South East Forum For Sustainability

Archive for the ‘General’ Category

CURRENT SITUATION

 South East England Partnership Board (SEEPB)

• Has now been dissolved; all remaining staff were made redundant on July 31st.
• The work on the Regional Strategy has been discontinued; supporting evidence will be archived by GOSE and made available (probably through SEEC) to local authorities.
• SEEPB functions are being transferred where appropriate (e.g. secretariat for the Thames Basin Heaths Joint Strategic Partnership now resides with Surrey Heath District Council).

 South East England Councils (SEEC)

• South East England Councils (SEEC) was established in April 2009 to represent the views of local authorities in the South East. SEEC represents over 95 per cent of the 74 councils across the South East and is chaired by Cllr Paul Carter (Conservative, Leader of Kent County Council). Cllr Louise Bloom (Liberal Democrat, Eastleigh Borough Council) is Vice-chair. SEEC has a wide remit, which includes providing effective representation of local authority interests on regional, national and international bodies; scrutiny of the activities of regional bodies; and a forum for the consideration and determination of regional issues, including strategic policies and investment priorities.
• SEEC has one member of staff to support their activities and meets regularly once a month. The next meeting is on the 10^th September.
• Details about SEEC activities can be found at: www.secouncils.gov.uk

 South East Strategic Leaders (SESL) & South East Strategic Chief Executives (SESCE)

• SESL has evolved from the ‘South East County Leaders’ group, formed in 2006 to promote county interests during the SE Plan EiP. SESL comprises local authority Leaders; SESCE is a parallel group of Chief Executives. These two groups cover an extended area (the old SERPlan area) and membership (county, district and unitary authorities)
• SESL aims to deliver an ambitious programme of joint policy development and lobbying at all levels – national, regional and local. Specific aims are to:
  • influence national and regional policy
  • establish networks and key contacts at the regional and national level
  • offer support and an innovative policy forum for joint working across the South East
  • raise the profile of the South East Strategic Leaders and their work
  • The group works by issuing news releases and producing common ‘South East’ positions on key policy initiatives of the coalition government (see http://www3.hants.gov.uk/sesl.htm). In effect, this is the closest thing there is to an active regional body. Hampshire CC provides support services (including an area on their website); Surrey CC Leader and CEO were elected in July as chairs of SESL and SESCE, respectively.

 South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)

• Closure of all the RDAs has been announced
• Local authorities have until September to submit proposals for replacement ‘Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs)’ So far it looks as though each county wants to set up their own LEP.
• The Public Bodies Bill which will provide the legislative basis for abolishing RDAs and any other public body will be introduced in the autumn, but Royal Assent is not expected until summer 2011 at the earliest. Government has not yet decided the closure time line for RDAs although it has set up a backstop date of 31st March 2012.
• SEEDA has a programme budget cut of £28.2 million for 2010-11
• SEEDA still has a programme budget of £79m to spend this financial year and is working with partners and stakeholders to achieve the most for the region’s economy from this .An outline of the budget priorities (and cut backs can be seen in a letter from Pam Alexander on the SEFS website):

 Government Office of the South East (GOSE)

• Eric Pickles announced in July the Government’s intention in principle to abolish the remaining eight Government Offices of the Regions across England, although final decisions will be made at the end of the Spending Review in the autumn
• The GOSE websites has been merged with a Government Office Network website (http://www.gos.gov.uk/).

 The Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review

• Will be announced on 20th October 2010.
• A public consultation (for public sector workers and the public generally) was launched on 24th June 2010 asking for views on where cuts should be made.

Regional Government Departments & Agencies

• Most government departments will be expected to cut budgets by an average of 25% over the next 3 years
• Defra and the Defra family (Natural England, Forestry Commission and the Environment Agency) will be affected. The Environment Agency is undergoing a major structural review and is expected to merge its Southern Region and Thames Region, but there will are more/bigger changes anticipated for EA. Natural England has merged its South East and London regional offices. This is likely to be a temporary/transitional measure since it appears that NE will be ‘de-regionalised’ (in part responding to the switch from regionalism to localism, in part in response to the expected 30-40% budget cut). Forestry Commission is planning for at least 30% cuts and will not have any money for programme work or partnerships.
• There are suggestions that CABE & English Heritage might be merged.

