Local Agenda 21
REASON FOR SELECT COMMITTEE
CONSIDERATION
The Select Committee Workplan
included an item to monitor the progress being made with implementing the
Council’s policy with regard to Agenda 21.
Action required by the
Select Committee
(i) To
receive the Report. (ii) To recommend any additional areas of work
for prioritisation over the next 12 months. |
1. Agenda 21 is the Island’s Sustainable
Development Strategy. It seeks to promote development that meets the needs of today’s
society without jeopardising the ability of future generations to meet their
needs. Agenda 21 is not simply about the environment; it is about a combination
of factors which must be given equal consideration, namely
·
Maintenance
of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment
·
Prudent
use of natural resources
·
Effective
protection of the environment
·
Social
progress which recognises the needs of everyone
2. The Island’s Agenda 21 Strategy was
published in 2000 after one of the largest public consultations that has taken
place on the Island – approximately 1,700 residents made a direct contribution.
The Strategy contains a clear vision for the future and highlights the
tremendous value local people place on their environment and quality of life.
The top 6 things that residents said they liked about the Island are the
countryside, coast, community spirit, pace of life, peace and the local
environment.
3. The Strategy lists a series of key
actions under 5 themes – environmental stewardship, sustainable economy,
sustainable transport, sustainable resource management and Council leadership.
This report highlights progress during 2004 on each of these themes and
indicates priorities for the next 12 months.
“Although the idea is simple, the task is
substantial. It means meeting four objectives at the same time, in the UK and
the world as a whole.”
(Taken from ‘A Better Quality of
Life – A Strategy for Sustainable Development for the UK’, DETR, 1999.)
4. The Agenda 21 Officer is a joint
appointment between the Council and Primary Care Trust. This unique arrangement
demonstrates a clear understanding of the close linkages between ‘sustainable
development’ and ‘quality of life’. Both organisations are tackling
inequalities and this is a key aim of sustainable development. Agenda 21 is an
Island-wide strategy and its delivery is assisted by a wide range of
individuals and organisations both inside and outside the Council. Whilst these
are too numerous to list in full, a couple of areas, additional to the Agenda
21 unit, are highlighted to illustrate where good progress is being made.
5. A Planning Grant of £48,000 was secured
from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the West Wight Landscape Partnership (WWLP),
which seeks to conserve and promote the historic landscape of this part of the
Island. A WWLP project officer was appointed in September 2004. The Council
delivers a variety of work through the Countryside
Section and AONB Partnership. During the year the AONB Partnership published
its first statutory management plan which consists of a vision for the AONB in
2025 and a five year management plan to conserve the Island’s finest
landscapes.
6. In 2005, following extensive public
consultation, an application will be made on behalf of the West Wight Landscape Partnership for
up to £2 million for activities which will maintain and protect the local
environment, culture, heritage and civic pride of towns and villages.
7. Green Island is the Council-led
sustainable tourism initiative which accredits businesses according to their
environmental performance. During the year a further 50 businesses were
recruited to the scheme which now has one of the highest per capita take-up
rates of any similar scheme in the UK. A Business Development plan has been
produced which outlines how the scheme is expected to grow over the next 5
years. In addition, the Project Officer has been involved in tourism projects
in Niton & Whitwell, Totland Bay and Yarmouth. Initial work has been
undertaken to develop a woodfuel supply chain, creating job opportunities for
forestry enterprises and diversification for Island farmers. An application is
being prepared for Defra’s Bio-energy Infrastructure Scheme and users of
woodfuel are actively being sought.
9. The Agenda 21 Strategy highlights the
need for cheaper ferry fares, improved public transport, particularly for
excluded groups, and Green Travel Plans. These issues are being taken forward
by Members and Officers of the Council and voluntary sector groups
10. The Agenda 21 Officer will contribute to
the Transport Review and undertake further research into alternative fuels,
particularly biodiesel, which could be produced locally from waste vegetable oil.
11. Work has continued to implement the
Island’s Renewable Energy Strategy. A feasibility study, commissioned from
consultant’s, whitbybird, looked at how the Island could meet its renewable
energy target (10% by 2010) whilst maximising benefit to the local community.
The report recommends the formation of the Isle of Wight Low Carbon Company
(IOWLCC) and details its operation. This was approved by Full Council on 15th
September 2004 and the Executive will consider its structure and function in
detail in February next year. Also completed was the Pan Village Sustainability
Study which shows how high standards of sustainability can be incorporated into
the new development. A grant of £43,000 was secured from the DTI for the
installation of a 13.8kWpeak Photovoltaic (solar electric) system at Medina
High School. An Anaerobic Digestion system for dairy farmers was promoted, with
feasibility studies being prepared for 3 local farms and contact has been made
with a Company looking to trial a new marine current turbine. A Warm Homes
Group has been established during the year with partners from the statutory and
voluntary sector looking at ways of tackling fuel poverty. A successful
Sustainable Homes Seminar in June attracted over 100 participants from the
housing sector. National and regional organisations outlined some of the latest
developments in sustainable building as part of an ongoing process to raise the
environmental performance of new housing on the Island.
