1. Climate Local
Information Workshop
SmartLife Low Carbon Centre, Cambridge
Tuesday 16th October 2012

2.
John Russon
Environment & Performance Manager
Environment Agency

3. 10.00 Chair’s welcome - John Russon, Environment &
Performance Manager, Environment Agency
10.05 Introduction to Climate Local - Jess David and Kamal Panchal,
Local Government Association
Questions / views from the floor
11.00 Views from Councils
Matt Hullis, Suffolk County Council
Paul Hinsley, Essex County Council
Tim Napper, Hertfordshire County Council
11.30 Tea break
11.40 Views from Partners
Environment Agency – Tom Ellis
Sustainability East - David Webb
12.00 Facilitated group discussions & feedback
13.00 Chair’s closing remarks and next steps
13.15 Lunch and networking

4.  a better understanding of Climate Local
 a better ability to communicate Climate Local to
Members
 a clearer understanding of whether signing will benefit
your authority
 an appreciation of whether a collective commitment
would be worthwhile.

5. Climate Local
An initiative to drive and support council-led action on climate change
Kamal Panchal
Senior Advisor, LGA
Phone: 020 7664 3174
kamal.panchal@local.gov.uk
Jess David, Advisor, LGA
Phone: 020 7664 3175
jessica.david@local.gov.uk

6. Journey so far
• Consultation with councils on the development
of the Nottingham Declaration on Climate
Change
• Development work for ‘Climate Local’ with
partnership support from the EA – Jan-June 2012
- new web pages
- an information pack for councils
- research on indicators and resources
• Launch of Climate Local
28th June 2012, mentioned in Ed Davey’s
speech at the LGA Conference
• Establish Climate Local Steering Group -
composed of council representatives and
partners

7. Climate Local – wider context
NPPF
LGA Spending
restructure
Cuts
Localism
MEDIA
No new
statutory “one in
duties one out”
GROWTH

8. LGA - funding outlook for councils
LGA exists to support, promote and improve local government. Local
government is facing the most radical changes, as well as the most significant
opportunities, in a decade. We will fight local government’s corner and support
councils through challenging times, focusing our efforts where we can have real
impact.

9. LGA Priorities
Priorities agreed in September 2012:
• Growth - with campaigns to assert the council role in driving growth through
housing supply, including affordable housing
Climate Local – ‘a platform for local government to champion its leadership
in helping communities to live within their environmental means’
• Waste – championing local innovation
• Sustainability and Climate Change – ensuring councils have resources to
invest in energy efficiency, fuel poverty and resilience
• Flooding - ensuring flood defences are properly planned and funded, and
that flood damage is funded and insured against.

10. Climate Local is … Climate Local isn't ...
• Locally led - an umbrella
initiative to bring together and
share local action • Prescriptive – it allows for locally
determined priorities
• Sector led – with a steering
group of council reps • A bureaucratic process – it’s
• Flexible – for councils to set designed to be light touch
their own actions and priorities • A central audit tool – the
within a broad framework emphasis is on local accountability
• Voluntary – no requirement for • Exclusive – all councils will be
councils to sign able to access tools and resources
• A Platform - for councils to use, • A Spreadsheet you have to fill in
shape, drive and make useful
• All about signing a piece of paper
• A way for councils to help – it’s the commitments that are
each other be ambitious on
important and sharing of
climate change – rather than
information
being told by Government

11. How will it help Councils?
Sir Merrick Cockell, Chairman of the LGA:
“The aim of Climate Local will be to drive and champion council-led action
on climate change in a way which will ensure local authorities can get the
best results and value for money with the resources they have available.”
Cllr Paul Carter, Leader of Kent County Council:
“Climate Local is great opportunity for us to show leadership and practical
action to cut energy bills for hard-pressed local families and businesses.
We'll set local targets to address real priorities."
Cllr Alan Clark, Nottingham City Council:
“We are really proud to be signing this agreement and to build on
Nottingham’s heritage and achievements in tackling climate change. We will
continue to improve our own energy use, create affordable energy for the
city and encourage the growth of ‘green’ jobs. Climate Local will work with
local people to set local action plans to tackle climate change.”