South East Regional Rural Board, Rural Forum for the South East & Sustainable Food and Farming Board

• The SE Rural Board will not meet again and is to amalgamate with the Rural Forum assuming the RF agrees.
• Rural Forum has finance up until the end of March 2011 (Defra has paid GOSE the £20K towards the operation of the Forum for this financial year) and so does the Sustainable Food and Farming Board. However their futures are under review by ministers. The Rural Board is closing immediately because of the demise of SEEDA who run its secretariat.
• The Government has announced that they agree with the principle and themes within the Food 2030 document and are currently working on a suitable implementation plan, and considering how the regional boards could help with its delivery. This is now being referred to as the Food Strategy.
  • The Rural Forum next meets on 15th September 2010 and the next meeting with the new minister is scheduled for 21st September 2010

South East Rural Community Councils (SERCC)

• SERCC have appointed an Interim Chief Executive, Neil Casey
• With the existing political uncertainty about regional structures and delivery, the SERCC Board are using the opportunity of an interim executive appointment to undertake a review of the organisation over the next three months.
• During this review SERCC will continue to deliver all its projects.
• Council for Rural Communities has been disbanded

South East Region Technical Advisory Body for Waste (SERTAB)

SERTAB meetings are planned for the autumn with a workshop due to take place on the 4th October to consider the “SERTAB__Role_and_Action_Plan”. It has also been proposed that a SERTAB response is collated and sent to DEFRA on its “Path to Zero Waste economy” consultation. Hampshire County Council is currently supplying secretariat for SERTAB.

Sustainable Development

• DEFRA is withdrawing funding from the Sustainable Development Commission at the end of the current financial year.
• DEFRA SD Unit will take SD forward, assuming it survives DEFRA cuts.
• The government is due to radically reform the planning system on the basis of the Open Source Planning green paper. The aim is to “decentralise and streamline the planning system and allow it to focus on promoting sustainable development that local communities want.”
• The Planning System changes are (according to the DCLG Structural Reform Plan) due to take place over the next year and be in place by April 2012
• Planning Policy Statements – According to the Open Source Planning green paper the need for existing Policy Statements (and PPGs)  “will be evaluated and those required will be re-ordered and aligned in order to reflect the national priorities, as determined by Parliament. The result will be a series of short and focused guidance notes describing how specific aspects of the planning system will operate to deliver the government’s agenda and setting out minimum environmental, architectural, economic and social standards for sustainable development. These will support the overarching National Policy Framework
• All revisions of PPSs has been halted; the PPS on Regional Spatial Strategies has been withdrawn.

Other Regional Environmental Fora

• East Midlands Environment Link  is organising a meeting of all regions to discuss:
  •  What is the function of future regional environment links and how do we fit with the new architecture?
  • What will be the future of strategic planning?
  •  How, in this new structure, can we help maintain gains around sustainable development?
  • How do we respond to Big Society thinking and maintain strategic perspectives?
  • North West Environment Link – Is hoping run an event in the North West on the challenges and opportunities to the environmental VCS of the big society concept, and also to have at least introduced themselves to the new LEPs to see if they can develop some kind of working relationships with them.

NEED FOR REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK IN SOUTH EASTERN ENGLAND

The view amongst SEFS P&EC members (and some external organisations to SEFS) is that even with the demise of regional level planning policy as we know it, there is still a need for a strong, SE (or wider) network of environmental organisations to ensure:

1)     Information sharing

2)     Support and overview policy input to help those working at sub regional/local level

3)     Liaison with remaining regional bodies (SE England Councils, SE Strategic Leaders and SE Strategic Chief Executives).

A for a little bit of irreverence  on the demise of 10 years hard work watch Lords of the Plans on You Tube.

SEFS was delighted to use the National Trust Offices at Queen Anne’s Gate in London for its 2010 General Meeting. Members engaged in the discussion on current state of regional activities and the future of regional level work. There were also interesting presentations from Rob Jarman of the National Trust on their Carbon Reduction programme, Rachel Stancliffe of Campaign for Greener Healthcare on NHS Forest (NHS Forest Presentation- short) and Bettina Lange from Campaign for Better Transport on the goverment’s programme – Delivering a Sustainable Transport System.

