PAPER D



 

Committee :    ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT SELECT COMMITTEE

 

Date :              30 OCTOBER 2002

 

Title :              UPDATE ON AGENDA 21

 

REPORT OF THE AGENDA 21 AND HEALTH ALLIANCE OFFICER




SUMMARY/PURPOSE


This paper is to assist the Select Committee in reviewing the action taken in accordance with the aims and objectives contained within the Authority’s Agenda 21 Strategy.


BACKGROUND


The Island Agenda 21 Strategy was developed in partnership with the Isle of Wight community and approved by Council in December 2000.


Agenda 21 (an Agenda for the 21st Century) was agreed by 180 world leaders at the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Agenda 21 is an Action Plan for achieving sustainable development.


Sustainable development is a way of living and working together which brings social, environmental and economic well-being to us all at the same time as ensuring that we leave the world at least as good a place as we found it. At the Earth Summit it was agreed that sustainable development could only be achieved if local authorities across the world worked in partnership with their communities to release the energy and commitment essential to bring about such fundamental change. Therefore each local authority was required to produce its own Agenda 21 Strategy, which would uniquely reflect the needs and aspirations of its own local communities.


The Isle of Wight perspective


The awareness of this responsibility led to Members and Officers of both the Isle of Wight Council and the Isle of Wight Health Authority to come together in facilitated workshops to express their vision for the Island of the future. Together they worked on identifying the key issues and actions vital to achieving their vision of a healthy, harmonious and sustainable Island community. The vision for the Island of the Members and Officers was defined as: "a happy contented and prosperous Island, where each member of the community enjoys the highest quality of life and where we work together to ensure that the Island's natural beauty and cultural heritage is passed undiminished to future generations"


It was agreed that to achieve this vision action must be particularly focussed on:

 

              •       creating an economy which brings maximum social economic and environmental gain to local people - a sustainable economy;

 

              •       developing transport systems which are affordable, accessible, networked across the Island and which minimise environmental pollution and degradation - sustainable transport;

 

              •       protecting and enhancing the Island's natural and built environment - environmental stewardship;

 

              •       making the best use of the Island's natural resources and reducing the generation of waste - sustainable resource management.


These four heading formed the basis of the consultation process and the development of the Island Agenda 21 Strategy.


Over 1,700 Islanders took part in the consultation (Island Voices) and over 50 members of the community worked with officers of the Council and the Isle of Wight Partnership in actually putting the Strategy together


The Agenda 21 Strategy for the Isle of Wight was handed in at 10 Downing Street in December 2000 by a group of Island young people who had played a very significant part in ensuring the success of the consultation process.


Contained within the Strategy was the Year 1 Action Plan which had been based on priority areas proposed by the community working groups.


The report focuses upon the progress of specific Action Points contained within the Action Plan


Progress on the Agenda 21 Strategy Year 1 Action Plan


Agenda 21 Action Priority: 3.2.2 Promoting health and well being, Health Impact assessment; influencing the implementation of policies, programmes and other initiatives to reduce the harmful effects on health and to increase the beneficial effects


Pan Estate Newport is ranked in the highest 10% of the Index of Multiple Deprivation and has been identified by the Isle of Wight Council as a priority area for community capacity building. It was therefore decided to undertake an Health Impact Assessment (HIIA) on the Estate which would not only assist the future health planning for the Pan community and the proposed Pan Village but could act as a model for addressing health inequalities elsewhere in the Island


The HIA was designed and undertaken in partnership with Erica Ison of the Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oxford


The HIA survey and workshops provided the stimulus and an unprecedented opportunity to bring professionals and other workers together with each other and with local people to share knowledge information and expertise in focusing on the health of the Pan community. Not only has this provided a very precious foundation for future partnership working, but exposure to and involvement with the HIA process and the expert facilitator has added very significantly to the knowledge base and capacity of each individual and to the public health team as a whole.


The extensive consultation leading up to the workshops, the workshops themselves and the recommendations arising from all of this work has formed the basis of an extensive bid through the single regeneration budget (the Heart of Pan Enterprise HOPE) which will begin to address all four of the themes identified through the HIA survey and workshops. This project proposal is now well on the way towards approval and work is expected to start before Christmas.


