability is recognised in the Community Strategy as being central to the work of the North Somerset Partnership as stated in the agreed vision statement for the District: ‘That North Somerset is a place of safe, healthy, thriving communities. By working together we aim to improve the quality of life and well-being of all, creating an inclusive, sustainable District, where local people have a real say in the decisions that affect them and future generations’.

 

Sustainability has also been adopted as a key value guiding the work of the North Somerset partnership. 


Sustainability in Action

 

Tackling Fuel Poverty through the ‘Somerset Warm & Well’ and ‘Warm Front’ Schemes

Somerset Warm & Well insulation scheme offers grants and discounts to residents to improve insulation in their home.  The Warm Front grant provides a package of energy efficiency and heating measures for households in receipt of certain benefits. 

 

These schemes have been administered in partnership with 7 Somerset local authorities, the Centre for Sustainable Energy and the Government and have provided a range of social, environmental and economic benefits for North Somerset residents:

- Reducing the levels of health problems associated with living in cold and often damp homes

- Reducing pollution by reducing energy use

- Helping local residents to save money by improving energy efficiency

- Increasing local employment levels through the Warm and Well depot in Clevedon

 

So far 191 properties have been improved with cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and draught-proofing through Somerset Warm and Well and 890 grants have been administered in North Somerset through the Warm Front Scheme over the last two years.

(For more information, please contact the HECA Officer. Kim Herival on 4807)

 

3.  Background

3.1          Sustainability is about improving the quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come.  This means taking a three-fold approach – by acknowledging the connections between social, economic and environmental issues.  It also means recognising the cross cutting nature of issues affecting communities and the need to work together with a wide range of interests and organisations.

 

3.2          Since the World Summit on Environment and Development in 1992 and subsequent work on Agenda 21 local authorities are recognised as key agents to enable and deliver action on sustainability, but need to work in partnership to achieve this.  In 2002, a second summit was held in Johannesburg, which emphasised the importance of taking action at the local level to support the principle of ‘sustainable communities’ and improve quality of life.

 

3.3          Previous work on environmental issues

In response to the Best Value Performance Indicators the Council published the North Somerset Local Agenda 21 and Environment Strategy - ‘Towards a Greener North Somerset’ (TGNS) in 2000.  The purpose of this was to co-ordinate work by the community of North Somerset and North Somerset Council towards a more environmentally sustainable society. 

 

3.4          Since the publication of TGNS, services across the Council have delivered a number of key achievements to improve environmental sustainability in the area.  These include the publication of a district-wide Biodiversity Action Plan and the powering of all Council buildings by 100% Green Energy.  However there are two areas identified in TGNS that need further development.  These are improving the environmental management of Council property and mainstreaming sustainability in policies and practices.

 

3.5          To improve the environmental management of Council Property, work has recently started to achieve Stage 2 of a recognised environmental management system standard (BS 8555) in the Winter Gardens, the Playhouse and one other activity (to be confirmed) by October 2005.  Guidance is also being provided to ensure that sustainable procurement and resource-saving principles are incorporated into the Council’s procurement strategy. 

 

3.6          To mainstream wider sustainability principles into the Council’s policies and practices, initial work has consisted of sustainability guidance being produced as a part of this years work on service planning to ensure that sustainability is considered in plans for 2005/06.  Further work is needed to ensure that our decisions, plans, strategies and projects are developed with a coherent regard to sustainability. 

 

3.7          Since the adoption of TGNS, research and good practice on sustainability has continued to develop. As the importance of environmental sustainability has become more generally accepted, more emphasis is now being put on the social and economic aspects of sustainable development. A range of legislation and auditing measures reflect the importance of this to local Authorities, for example the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA), is increasingly concerned with the level to which sustainability principles are integrated into an authorities’ work. 

3.8           

Sustainability in Action

 

School Travel Plans

North Somerset Council has two School Travel Advisors, who offer free advice to all schools in the district with the aim of encouraging and enabling alternatives to car-travel. 

They arrange initial visits to schools and offer advice on a range of issues from organising site surveys to fundraising to organising a ‘walking bus’.

This work has helped to:

- Reduce congestion around schools, improving safety for everyone and quality of life for nearby residents.

- Reduce amount of car-use, which means less pollution around schools, and further afield

- Improve health by encouraging children (and parents!) to exercise on their way to school

 

So far, the results have been very encouraging, for example. In May 2003, when Hillside First School in Weston-super-Mare conducted their first survey, 34% of pupils walked to school and 66% travelled by car.  With assistance from the School Travel Advisors, these figures were reversed, with 62% of pupils walking to school in May 2004.  

 

(For more information, please contact the School Travel Advisors, Kevin Speakman or Kate Cochrane on 01275 888544)

 

 

Current Drivers

3.9          Sustainable Communities

The drive to improve neighbourhood participation, address inequalities and support delivery at the local level is at the heart of the Sustainable Communities agenda.