The minutes can be found here

Eric Pickles today announced that Regional Spatial Strategies will be revoked with immediate effect. Councils will now be responsible for deciding whether or not to keep their existing housing targets or develop new plans. Local Developement Frameworks and Planning Documents will continue as is though there may be a need to revise or review them to remove references to Regional Policy.

CPRE amongst others has voiced it’s concern over the cutting of RSS and the void this leaves in the cross boarder planning for things like transport, waste, minerals, green infrastructure.

Click here for the full RSS revocation letter and guidance covering, issues related to LDFs, transport, housing, waste and minerals planning.

The Chilterns AONB has launch a new searchable service on it’s website to allow you to plan walks, bike and horse rides.

The website allows you to search walks/cycles or rides by postcode, it includes open access land and also things of interest to look out for e.g. red kites. So click here to explore.

As David Dimbleby said on numerous occasions during the election coverage last night “this is quite an extraordinary election”. Swings went this way and that, but with most of the seats now decided we have a clear picture of how things look for the South East.

There was a 2% swing from the Liberal Democrats, who lost 2 seats, to the Conservatives who gained 14 seats. The Labour party lost 13 seats and of course remarkably  and historically the region gained a Green seat when Brighton Pavilion elected its first Green MP Caroline Lucas.

So overall the region has 75 Conservative, 4 Liberal Democrat, 4 Labour and 1 Green MPs.

We will watch with interest as the hung parliament develops and what deals are brokered particularly in relation to Regional Planning.

Full coverage of the election including a detailed breakdown of the results can be found on the BBC website

Since the announcement of the general election the future of regional level planning has been up for debate. Even now the results are mainly in, the future is uncertain. The Conservatives have increased their hold on seats in the region but for the first time there is a Green MP. We don’t know how things will pan out in the scheme of a hung parliament but SEFS will be discussing the issues at the General Meeting on Tuesday 15^th June (details on the SEFS website). SEFS will be discussing the issues post the election at the General Meeting on Tuesday 15^th June (click for details). We do hope you will be able to join us then to engage in our debate. In the meantime this is what the different parties are saying about regional level planning in their manifestos:

Conservatives:

• Abolish regional tier including RSS and building targets.
• Councils/business to have the power to form partnerships instead of RDAs but allow them to have regional based enterprise partnerships if they want them.
• Any quangos that do not perform a technical function or a function that requires political impartiality, or act independently to establish facts, will be abolished.
• Hold referendums on whether to have directly-elected mayors in 12 of England’s largest cities outside London; allow local people to trigger referendums on “issues of local importance” by amassing petitions signed by 5% of local people over a six month period; use Cabinet Office budgets to fund the training of independent community organisers to help people establish and run neighbourhood groups.

Greens:

• Referenda on local govt decisions if called for by 20% of electorate.
• Revive local government, with the introduction of proportional representation and with grassroots democracy spreading through the use of smaller community and district councils. Such authorities should have enhanced powers, and in due course new tax-raising powers.

Labour:

• Enhance RDAs and Regional Ministers.
• Enhanced role for local government.
• Regional growth fund.
• Help for city regions to enable them to become powerhouses of growth and innovation with devolved power to shape transport and skills. With the possibility of directly elected mayors.

Liberal Democrats

• Reform Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) to focus solely on economic development, removing duplication with other parts of government and allowing substantial budget reductions. We will give responsibility for economic development to local authorities. Where existing RDAs have strong local support, they may continue with refocused economic development objectives. Where they do not, they will be scrapped and their functions taken over by local authorities.
• Scrap govt offices for the regions/Regional Ministers.
• Implement the Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill, which gives local communities the right to propose actions in their area to improve sustainability.
• Scrap nationally-set targets and performance indicators.
• Give councils control over housing and planning.

Standean Bottom

After all the long wait it might seem slightly cruel to launch the new South Downs National Park on April 1st. But its no joke, after the National Park Confirmation Order was signed in November last year by Hilary Benn, it came into effect on 31st March and the new National Park Authority came into being on the 1st April. The South Downs NPA will be a shadow organisation for 1 year when it will take over the reins completely.

