ANNEX 1
A NEW AGENDA FOR LOCAL AGENDA 21
In the next two years, the Local Agenda 21 UK
Steering Group which includes COSLA, ALANI and other organisations
will be developing new work aimed at enabling all local authorities
to make significant contributions to local sustainable development.
THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
AND THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
MANAGEMENT BOARD
WILL:
— concentrate on making Local Agenda
21 more mainstream in all local authorities;
— concentrate on enabling all local
authorities to produce a Local Agenda 21 strategy by 31 December
2000;
— publish joint guidance with the Government
on "Why and How to Produce Effective Local Agenda 21 Strategies";
— host a major national conference
to re-launch Local Agenda 21 and to encourage local authorities
to embrace Local Agenda 21 in a corporate and committed manner;
— promote the corporate significance
of sustainable development and Local Agenda 21 in the Best Value
and community governance regimes;
— work with SOLACE and a wide range
of other professional societies and organisations to identify
and promote current Local Agenda 21 activity and encourage more;
— work with the Audit Commission and
local auditors to identify and promote lessons from local audits;
— work with the political parties and
others to produce guidance materials and training for local councillors;
— arrange, jointly with other partners,
a series of regional events for Council Leaders, Chief Executives,
key officers and councillors;
— provide support for the full range
of local authorities—including those at relatively early
stages of Local Agenda 21 activity;
— enhance networking opportunities
for councillors and officers;
— produce and disseminate, with other
partners. Local Agenda 21 case studies and other guidance;
— work to integrate the principles
of sustainable development into key policy areas.
In addition the LGA and the LGMB will:
— produce a guidance on consensus building
techniques;
— develop work on housing growth and
sustainability;
— produce guidance on water issues
and Local Agenda 21;
— develop work on local environmental
taxation;
— work with the Energy Saving Trust/DETR
and others to:
— remove barriers to effective
energy management by local authorities;
— promote local authority roles
in sustainable energy use and regeneration;
— prepare a position statement
on UK local authority energy policy;
— promote HECA/HECA Action and
produce guidelines;
— develop innovative financing
techniques for energy management.
— work with DETR and others to:
— help meet UK greenhouse gas emissions
target;
— help prepare the new UK Climate
Change Programme.
— work with ICLEI and Friends of the
Earth on a UK local climate change campaign;
— produce guidance on local food supply
and Local Agenda 21;
— produce guidance on sustainable tourism;
— continue to run and develop awards
schemes for Local Agenda 21 with major partners like NatWest and
National Grid;
— continue to monitor the uptake and
implementation of Local Agenda 21 throughout the UK;
— encourage the adoption of EMAS/ISO
14001 so that it is more widely implemented in local authorities;
— work towards a core set of local
and national sustainability indicators;
— organise the annual national Local
Agenda 21 Forum and supprot regional fora.
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