 

3.10      Sustainable communities are places where people want to live and work, now and in the future.  The UK National Strategy for Sustainable Development recognises 8 components of a sustainable community; they should be active, inclusive and safe, well run, environmentally sensitive, well designed and built, well connected, thriving, well served and fair for everyone. (These components are outlined in more detail in Appendix 1).

 

3.11      The Government’s 10 year vision for local government puts these components of a sustainable community at the heart of future priorities. 

 

 

3.12      National Sustainability Strategy

The national sustainability strategy; Securing the Future, was launched in March 2005, along with the new strategic framework for the UK; One future – different paths.

 

3.13      Securing the Future sets out principles for sustainable development and new, shared priorities agreed across the UK.  It outlines four agreed priorities – sustainable consumption and production, climate change, natural resource protection and sustainable communities

 

3.14      The strategy recognises the pivotal role of local authorities and local strategic partnerships in delivering on sustainable communities and promises to strengthen regional and local delivery on sustainability through a package of measures to realise the vision of sustainable communities across England.  (Key actions and impacts for Local Authorities are identified in Appendix 2).

 

3.15      Regional Sustainability Strategy

The Regional Assembly produced the regional sustainable development document, ‘A Sustainable Future for the South West’ in 2001.  It sets out the high level strategic framework for delivering sustainable development in the region and provides the regional context for local authorities and other agencies to incorporate sustainability into their strategies and plans. 

Regional strategy

 

3.16      Sub-Regional Strategy

The West of England Partnership consists of the four unitary authorities and their key partners.  ‘Vision 2026’ is the document which sets out the partnership’s vision for the area for the next 20 years.  Sustainability is incorporated into this vision as a primary aspiration for how the area will be seen in 2026: “the West of England is committed to a better quality of life for everyone, now and for future generations.  Decisions that have long-term implications reflect a balance between social, economic and environmental considerations’

 

Sustainability in Action

 

Green Roof at Mendip Green School

Following many years of operating out of temporary classrooms at Mendip Green School, funding was eventually approved in 2003 to replace with a permanent school extension. This was seen as an excellent opportunity to incorporate new designs, including a ‘Green Roof’ in place of more conventional roofing materials.

 

The roof at Mendip Green is a sedum mat containing varieties of hardy, drought tolerant plant species. These roofs are increasingly popular in Northern European countries because they offer numerous environmental, social and economic benefits:

- They are long-lasting and can help to reduce fuel bills by keeping the building cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  It is estimated that the green roof at Mendip Green could produce an annual energy saving of £250 - £300. 

- They use recycled materials, and require only an annual maintenance visit/inspection. 

- They retain rainwater and slow down water run-off, easing overflow pressure on local sewers. 

- They improve air quality and have attractive flowers that encourage nectar-feeding insects such as butterflies and bees so provide ‘green’ links or stepping-stones for wildlife. 

- And finally, they provide attractive views and, in a school setting, they can become a learning tool for energy and ecology projects.

 

For more information, please contact Martin Crandon, the Procurement Officer / Project Manager (Education Asset Management) on 01275 884734

 

Current legislation and Local Government requirements

 

3.17      Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA)

Through the Key Lines of Enquiry and Guidance to Inspectors, the CPA process from 2005 onwards will be seeking to recognize the contribution local authorities make to supporting work on the Community Strategy and sustainable communities agenda.  The 2005 Audit Commission guidance identifies specific themes that will be assessed and how well these have been developed in partnership with others in the local area.

 

3.18      It will be necessary for North Somerset Council to confirm its understanding of what sustainable development means for North Somerset in light of the recently updated national sustainability criteria. To achieve this, it will be necessary to continue to ensure that a consistent approach in terms of sustainability is applied to decision-making, strategy and plan preparation and project delivery.

 

3.19      A key element of the CPA inspections from 2005 will be consideration as to what has been achieved in partnership with other organisations and agencies to meet certain aspects of the sustainable communities agenda.  There are many good examples of how this is working in the District, but there will be an increased emphasis on the delivery of the Community Strategy and how that is supporting sustainable communities across the area.

 

3.20      Spatial and Infrastructure Planning Requirements

Both regional and local planning authorities have a duty to promote sustainable development.  The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires regional and local development documents to be subjected to a Strategic Sustainability Appraisal which takes account of social, economic and environmental issues.

 

North Somerset Council has been developing both the Local Plan and the Local Transport Plan through a sustainability appraisal process since 2000. 

 

3.21      The Local Government Act (LGA) 2000

LGA 2000 emphasises the importance of community leadership and capacity building.  The Act gives local authorities a ‘power’ to promote economic, social and environmental well-being in their local communities by working with other partners.  It also places a statutory duty on all tiers of local authorities to work in partnership with others to produce a local community strategy.