Many of the individual recommendations are currently under consideration and will inform future work on the Pan estate.


Healthy Living Programme.


This initiative developed in partnership with the public private and voluntary sector over a period of two years has been successful in achieving NOF funding of £1 million for the development and promotion of health and well being on the Island. The Agenda 21 & Health Alliance Officer has been a member of the management group throughout the bid development phase and inputs on behalf of the PCT to the growth and development of the programme


Agenda 21 Action Priority 3.2.3 Implementing Environmental Management Systems


A six month project was undertaken to establish the most significant environmental impacts of the Council and how to better manage these has been completed (July 2002). Paper was identified as the start point for ‘Greening the Authority’, and from the 1st October the Council has introduced 100% post consumer waste recycled paper.


The Council has also arranged contracts for electricity that guarantee that 100% of supplies are from green sources..


Agenda 21 Action Priority 3.2.6 Sustainability Assessments Using current best practice guidelines, pilot the use of a Best Value Sustainability Checklist through the Best value Reviews


The Agenda 21 & Health Alliance Officer undertook training sessions with the Best Value Review Team introducing them to the principles of sustainable development and taking them through sustainability assessment techniques. At the commencement of each individual review the Best Value Team member responsible undertook a sustainability assessment under the guidance of the A21 Officer.


Environmental Stewardship


Agenda 21 Action Priority ES1 The provision of a comprehensive countryside interpretation service for Island people and tourists by the integration of an expanded Ranger Service with environmental education and 'green tourism'


The Council's Ranger Service has been expanded to develop specific initiatives associated with Ryde Regeneration and a comprehensive programme of walks and activities aimed at encouraging local people and tourists to learn more of the Island's natural and cultural history. The Rangers also play an active role in developing environmental education initiatives based at Fort Victoria


Agenda 21 Action Priority ES2 To consider increasing the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to cover the whole area of the Isle of Wight which currently lies outised development envelopes


The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 raises both the profile and level of protection of AONBs. On the Island this has led to significant higher levels of staff and funding dedicated to the development and implementation of management plans and public awareness initiatives which will protect and enhance AONBs into the future.

 

Sustainable Economy

 

Agenda 21 Action Priority: 4.2.1/SE1 Support a ‘green tourism’ conference that looks to set local targets that are agreed by all key players.


The Green Island Awards project arose from an initiative developed by the Isle of Wight Sustainable Tourism Forum, a multi-sector partnership group

co-ordinated by the Isle of Wight Council


The Sustainable Tourism Forum was started as an Agenda 21 initiative in 1997. In 1999 funding was obtained from SEEDA to organise a series of participatory workshops with tourism businesses, culminating in a conference which took place in November 2001. The aim of the workshops and conference was to identify practical steps towards achieving sustainable tourism on the Isle of Wight.


The Green Island Awards arose directly from this process which also identified the Sustainable Tourism Core Vision. This aims to achieve a kind of tourism which:

 

§Protects and enhances the natural and built environment

§Supports and expands the local economy and island culture

§Improved residents quality of life

§Strengthens and diversifies the local skill base

    § Responds to both traditional and emerging holiday markets


Following the conference the Green Island Award scheme was prepared based on the aims and principles developed during the stakeholder workshops. The scheme will help organisations focus on measures to support the core vision for sustainable tourism and gain recognition/marketing benefits whilst the industry awaits the national scheme currently being developed by the English Tourism Council Entry and progress within the Isle of Wight scheme will be fully compatible with the national scheme and give island businesses a head start.


The GIA scheme is supported by the Environment Agency and is featured as one of its 'Flagship' projects. The Scheme has also received funding from SEEDA to enable to move to the next phase of development. We have now appointed a Project Co-ordinator who will commence in post on 11 November 2002, reporting to the Agenda 21 & Health Alliance Officer.


Agenda 21 Action Priority SE2 Encourage the development of Local Food Networks which bring together local growers, cooking and healthy eating projects, vegetable box schemes and community garden groups


The RCC has developed and co-ordinates the Health Eating on a Low Income Forum (HELI) which has 50 members and meets bi-monthly. On October 17th HELI organised and ran a national conference 'Food for Thought' and is also planning to run a Training the Trainers' scheme to spread healthy eating initiatives.