The campaign to set up a National Park for the South Downs has been a protracted one. Many SEFS members have supported it, some from the start and several, noteably the South Downs Campaign, have  been key movers and shakers in ensuring that the park covers a comprehensive and inclusive area. Thousands of volunteer hours have gone into shaping the arguments for the Park and those who have worked so hard to ensure this iconic landscape is fully recognised for what is worth deserve our hearfelt thanks. Now that it’s reason for being has come into being the South Downs Campaign has disbanded but you can click to read the last Campaign newsletter. SEFS is delighted to see that Sue Saville from the National Trust and a SEFS P&EC member has been appointed to the new Authority.

SEFS members can continue to engage in the development of the National Park through the new South Downs Network which has been set up to to share information and work together to support enhancements and to fight damaging proposals. It is felt that that the network will be important to ensure that pressure is maintained for greater protection and enhancement of the South Downs. To sign up or to find out more information, contact: Jacquetta Fewster of the South Downs Society (which has kindly agreed to host the administration of the network) on 01798 875073 or email: downsmen-d@btconnect.com

With  less than 24 hours to go Earth Hour is approaching fast. So why not join a community of over 5million people (and rising) around the world at 8.30pm your local time and spend an hour switched off.

Make new friends, look at the stars, enjoy some candlelight or just sit in the dark.

To register sign up on the  Earthhour website

Oxford City Council has been chosen along with eight other councils (Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Northumberland, Haringey, Nottingham, Plymouth and Bournemouth Poole and Dorset MAA) to pioneer an ambitious programme of action to tackle climate change.

The councils will work with Government over the coming twelve months to pioneer and test new local carbon frameworks. They will take centre stage in the UK’s action to tackle climate change whilst residents will reap the benefits of large scale home insulation projects, alternative sources of energy and the emergence of greener communities which together could reduce fuel bills alongside further  benefits.

By working more closely with energy suppliers; to develop ambitious plans for ‘greening’ up domestic and non-domestic properties; increasing the demand for renewable energy; considering how to increase the economic viability of new energy sources; boosting links to heat and energy schemes and make more effective use of surplus energy to power homes, councils could potentially unlock new sources of income for local authorities.

John Denham is proposing that local carbon frameworks will involve councils:

• setting out a clear set of targets for action and a route for progress and milestones.  Many of the councils involved have already set themselves stretching targets to reduce carbon emissions – 40 per cent reductions and higher by 2020. The frameworks will support ambitions for going even further, faster

• developing a clear strategy for how carbon reductions can be achieved.  Robust and strongly evidence based; this strategy will need to articulate how the council will secure community buy in and involvement

• producing a delivery plan involving all its partners, including those outside the formal strategic partnership.

Plans might set out what action is needed on issues spanning recycling, energy efficiency, wind power, transport and more.

Councils would be expected to put together a prospectus setting out how they would develop and deliver a local carbon framework. This would be negotiated and agreed with Government. It will then be down to councils to take forward delivery and report on its achievements.

Local authorities will also be able to use their prospectus to set out an ‘ask’ of central government.  Councils will be expected to maximise the use of their existing freedoms and flexibilities but Government is ready to offer additional help and support and look at what more can be done to help delivery.

The pilot authorities will work with Government to help develop and test the concept. Further pilot programmes will be developed in the coming months. £3m has been allocated to support the pilot programmes.

John Denham said: “Local authorities – through their oversight of housing, planning, waste, transport coupled with the significant spending power they possess – are uniquely positioned to use their role and influence to drive and shape a low carbon economy, low carbon living and influence the kind of behaviour change that will be needed to meet the UK commitment to the 34 percent cut in emissions on 1990 levels by 2020.”

“Councils are already making huge advances on this agenda. We want all local authorities to take the lead on reducing emissions in their area. The nine authorities being named today are ready to help Government identify the support needed for all local authorities to follow the lead of the best, make sure unnecessary barriers to action are swept away, and identify the tools needed for local authorities to do the job.

“There are obvious benefits for local people both financially and in terms of quality of life and it is crucial that local authorities maximise these and involve local people every step of the way.”

The potential for local authorities to go further than their current responsibilities around climate change was proposed in the Strengthening Local Democracy Consultation published in the summer. That document made the case for using greater opportunities for local leadership on climate change to put local government at the heart of high quality, innovative public services. The frameworks present the next stage in tackling climate change and offer the potential to transform the expectations of what local government is and what it does for people.

Ultimately John Denham wants to work with those authorities already engaged in this agenda and encourage them to do more but also raise the bar for all authorities and help them recognise the potential and maximise the advantages that are available.