 

3.22      Community Strategies

The aim of a Community Strategy is to ‘enhance the quality of life of local communities and contribute to the achievement of sustainable development in the UK through action to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the area and its inhabitants.’

Preparing community strategies: government guidance to local authorities, June 2003

 

3.23      The North Somerset Community Strategy sets out the aspirations of the North Somerset Partnership (NSP) and clearly identifies the issues across local communities that need to be addressed by a range of organisations, agencies, businesses and other interests. (The issues and values are outlined in Appendix 3).

 

3.24      Sustainability has been adopted by the NSP as a key value guiding the work of the partnership, and the Council’s Corporate Plan shows how we, as key partners will contribute to the interpretation and delivery of this value in a way all organisations can work to.

 

3.25      A number of measures will need to be developed around what we mean by sustainable communities.  For instance, the development of Quality of Life Indicators will involve a number of organisations in North Somerset working in partnership to measure changes on a range of social, economic and environmental issues in the area.   These indicators will focus on outcomes and will be used to help monitor delivery of the Community Strategy and consequently, delivery on sustainable development, over the long-term.  They are being developed using existing performance indicators, in line with NSC’s Corporate Plan and the priorities of other organisations.

 

Next steps towards mainstreaming sustainability in North Somerset

3.26      So far, North Somerset has mainly focused on the environmental aspects of sustainability through the activities identified in TGNS.  However, the increasingly influential Sustainable Communities agenda identifies the importance of integrating economic, social and environmental matters which will require some clarifying of existing thinking to bring the Council in line with current national practice.

 

3.27      Some examples of projects and activities completed or underway in North Somerset that contribute to the development of sustainable communities are outlined in Appendix 4

 

3.28      To increase capacity for action, it will be essential to raise awareness and develop skills and knowledge and provide guidance to ensure that all staff and members have the same understanding of what sustainability means in North Somerset.

 

3.29      Sustainability is cross cutting in nature, and therefore will need input from across the services provided by North Somerset Council and it’s partner organisations and agencies.  To ensure all sustainability policy and guidance is relevant and is applied consistently to all services and activities it would be appropriate for a senior officer-working group to be established to agree meaningful sustainability criteria for the Council.

Sustainability in Action

For All Healthy Living Centre
Opened in March 2005, the For All Healthy Living Centre is an innovative development which aims to improve the quality of life for local people by bringing a new approach to promoting and supporting health and wellbeing.

Situated in the Bourneville Estate in Weston-super-Mare, and serving the Coronation, the Potteries, the Oldmixon Estates as well as the Bournville, the new development replaces buildings which are too small, outdated or beyond repair.  From the initial planning stages, local people and agencies have worked together to create an open, welcoming community building with a wide range of facilities, activities and services under one roof.  

Facilities provided by the centre include a day centre, health centre, church, nursery, café, a community hall and adult learning provision . The Centre will also offer public IT facilities.

The £2.6 million centre was developed and is now run by a partnership involving local residents, South Weston Community Association, North Somerset Primary Care Trust, North Somerset Council, Sure Start and the Anglican and Methodist Churches. 

4.         Consultation

Consultation on developing the full sustainability action plan will take place with officers, members and external partners and agencies

 

5.         Financial Implications

The recommendations outlined in the report will have minimal impact on officer time and capital budget.  The Sustainability Officer will take forward the proposals and an existing senior officers group will act as the steering body for the recommended actions.  Capital spending will be within existing ED&R budgets. The proposed Sustainability Action Plan will include a detailed breakdown of cost implications for implementing any further action within the Council

 

6.         Equality Implications

Equality is a central component of the Sustainable Communities agenda.  Promoting sustainability will support the existing activity to promote equalities within North Somerset.  Specifically, the proposed 3-year sustainability action plan will include an equalities impact assessment of all proposals. 

 

7.         Corporate Implications

The Sustainability Action Plan makes a significant contribution to all of the Council’s priorities identified in the Corporate Plan.

 

9.         Options considered

The proposals follow detailed research on best practice to identify the next steps to mainstream sustainable development further into the Council’s activities.

As work develops on the Action Plan, more detailed options will be considered on the practical aspects of how to further incorporate sustainable development into the Council’s work.

 

Author

Nicola Builder

Sustainability Co-ordinator

01275 884 472

 

Background Papers

Securing the Future, UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy (2005)

Vision 2026 (Draft) – the Vision and delivery priorities for the West of England for 2026 (2005)

North Somerset Community Strategy (2004)

North Somerset Council Corporate Plan (2004)

Egan Review of Skills (2004)

A Sustainable Future for the South West – Regional sustainable development Framework for the South West of England (2001)

Towards a Greener North Somerset (2000)

A Better Quality of Life, UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy (1999)