Nine Local Authorities chosen for "Green" pilot programmes

Communities Secretary John Denham today announced nine pioneering local authorities that will work with Government to develop an ambitious programme of action to tackle climate change.

Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Oxford, Northumberland, Haringey, Nottingham, Plymouth and Bournemouth Poole and Dorset MAA will work with Government over the coming twelve months to pioneer and test new local carbon frameworks.

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 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.

John Denham said:

"Green groups have long campaigned on the Think Global, Act Local slogan knowing that it is action taken in homes, in villages, towns and cities that will really deliver the change and the groundswell of support to make the difference on carbon emissions.

"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"

The nine councils involved in developing the framework have already indicated where they intend to take action.

Bristol is part of the Low Carbon Core Cities programme and has set a very ambitious carbon reduction target of 40 per cent by 2020. It is producing a new action plan for 2010/11 as part of its Green Capital programme - reducing emissions and improving energy security. This includes establishing an ESCO and District Heating programme, building strong carbon partnerships with the commercial sector and doubling the level of cycling in the city.

Manchester has signed up to reduce emissions by 40 per cent by 2020. The City Council published a comprehensive Climate Change Action Plan in November setting out plans and for organisations and individuals to tackle climate change across the range of issues: energy, waste, transport, homes and business. More widely, the Manchester city region has committed to be a Low Carbon Economic Area (announced last December), with a particular focus on the built environment and skills agendas.

Leeds City region has been developing an ambitious 'urban eco-settlement' programme, aiming to deliver 28,000 homes at least at Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, and at Eco-Towns PPS standards in 4 main regeneration areas. LCR is also aiming to deliver a Domestic Energy Efficiency Programme jointly across the sub-region. This is intended to be similar to the leading Kirklees home insulation scheme - aiming at 300,000 homes insulated by 2015.

Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset have a multi area agreement with a strong environmental theme and a strong emphasis on Green Knowledge Economy, linked to domestic energy programmes, district heating, and partnership building across the areas. The area is home to a number of energy firsts including the first Marks and Spencer eco-store and the internationally renowned Poundbury Development of the Duchy of Cornwall.

Nottingham is in the process of developing a new sustainability strategy. It has been active on a range of fronts, but in particular through the Tram, and the Nottingham Energy Partnership's consideration of waste to heat provision. They were awarded a CAA Green Flag recently, in respect of Waste and Transport. Nottingham also hosts a recent Low carbon communities challenge winner, the Meadows Ozone Energy Services Company.

Plymouth is focussing its attention on the impact on businesses and a low carbon economy and the impact on vulnerable communities.

Oxford has set itself an ambitious carbon reduction target - equivalent to about 50 per cent by 2020. Oxford's carbon management plan has been developed with the keen support from the administration and senior management. Oxford won the Carbon Trust Innovation Award for the Public Sector. They are the first England and Wales LA to sign a land lease agreement for a large wind turbine, with PfR. The active LSP have climate change as one of their priorities. The Oxford is My World Initiative helps local people, businesses and community group to reduce carbon. Oxford is home to a highly ambitious Low Carbon Communities Challenge winner - Low Carbon West Oxford.

Northumberland has signed the European Covenant of Mayors and through this is developing a sustainable energy action plan which sets how the council will achieve a county wide carbon reduction target of 20 per cent by 2020. As well as this, the council has signed up to the Local Authority Carbon Management programme and has set a very ambitious target of reducing carbon emissions from council activity by 50 per cent over 5 years. The councils has also committed, through its Local Area Agreement to achieve a level 4 in NI 118: Planning to Adapt to Climate Change, the highest possible level and the county also hosted a recent LCCC pilot to be undertaken by the Berwick Housing Trust.

LB Haringey has recently signed up to a carbon reduction target of 40 per cent by 2020, and are in the process of developing a plan to deliver this. Haringey are particularly interested in working with communities on behaviour change and household emissions. They have also been designated a Mayoral Low Carbon Zone and were selected for phase 1 of the Department for Energy and Climate Change Low Carbon Communities Challenge.