12. Steps for signing up
LGA has provided a Sign up to the
template for annual commitment individually
progress and will look to or as a partnership
develop LGA Inform tool (refresh and review in Y2)
Councils encouraged to LGA will provide a menu
engage and share via of actions and
Knowledge Hub and their commitments, but LAs
own websites can also set their own

13. Headline Commitment
• A headline commitment to address the risks and
opportunities presented by a changing climate, in
line with local priorities
• 4 key elements:
1) Setting locally-owned and determined
commitments and actions;
2) Publishing commitments, actions and progress;
3) Sharing learning from experiences and
achievements with other councils;
4) Regularly refreshing commitments and actions to
ensure they are current and continue to reflect local
priorities.
• Underpinned by locally agreed commitments and
actions

14. Climate Local councils

15. Commitment: We will implement the adaptation actions contained in our revised Climate Change Strategy
Justification: The Council is committed to: managing the risks to its staff, property and functions from climate change;
supporting businesses and residents to manage climate change risks; and working in partnership to address the
effects
of climate change
Specific action(s) Measure Timescale
We will consult on the inclusion of a specific policy Consultation on a climate change April 2013
on climate change adaptation measures in the adaptation policy completed
developing Local Plan
We will contribute to the county-wide planning County-wide planning advice Spring 2014
advice on minimising flood risk and incorporate produced and incorporated into local
this planning policy
into planning policy for the council
We will explore opportunities to install sustainable Opportunities explored for the 2016
drainage measures in council-owned properties installation of sustainable drainage
and open spaces and private developments Measures
We will explore how to protect the existing level of Opportunities explored for direct 2016
tree cover in the councils area and ways to actions (e.g. planting programmes)
increase stock in areas and land uses where and indirect actions (e.g. guidance,
canopy levels are low use of planning obligations and
support for the voluntary sector)
We will consider the impact of climate change on Existing Nature Conservation 2016
native wildlife and develop plans to manage this Strategy reviewed and management
plans for Local Nature Reserves and
other green spaces adjusted

18. The LGA’s offer
• Provide support, resources and signposting service for councils
– Over 2012-13 LGA will produce some dedicated materials for
Cllr portfolio holders and ward councillors
• Champion good practice through a range of different media, such
as events, showcase reports, website features, and e-bulletins etc.
– Spring 2013 LGA will launch a report to highlight council work
under Climate Local including measures to save money,
promote growth etc
• Developing the Climate Local network as a forum to share
learning amongst councils – open to all councils
– Conference event in Spring 2013

19. The LGA’s Success Factors
• LGA continue to resource and promote CL
• Government recognises local authority action
• Government supports local authority action; does not impose it
• Councils feel CL is their resource and helps them improve and
develop their local actions

20. Climate Local
Information Workshop
SmartLife Low Carbon Centre,
Cambridge
Tuesday 16th October 2012

22. The underlying cause and our treatment strategy
Climate mitigation: reducing the impact
Climate adaptation: managing the change
Protecting and enhancing our environment

23. From ambition to delivery creating the golden
thread and unlocking partners’ enthusiasm
“ To be exemplar in
tackling climate change
and protecting and
enhancing the local
”
environment.

24. Delivery in action

25. Partnership with Climate Local?
Why we didn’t sign up straight away.
What’s in it for all the partners working in Suffolk and the
East of England?
Apart from enabling the network what will LGA do with all
the information it collates?
As a partnership of local authorities we are happy to
offer our councillors the opportunity to sign up to Climate
Local, using our Climate Action Plan priorities, but would
like to understand how it would benefit our work.

26. Essex County Council’s
current stance on Climate
Local*
• In the words of Paul Hinsley: Environment Project Officer.
Not necessarily a Corporate view

29. Current Position
• Deal for Growth
• Economic Growth Strategy
• Integrated County Strategy
• Low Carbon Economy
• Corporate Plan 2012 - 2017

30. Opportunity

31. Thank you
Contacts:
Paul Hinsley
Environment Project Officer
Email: paul.hinsley@essex.gov.uk Tel: 01245 436308

32. Adapting to Climate Change at
Hertfordshire County Council
Tim Napper
Senior Project
Officer -
Climate Change
and Sustainability
www.hertsdirect.org

33. Context / Background
•Nottingham Declaration
•NI 188 framework – level 3
•Internal Climate Change Board
•CRC
•Risk management approach
www.hertsdirect.org

34. The situation now
•Operational issue
•Corporate Plan commitment
•Review of approach post-NI 188
www.hertsdirect.org

35. Concerns / Issues
When does an extreme event become a
regular operational issue?
• Timing
• Central government steer
• Maintaining high level commitment
• Keeping focus on risk management/operational
issues
www.hertsdirect.org

36. Climate Local
Information Workshop
SmartLife Low Carbon Centre,
Cambridge
Tuesday 16th October 2012

37.
Tom Ellis
Environment Agency

38.
David Webb
Sustainability East

39. Climate Local
Information Workshop
SmartLife Low Carbon Centre,
Cambridge
Tuesday 16th October 2012

40.
John Russon
Environment & Performance Manager
Environment Agency