Subject:
Environment and Climate Change Ward Guidance
To:
Ward Councillors
From:
Environmental Strategy Team, MCC
Date:
April 2015
1.
Purpose
1.1
To provide guidance to assist councillors to help deliver climate change action in their local areas as described in
Manchester – A Certain
Future.
2
Context: Manchester – A Certain Future
2.1
Manchester’s climate change commitments are set out in the city’s climate change action plan,
Manchester – A Certain Future (MACF),
which was written in 2009 and then refreshed in 2013.
Actions are categorised under 5 themes: buildings, energy, transport, sustainable
consumption and production (food, waste and procurement), and green infrastructure.
2.2
MACF contains 4 objectives:
•
One: Reduce the city's CO emissions by 41% by 2020 (from 2005 levels).
2
•
Two: Culture change - embed 'low carbon thinking' in the lifestyles and operations of the city.
•
Three: Prepare for and actively adapt to a rapidly changing climate.
•
Four: Make a rapid transition to a low carbon economy (currently under consideration).
2.3
MACF is overseen by an independent stakeholder Steering Group, but every resident, pupil, student, employee and organisation has a part
to play in its delivery. Most activities will be delivered at a local level. This guidance will help inform ward members how they can work with
their ward co-ordinators and local communities to deliver MACF action on-the-ground.
2.4
For further information and news articles on MACF, and to download the MACF Annual Report for 2014 which shows progress the city is
making, see: www.manchesterclimate.com
Page 1 of 7
3
How can councillors make a difference in their wards?
3.1
By leading, communicating, networking, mobilising, signposting and supporting delivery, councillors have a unique opportunity to drive more
climate change action in their local areas.
3.2
Many activities bring wider benefits than just environmental, such as healthy living, cheaper energy and food bills, developing new skills and
jobs, improving community cohesion and supporting local businesses.
3.3
An Eco Neighbourhoods project is currently in development. This will provide practical examples of how communities can become self-
sufficient, resilient, low carbon, future-proofed, healthy and green places to live, study and work. The identified areas will benefit from third
sector support to build local capacity, change behaviours, deliver environmental projects and provide residents with the knowledge and skills
required to sustain change in their area over the long-term. Funding is currently being sought to pilot this project and the long-term vision is
that the Eco Neighbourhoods model is rolled out across Manchester.
4
Guidance
4.1
There are four main stages that members can take when implementing climate change action locally. Councillors can choose to either take a
light-touch approach for each stage or a more in-depth approach, which may require extra resource to be secured.
4.2
When undertaking stages 2, 3 and 4, it is important to be realistic in terms of resources available and what can be achieved, in order that
progress is sustainable.
Page 2 of 7
Stage
Light-touch
In-depth
Resources Available
Complete the MCC Member Carbon Literacy
Read the more detailed CLASP1 member
Carbon Literacy training
Carbon
Training to become certified. This is in 2
briefing packs. These are also circulated
package including e-learning
Literacy
parts:
following the member Carbon Literacy
and workshop. Contact
Training
training.
x.xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
- E-learning package
1
To gain
CLASP member briefing packs
understanding,
- Workshop (2 hours)
can be downloaded from:
awareness and
http://www.claspinfo.org/membe
motivation
r_briefing_pack
When refreshing your ward plan (or other
The following is a template of a workshop Ward co-ordinator support for
local plans), conduct a light-touch
audit, which could take 2-3 hours:
light-touch audits when
environmental audit of actions by having a
• Invite schools, third sector, community
refreshing ward plans.
discussion with your ward co-ordinator. This
groups, businesses, active residents
should take around 1 hour and include the
and local public sector representatives. Third sector (Green Leaders)
Environmental following points:
Hold in a local community venue.
partners are available for
Audit
- How many of your actions have an
• Hear from local case studies to set the
engagement and auditing
environmental angle?
scene and provide inspiration.
purposes, but funding is
To help
- Do they cover a range of environmental
• Conduct a mapping exercise by
required. Potential pots might
2
understand
topics or are there any gaps?
plotting existing environmental
include CASH grants.
what’s going on - Are they spread out geographically or are
activities onto large maps and discuss
already and
there any gaps?
what’s going on
gaps and
- Could more environmental benefits be
• Identify where the gaps are, where
opportunities
gained from these actions or do any new
there are opportunities for linking up
actions need to be created?
projects or organisations, and where
successful initiatives can be scaled up.
This might help identify gaps either
• Agree on next steps and actions –
geographically or on certain topics, for
what is everyone going to take away
example there might be lots of food growing
from the workshop and who is going to
1 CLASP is a not-for-profit sustainability support service for public sector in the North West of England.
Page 3 of 7
Stage
Light-touch
In-depth
Resources Available
projects but you’ve identified a need to help
commit to delivering actions?
residents make their homes more energy
efficient.
Reflect MACF in your ward plan (or other
Develop this from the audit above, you
Ward co-ordinators when
local plans). This could be by including an
may need to prioritise actions, target
refreshing ward plans.
environmental/climate change statement at
certain areas and consider what is
the start, or embed it into your other priorities. realistic.
Carbon Literacy training
Ensure there are actions in your plan that will
package including the workshop
deliver environmental benefits. These could
Some actions may form part of larger
where personal actions will be
Action Plan
be new actions, existing actions that you
citywide programmes, so identify what
created.
could challenge to deliver more
can be done locally to add value and gain
To agree what
environmental outputs, or existing actions
greater impact in your communities.
Third sector (Green Leaders)
3
needs to
that could be expanded into other areas.
partners are available for action
happen, by
Example actions are included in appendix 1.
planning purposes, but funding
when and who
is required.
will lead
By embedding actions in existing plans this
shouldn’t take extra resource.
