Little Wenlock C Red
March 2008
A Climate for Change
Consultation response from Little Wenlock Carbon Reduction Action Group
Background to Group
Little Wenlock Carbon Reduction Action Group (LW C Red) was formed following a carbon footprint survey of the parish conducted by the Energy Efficiency Advice Centre. We found out that our average household carbon emissions were above the national average and set ourselves a target of 20% reduction by the end of 2007.
Of the small sample (21 homes/10%) that have had both an initial visit and reported back their results a year later, 5 have saved between 30-40%, and average savings of 18% were achieved.
We are not claiming that these results are being achieved across the whole parish, but they do demonstrate what can be done, and will not be the only savings that have or will be made as the project continues.
The group have held public meetings with the Al Gore film, speakers and stands about renewable technologies, and insulation etc. We have taken practical local actions and produce a regular monthly newsletter informing every one of possible savings and celebrating the successful savings of individuals.
Overview
Having read your consultation document we make the following joint response.
As a whole we agree with most of the documents contents, but it does not go far enough for the Council to be clearly seen as ‘leading by example’. It needs more oomph, more vision, reaching beyond what others are currently doing. So that people can join in with some enthusiasm and be proud of what their Council wants to achieve. Both the Council and others will already have done a huge amount to address climate change, but this document does nothing to acknowledge or celebrate those achievements.
Strategy & Principles (p22/23)
LW C Red whole heartedly agrees with the need for this strategy, its aims and its principles. Only by developing our awareness, knowledge and skills can we all begin along the long road towards low carbon lifestyles.
Community Target (p26)
Whilst we understand that the target set is high, and is the one that has been set by Government, it was set some time ago and is now out of date. Current scientific evidence including the recent UN Human Development Report all agree that the target should be at least an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050, indeed the Government are to review this option.
LW C Red therefore suggests that this higher target be adopted by our Telford & Wrekin strategy.
Thought should also be given to how we keep that as an overall target as the borough grows. Seeing our emissions rise (even if our per capita emissions were falling) would not be viewed as a success! This should be addressed by planning for carbon neutrality and decentralised energy for all the new build within the borough as well as using every opportunity to reduce energy demand when planning the regeneration of the Town Centre and other town and districts.
Council Target (p31)
As the target set for the nation as a whole is 20% reduction by 2010, we think that your target for the Council own carbon footprint should also be 20%.
See HYPERLINK "http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/commit" www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/commit
The Council’s Action Plan
Whilst the principles of the strategy seem suitable for the borough as a whole, the action plan seems to be based mostly on what the Council can do. LW C Red would prefer to see an action plan for the whole community.
All of the themed groups, not just the Community Group, should have two separate components; what the Council will do itself, and what it can help, encourage, inform or influence others to do.
Community Group
LW C Red suggests the following additional actions;
- Council to build a community website to facilitate local carbon footprints by parishes. (see parish CO2 on www.myherefordshire.com
- Council give support to Parish Councils or community groups (like ours) and devise innovative ways of working around these hubs to spread the word and empower individuals and organisations to save energy and carbon.
- Council to publicise its own carbon saving actions, share best practice and celebrate achievements of householders and businesses as a regular feature within the Insight magazine.
Corporate Group
LW C Red suggests the following;
- Each Council portfolio should be given reduction targets
- Whilst the ‘Dragon Den’ makes good television, it creates many discouraged losers for each winner, and may be counter productive as a means of getting carbon saving ideas. All ideas need to be encouraged, suggestions collected and best ideas of the month rewarded. Involve those making the suggestions in their development, publicise best suggestions and rewards, as well as team and portfolio performance on targets.
- Council to share knowledge and skills with businesses and partners within the borough.
Planning and Property Group
LW C Red suggest the focus of the property section of this group should be on the Councils’ own buildings with the following additions
- Individual carbon footprints for each Council building, school and leisure centre. Deciding what are problems of the building fabric, as well as how it is being used. Tackling both of these, setting reduction targets and league tables. Choosing wood boilers and adding solar panels at every opportunity.
