Download 87kb - Torridge District Council

TORRIDGE SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
Introduction
This strategy has been created to co-ordinate the Council’s approach to
sustainability and ensure that the objectives of sustainability are reflected
across our services and activities. This builds upon and contributes to the
delivery of our sustainable commitments within the Sustainable Community
Strategy.
As an employer, consumer of resources and a provider of services, the Council has a
responsibility to ensure that its operations and activities are conducted in a way that not
only improves the quality of life for the people of Torridge but also protects and enhances
our environment for future generations. As a Local Authority, the Council is also uniquely
placed to provide vision and leadership to local communities and to promote a culture that
involves, supports and empowers individuals to take an active role in their environment.
Vision
Our sustainability vision is to meet the needs of all people in Torridge and promote
sustainable prosperity for everyone whilst respecting the limits of our environment and
resources and ensuring that they are unimpaired for the benefit and enjoyment of future
generations.
Aims
The aim of this strategy is to provide an over arching framework to guide the Council in
integrating and co-ordinating the principles of sustainability across all its strategies, plans,
policies and actions and, in turn, to influence and provide direction on sustainability issues
to our key partner organisations and customers.
The Council adopts the following aims that will inform the Council’s goals and policies,
which will help move Torridge towards a more sustainable future..
The Council will work to:
 Ensure all its citizens have access to wholesome food and water, good housing and
fuel at a reasonable cost;
 Use its legal powers and influence to limit the pollution of the air, land and water;
 Ensure that wherever practicable local needs will be met locally;
 Create opportunities for its citizens to undertake safe, satisfying and sustainable
work and ensure that the value of unpaid work is recognised;
 Minimise waste, and maximise recycling;
 Reduce the contribution to climate change by increasing energy efficiency, and
encouraging the use of renewable energy;
 Protect, manage and enhance the variety of wildlife in the District;
 Ensure that good health is protected by a good environment, and that the Council’s
services work towards improving health and preventing illness;
 Create environments where people can live without fear of personal violence from
crime and persecution;
 Provide access to the skills, knowledge and information which would enable people
to play a full part in society;
 Empower all citizens and sectors of the community to participate in a democratic
District;
 Create opportunities for culture, leisure and recreation for all;
 Value local distinctiveness and our own various heritages;
 Tackle poverty, discrimination and exclusion;
 Co-operate with regional, national, European and international efforts towards
sustainability.
Objectives
This strategy seeks to ensure that Council plans and policies contribute to and support the
following objectives:




Promote sustainable consumption and production
Reduce energy consumption and the effects of climate change
Protect and enhance our natural resources
Foster sustainable communities.
These objectives effectively capture the priority areas at the heart of sustainability and are
derived from the UK Government’s Sustainable Development Strategy ‘Securing the
Future’. They will provide key points of reference for the further development of Council
policies and plans.
Defining Sustainability
There are many definitions of sustainability, but the most widely used and recognised are
‘to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs’ and fromThe UK Sustainable Development Strategy
‘Securing the Future’ (2005) which says:
“The goal of sustainable development is to enable all people
world
to satisfy
nd enjoy a better quality of life,
throughout
the their basic needs
compromising
the quality of life without
of future generations. That goal will
a
pursued in an integrated way through a sustainable, innovative
be
productive economy that delivers high levels of employment, and
and
saociety
just that promotes social inclusion, sustainable communities and
wellbeing.
personal This will be done in ways that protect and enhance the
and natural environment, and use resources and energy as
physical
efficiently as
possible”.
This requires improvements in the economic, social and environmental well-being of
Torridge whilst safeguarding the prospects for future generations.
Torridge District Council’s Purpose and Priorities
The Sustainable Community Strategy sets the direction and priorities for the Council for
the coming years, and is embodied in the following objectives:
 World Class Environment
 Strong and Inclusive Communities
 Sustainable Economy
 Homes and Housing
 Inspiring Young People
 Health and Well-being
 Safer Devon
The Torridge Sustainability Strategy underpins and builds on these objectives, but
specifically World Class Environment, which seeks to preserve and enhance our
environment for future generations and embed sustainability in all current and future
operations of the Council.
In order to achieve this objective, methods of furthering progress towards sustainability
must be integrated into, and co-ordinated across, the policies and activities of the Council.
The following summaries under each sustainability objective serve to highlight the diverse
range of issues that will need to be considered.
Promote sustainable consumption and production
Sustainable consumption and production is about achieving more with less. This means
looking at how goods and services are produced and the impacts of products across the
whole lifecycle. This includes reducing the inefficient use of resources and utilising
products and services that use fewer resources, minimising waste and harmful emissions,
and maximising the reuse of materials.
Reduce energy consumption and the effects of climate change
The UK Government is committed to reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions
and in the Climate Change Bill has set the long term goal of reducing carbon dioxide
emissions by 60% by 2050. To reduce our impact on climate change requires us to
reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions arising from all Council
operations and to promote reductions across the District. At the same time we must
prepare for the effects of climate change that cannot be avoided, i.e. sea level rises.
Protect and enhance our natural resources
Natural resources are vital to our existence and to the development of Torridge as a
community. Torridge has a rich and diverse landscape, which includes Areas of
Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Biosphere Reserve including Northam Burrows. The
District also has a large number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest. In order to provide a
decent environment for everyone, we need to protect and enhance these resources. This
means improving and maintaining the quality of our air, water and land, protecting and
enhancing our biodiversity, and making the most efficient use of our land. It also means
striving to address national priorities by reducing our use of non-renewable raw materials
such as fossil fuels and minerals.
Sustainable Communities
Sustainable communities embody the economic, social and environmental principles of
sustainability at the local level to create places where people want to live, work and visit,
now and in the future. This involves creating a place that:




Is safe, healthy and inclusive;
Has a sustainable and diverse economy and strong local culture;
Is well designed and built with good access to services;
Maintains the environmental qualities of the area.
The Council has already achieved much that contributes positively to the sustainability
objectives outlined above. Indeed, this strategy brings together and incorporates elements
of previous Council policy statements and strategies specifically geared to delivering
sustainability objectives. The Council has produced an Ecological Footprint for Torridge
and sustainable procurement and green purchasing guides. The Local Strategic
Partnership (LSP) also has a role in overseeing delivery of the Sustainable Community
Strategy for Northern Devon. However there are additional gains still to be made. Some of
these will come from further consideration of sustainability objectives and some from
implementing co-ordinated actions across the Council. This will require a cross-cutting
approach that encompasses new areas of work and will bring together existing activities to
create a coherent shared standard of sustainability for Torridge.
The wider policy context
In developing this strategy, the following guidance and frameworks have been taken into
account:
National indicator set and reporting requirements
As part of the new Performance Network the Government has published a single set of
198 national indicators on which local authorities and partners will be required to report.
Of these, 14 indicators fall within the Environmental Sustainability block and include such
indicators as CO2 reduction from Local Authority operations (NI185) and adapting to
climate change (NI188). The primary focus for performance management will be on those
indicators against which targets are agreed in the Local Area Agreement (LAA). This will
serve to further focus Council Policies and activities towards sustainability.
Sustainability Frameworks
National Framework – Securing the Future
The UK Strategy for Sustainable Development, ‘Securing the Future’ (2005) sets out the
Government’s strategic framework for sustainable development to 2020, and identifies the
following four priority areas for immediate action, shared across the UK:




Sustainable Consumption and Production
Climate Change and Energy
Natural Resources and Environmental Enhancement
Sustainable Communities.
Local Framework – Sustainable Community Strategy
The emerging Torridge Sustainable Community Strategy has the environment as one of
seven key areas. Its vision is to maintain and develop a healthy, rich and diverse
environment based on sustainable principles that will, in summary
 Protect and enhance the rural and urban environments for people and wildlife
 Reduce waste, pollution and environmental crime
 Ensure sustainability principles underpin decisions about local development and the
future of Torridge
 Encourage wise use and enjoyment of natural resources
 Provide for healthy lifestyles and improved quality of life
The following sets out the objectives and aims of the sustainability strategy as an aide
memoire.
OUR AIMS FOR A SUSTAINABLE TORRIDGE - A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, WORK &
VISIT
We will work with all sectors of the community to safeguard the environment,
promote sustainable economic growth and improve the quality of life for all, now
and for future generations.
The Council will apply the principles of sustainability through our corporate priorities and by making
the following commitment to ENVIRONMENT
Take action to combat climate change
Comply with environmental legislation and continuously seek to improve environmental
performance
Protect and enhance wildlife, natural habitats and our natural & built environment
Encourage businesses to adopt sound environmental and ethical practices
PEOPLE
Promote sustainable lifestyles
Improve the health and well being of the community
Help to create job opportunities and thriving local businesses and support social enterprise
Enable residents and visitors to enjoy cultural, leisure and outdoor attractions
Enable access to services for all, reduce poverty & deprivation and promote social inclusion
Value diversity and enable all residents to be involved in their community
Improve the quality of life for those who live, work and visit Torridge by reducing crime, fear
of crime and anti-social behaviour.
ENERGY & EFFICIENCY
Promote Energy Efficiency
Minimise pollution, waste and the use of natural resources,
Promote Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Repair
Support fairly traded and recycled goods where appropriate.
Adopt a sustainable approach to procurement in accordance with the Authorities Corporate
Procurement Policy and guidance contained within our Sustainable Procurement Guide.
Promote sustainable transport
Introduce a green travel policy
The Council will ensure that:
Sustainability is integrated into all areas of the Council’s work
It promotes good practice
We continue to raise awareness and provide training for our Employees and Members
Our partners, suppliers and contractors adopt a sustainable approach to their work with the
Council
It works in partnership to achieve sustainability including the preparation of a joint
Sustainable Communities Strategy
It provides a green purchasing guide
Sustainability performance is monitored against targets and regularly reported.
Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations commonly used in Sustainability
Biodiversity – the variety of life on earth
Greenhouse Gases – gases such as carbon dioxide trap energy which has a warming
effect on global temperatures. This is known as the greenhouse effect and the gases as
greenhouse gases.
Kyoto Protocol – this is an international initiative established in 1997. It sets binding
targets for the reduction of six “greenhouse gas” emissions.
Merton Rule – planning policy initially adopted by the London Borough of Merton which
requires the use of renewable energy on site to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions
by 10%. This applies to all new major developments of 10 dwellings or more, or
commercial developments of 1,000 square metres or more.
Nottingham Declaration – local authorities all over the country are encouraged to sign up
to this declaration originally developed by Nottingham County Council and City Council. It
commits councils to taking action to tackle climate change, reduce emissions and report
on progress.
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) – an alternative approach to drainage in
developed areas. The aim of SUDS is to mimic natural drainage. There are different
types of SUDS including soakaways and ponds. More information can be found at
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/suds
Document revision history:
Version
Author/s
Comments / Record of Sign-Off (by who)
Issue Date