Sustainable Transport


Agenda 21 Action Point ST2 Negotiate a concessionary fare system for the use of Islanders referred to mainland based health care services


A cross sector working group,, the Non Urgent Patient Transport Group, comprised of the Primary Care Trust, the Isle of Wight Council and the Voluntary Sector is seeking ways to reduce the cost of patient travel. Currently a proposal is under consideration through the SRB process which if successful will lead to the appointment of a Patient Transport Co-ordinator.


Agenda 21 Action Priority ST4 Investigate the deregulation of Island taxi services with a view to the promotion of more flexible and responsive small vehicle public transport option, particularly in rural areas


The Isle of Wight Council has established a Hackney Carriage Working Party which is investigating mechanisms whereby the service and the public gain maximum efficiency and benefit including the issues of de-zoning and de-regulation.


Agenda 21 Action Priority ST5 Specifically require the introduction of low floor buses through Council contractual mechanisms


The Island's main carrier Southern Vectis has now taken delivery of 8 low-floor buses which will be introduced over the next few weeks. The Isle of Wight Council is also introducing Kassell kerbs which will facilitate the use of the low floor entry.


[The Rural Transport Officer is now in post and together with the Rural Transport Partnership is developing a Rural Transport Action Plan which will aim to assist in the promotion of sustainable transport on the Island. The post is 75% funded by the Countryside Agency who will also fund up to 75% of projects identified by the Rural Transport Partnership].

 

Sustainable Resource Management

 

Agenda 21 Action Priorities : 4.4/ SRM3 To research the optimal use of the Islands Natural and waste resources in the local generation of electricity and identify specific initiatives which will develop the use of this generating capacity: and

SRM 5 To develop and implement sustainable build policies which specify sustainable construction practices, the integration of energy efficiency features and systems and the routine incorporation of grey-water systems in all new builds


Since April 2001 the Isle of Wight Council has been developing a renewable energy strategy for the Island, part funded by the EU Altener programme, and with technical and research support from Intermediate Technology Consultants Ltd (ITC)


Throughout this time the development of the strategy has been in full consultation with the IW community. This has involved a major public launch in July 2001, a presentation of the Technical Analysis Report by ITC (detailing resources and technologies available to the Island) at a highly participatory workshop in March 2002 and a series of 12 community working groups (ranging from 20-35 participants at each) through May, June and July 2002. These events and the RES work in general have received significant media coverage in the local press, radio and on BBC South and hence awareness and understanding has been raised amongst the wider Island community.


The community working groups including officers and members of the Isle of Wight Council have largely focused upon 'Flagship' renewable energy projects identified within the Technical Analysis Report. These are Community Wind; Biomass/CHP; Zero-fossil Energy Build; Biodiesel; Anaerobic Digestion and Marine Current Turbines. The working groups have been highly interactive and as far as possible have included presentations from invited speakers who are experts in the field. The final combined working group met at the end of July to receive and discuss the Cost Benefit Analysis Report prepared by ITC and to make recommendations about RES targets and Flagship Projects which would feed into the Island Renewable Energy Strategy The recommendations made were based on the premise of community ownership and benefit deriving from any agreed RES target and technology.


The draft strategy will be considered the IWC Executive Group in November Final consultation will then take place and it is planned that the Island Renewable Energy Strategy will be put before the full Council in December 2002.


Agenda 21 Action Priority: 4.4/SRM8 To promote a home-composting initiative based on the highly successful water butt promotion.

 

On 20 October a Great Green Sale took place across the Island promoting home composting, water conservation and domestic energy saving. All of the items for sale ion the day were heavily diiscounted due to joint funding from Scottish Southern Energy Plc, the Isle of Wight Council and Biffaward

 

Nearly 3000 home composters were sold, approximately two 2,500 water butts and over 14,000 low energy light bulbs.



RECOMMENDATIONS

 

The Select Committee is requested to note the action taken to date with regard to implementing the Strategy and identify any areas of concern.



BACKGROUND PAPERS


Agenda 21 Strategy




Contact Point : Angela Mawle, ☎ 823289



 

ANGELA MAWLE

Agenda 21 and Health Alliance Officer