Deliver the personal actions you committed to
in your Carbon Literacy training.
Deliver ward actions through ward meetings
Deliver more in-depth environmental
Potential funding pots to apply
with partners and communities. Secure
action plan with partners and
for include: CASH grants,
additional resources for environmental
communities. Secure additional resources business contributions, CSR
Delivery
actions as appropriate and available.
for environmental actions as appropriate
networks, Registered Providers’
and available.
small grants and lottery grants.
4
To drive local
Monitor and evaluate through existing ward
action and
plan processes.
Monitor and evaluate through existing
change
ward plan processes or a dedicated
project team if appropriate and it can be
resourced.
Page 4 of 7
Appendix 1 – Example actions for Ward Plans
The table below lists different examples of actions that could be included in ward plans. Variations of these may already exist in some plans.
A small (approx 1-4) number of actions should be selected for the first year depending upon ward priorities, resources available and whether a lead
individual or organisation can be found to take it forward. Then other actions should be taken on in future years, or current actions expanded. Also
bear in mind the resources needed to coordinate and monitor performance against each action and your chosen performance indicator, particularly
where data collection may be time-consuming.
Members should identify actions that are realistic and achievable within given time frames. In order for progress to be sustainable it should be
incremental, building on existing strengths over time.
Funding or other resources may need to be secured in order to deliver some of these actions, so this could influence which actions are chosen.
Potential indicators have been included here to measure the impact of ward-level actions. The associated relevant MACF objective or indicator is
also shown, to enable ward-level actions to demonstrate a contribution to citywide climate change action.
Audience/
Example action
Potential Leads
Potential
MACF
Further Info/Support
Theme
KPIs
Objective /
KPI
ALL
• Conduct an in-depth environmental audit of your area.
Members,
- No. of
Culture
See workshop template in
Regeneration and all
audits
Change
Stage 2 in the table above.
ward partners
undertaken
objective
- No. of
partners
involved
Communities/ • Increase environmental sustainability of all neighbourhoods.
Members,
- No. of
- No. of
CASH grants
residents
For example by allocating CASH grants towards sustainability
Regeneration and all
CASH grant
citywide
projects or applying for other funding.
ward partners
allocations to
carbon
www.carbonliteracy.com
• Promote Carbon Literacy training to partner organisations and
environmenta
literate
communities to help increase their understanding of climate
l projects
citizens.
change and what they can do.
- No. partners
undertaking
Carbon
Literacy
Page 5 of 7
Audience/
Example action
Potential Leads
Potential
MACF
Further Info/Support
Theme
KPIs
Objective /
KPI
training
Schools
• Encourage local schools to gain Green Flag Eco School
Schools
- No. of Eco
- No. of Eco
To find out who is an Eco
status.
Schools.
Schools.
School: www.eco-
• Encourage local schools to have biodiversity and food growing
- No. of
- No. of
schools.org.uk
projects in their grounds.
Green Flag
Green Flag
And for advice:
Eco Schools.
Eco Schools.
www.meen.org.uk
Businesses
• Increase environmental performance and resource efficiency
Businesses,
- No. of
- No. of
www.green-growth.org.uk
of SME businesses. The GM Green Growth Programme offers Regeneration
partners
businesses
general environmental information, DIY toolkits and
registered for
registered for
networking to all Manchester businesses, plus 1:1 support for
environmenta
environmenta
eligible SMEs.
l business
l business
support
support
Buildings and
• Help improve energy efficiency of local homes and encourage
Private housing reps,
- No. of
- No. of
http://gmenergyadvice.co.uk
Energy
renewable energy like solar panels. For example promote the
Regeneration,
Green Deal
Green Deal
/little-bill-manchester/
Little Bill campaign in your area and through your networks to
Members
measures
measures
help households become more energy efficient.
installed by
installed
partners
- Citywide
domestic
CO2
emissions.
Transport
• Encourage residents to use more sustainable transport. For
Registered Providers, - No. of
- Citywide
http://cycling.tfgm.com/Page
example by promoting the free adult cycling training available
Businesses, GMP,
partners
transport
s/Training.aspx
through Transport for Greater Manchester or installing cycle
Members,
signed up to
CO2
parking facilities.
Regeneration
TfGM
emissions.
http://www.tfgm.com/travelc
Business
hoices/Pages/business-
Travel
benefits.html
Network
Food
• Increase the number of community food growing projects or
Members, Registered
- No. of
- No. of
www.foodfutures.info
community orchards, (permanent or meanwhile) and the
Providers, voluntary
Growing
Growing
see Growing Manchester
number of residents using them.
sector
Manchester
Manchester
page
projects.
projects.
Waste and
• Deliver a project or campaign to improve recycling rates or
NDTs, Registered
- Ward
- Citywide
NDTs and Clean City
recycling
reduce the amount of waste generated (link with Clean City
Providers, voluntary
household
household
projects
projects and existing recycling campaigns).
sector partners
recycling
recycling
Page 6 of 7
Audience/
Example action
Potential Leads
Potential
MACF
Further Info/Support
Theme
KPIs
Objective /
KPI
• Encourage communities to set up a project to reuse unwanted
rates.
rates.
goods, share items like gardening equipment, or showcase
- No. of
existing local reuse or recycling projects e.g. furniture and
projects.
clothing.
Green
• Deliver biodiversity projects like street tree and wildflower
CCS, Registered
- No. trees
- No. of trees
Red Rose Forest,
Infrastructure
planting.
Providers, NDTs,
planted by
planted
Groundwork
• Install green roofs on suitable community buildings.
Schools,
partners
citywide.
• Hold ‘Celebrate nature’ events in parks.
Regeneration,
- No. of
voluntary sector
events held.
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