- Phased introduction of Low Energy Street Lighting, also considering part night Photo Electric Cells (as per Little Wenlock Parish Council street lighting and their report to Council: Scrutiny Commission for Environment and Regeneration – review of street lighting, Dec 06)
LW C Red suggest that as Planning Authority, Telford & Wrekin Council need to provide the guidelines and controls to ensure others build with climate change in mind.
- Not just the ‘Merton Rule’; how about a ‘Wrekin Rule’: Early adoption of the Code for Sustainable Homes, level 6 (zero carbon), as well as demanding 20 or 30% renewables in new build. The large number of new build in Telford should not be viewed as greater numbers that will take our Carbon Footprint higher. But as an opportunity to show what can be achieved in Eco build in larger numbers.
- Ensuring that all climate change strategy policies and building standards are enforced.
- Plan to retain Telford’s Countryside Fringe and Green Corridors free from development and encourage tree planting, both as our green lungs to absorb CO2, to absorb excessive rainfall, and to be harvested as biomass in the future.
- Publish guidelines and controls to ensure best practice in energy efficiency, decentralised energy, green roofs, green spaces, and avoidance of tarmac to build flood prevention.
Procurement Group
LW C Red suggests the following additional actions:
- Council share knowledge gained on low carbon procurement with local businesses and other partners.
- Consider how this knowledge be spread to individuals for our own ‘procurement’ (shopping) decisions on everything from food to flights.
Transport Group
LW C Red believes that here again there should be two components; what the Council can do itself, and what it can do to encourage chane in others:
- Employee car sharing could be more fun if encouraged by more incentives eg: 5 minutes extra on daily breaks / or being allowed to leave first to beat the traffic. Plus more Director participation; celebration; team league tables.
- Council consideration of needs and ease of movement of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport ahead of those of car users at the planning stage.
Waste Group
Again there are two components here; the Councils own waste, and its responsibilities as wastes collection and disposal authority.
LW C Red whole heartedly agrees that the future alternatives to landfill should be chosen on the basis of their least contributions to climate change, and would therefore suggest:
- Council should seek a bid for a bio-digester plant as an alternative to incineration and landfill.
In addition we suggest:
- Council should fully utilise landfill gas to generate electricity.
- Add crushed plastic bottles to red box recycling collections
- Consider how non participation should be tackled, be it help / education or charging.
- Utilise the waste wood chip created when thinning trees, for use in the biomass boilers in Council buildings.
Information provided in the Strategy
We suggest the following additions to make the document a little more exciting:
- Some example of Council savings already achieved in a little more detail
(eg: The wood burning boiler that was installed at Oakengates Leisure Centre in yr…, and has since saved £…, and …tonnes CO2 , with pictures) - More could be made of the potential savings that everyone could make, and where they can get further advice. (eg: Picture and story of a family that have made savings) Named local successes are vital to encouraging future participation.
- Give the Energy Efficiency Advice Centre Freephone number rather than the web address, as the Freephone will remain the Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre advice line.
- The carbon footprint data given (p24/25) is just one way of seeing this issue.
- Dividing each country’s emissions by population does give a graphic illustration of the size of foot prints across the world, but it is not made clear that it does not include manufactured goods from overseas eg. China ( in effect exporting some of our carbon footprint) or any shipping or flights we take.
It is also a very impersonal way to express the borough’s average; it would be easy for anyone to see this as something everyone else is doing. - The inclusion of more personal average emissions such as the borough’s average household, car and flight emissions would be something that all associate with, know how they were contributing to, and measure themselves against.
- The data given (p27) gets nearer to the truth, but fails to give an overall total average for the borough, whilst also expressing the view that these factors
“are not within our direct control”, when in fact Food, Shopping, Recreation, Holidays Abroad and the amount of Water we use are indeed within our control. - One of the principles stated (p23) “Secure resources to enable continuing action” seems not to get any mention within the action plan.
- We suggest seeking funding from the European Regional Development Fund, which has already helped communities in South Shropshire, as well as research into other sources of funding.