13. During the next 12 months it is intended
to work with colleagues from Housing & Community Support Services to
further promote energy efficiency and to establish a new scheme for solar water heating systems.
Sustainable Housing will be further promoted with a ‘trade fair’ in March,
which will include an opportunity for architects to discuss design issues with
planners. The potential for Pan Village to become an eco-housing showcase will
be actively persued and it is hoped that members of the Environment &
Transport Select Committee will give support for the highest quality
sustainable housing at Pan. A water efficiency campaign, in partnership with
Southern Water, will be planned and delivered over the next 24 months.
14. Agenda 21 seeks to promote community
involvement and has participated in the County Show and Garlic Festival,
providing information to the general public. It is currently managing a scoping
study to establish whether there is a need for a Groundwork Trust on the Island
and how this national organisation could deliver further environmental
improvements, particularly in deprived communities. A Public Health Seminar in
November showed how the Council is already involved in many activities which
promote health and well-being and how it can work more closely with the health
sector to improve people’s quality of life. The Council’s new energy
procurement contract ensures that from October 2004, 100% of electricity
purchased is from renewable sources. Agenda 21 has been involved with the Pan
Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder to identify ways of tackling inequalities
and improving quality of life.
15. If sponsorship is secured, a Green Fair in
May 2005 will be the Island’s premier environmental event. It will educate and
inspire the general public to appreciate their surroundings and to take action
to reduce their environmental impact. Appraisals of the Island’s main
strategies and land-use planning policies which combine environmental and
health impacts will be offered. Ecological
footprinting will also be used to assess the implications of additional
housing and economic development. Work has begun to introduce a formal
Environmental Management System across the Council with the prospect of
becoming one of the few Council’s in the UK to achieve ISO14001 accreditation.
This is a major undertaking, but one which should lead to cost savings (e.g.
reduced energy, water and materials usage) as well as better environmental
performance.
16. Some of the proposed actions in the Agenda
21 Strategy have received little attention in the past 12 months. These are
listed below with the expectation that there will be progress when resources
allow:
·
Litter
reduction (although this is now perceived to be less of a problem)
·
Green
technology R&D unit
·
Domestic
waste reduction and commercial waste recycling
·
Sustainable
build policies
17. Since the original Agenda 21 Strategy was produced,
a number of the key actions have been achieved and demonstrate good practice.
These have been well publicised and include:
·
Full
access to Public Rights of Way
·
Work
of the Centre for theCoastal
Environment in sustainable environmental management
·
Farmers’
Market
·
Cycle
tracks
·
Municipal
waste management
·
Highest
rate of Warm Front (energy efficiency) grant referrals in the South East
18. The year also saw the sad demise of both
Playworks and the Wight Green Centre, although the latter’s Woodshed and ecoBiz
projects continue under the auspices of Island Volunteers. The contribution of
both organisations to sustainability on the Island should be recognised,
although it will be necessary in future for voluntary sector organisations to
become less reliant on grant aid if they are to ensure their own
sustainability.
19. During the year requests have been made
for Indicators of sustainable development. These have now been provided and
progress will be reported on:
·
Installed
capacity of renewable energy sources (kW)
·
Council
consumption of energy (kWh) and resultant CO2 emissions (tonnes)
A further indicator on use of
recycled paper is being prepared. However, it should be remembered that
sustainable development is a complex process, requiring all four key elements
(economy, society, environment and resources) to be addressed in an integrated
fashion. Because of this, the only true indication of sustainable development
is through a basket of indicators that collectively reflect quality of life. It
is intended to develop a set of 16 or so local indicators to show whether the
Island is developing in a sustainable fashion or not.
20. Agenda 21 operates at both strategic and
practical levels. Sustainable development is now firmly embedded in land-use
planning (through PPS1 – ‘Sustainable Communities’) and integrated into the
Community Strategy. It also tries to make a real difference on the ground,
working with local communities to minimise the Island’s ecological footprint,
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase self-sufficiency and enhance the
local environment.
The Council currently employ a 0.5 fte Principal Policy
Officer to lead on Sustainable Development and contributes 30% of the costs of
the Green Island (Sustainable Tourism) Project (c. £19,000 per annum). Delivery
of Agenda 21 will require further project development which will be costed on a
case by case basis.
Taking steps to promote the economic, social and environmental
well-being of the Island is a discretionary executive function of the Council
under Part 1 of the Local Government Act 2000. Discharge of that function by
the Executive is susceptible to overview and scrutiny under s13 of the same
Act.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
‘The Agenda 21 Strategy for the Isle of Wight’, 2000, Isle
of Wight Council.
‘Island State: an ecological footprint analysis of the Isle of
Wight’, 2002, Best Foot Forward.
‘Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management
Plan 2004-2009’, 2004, AONB Partnership.
‘Isle of Wight Low Carbon Company – draft business strategy
proposal’, 2004, whitbybird / element energy.
COUNCILLOR TERRY BUTCHERS
Portfolio Holder for Sustainable
Development, Environment and Planning Policy