Examination of Witnesses (Questions 380-388)
Tuesday 13 May 2003
Ms Penney Poyzer, EcoTeam, Ms Alison Goodchild,
Tom Reacher, Elizabeth Braund, Ms Sarah Braund,
Mr James Kraunsoe
Q380 Mr Chaytor: Is there a known
example of a member of an EcoTeam changing their transport habits
as a result of that discussion, or is there someone who has changed
their vehicle to an LPG vehicle?
Mr Kraunsoe: We did have quite
a long discussion about this one. For example, we live on a bus
route and it comes to the end of the roads near us and then it
goes back again and this is where it links in with local communities
because there was a change to the timetable and we went along
and said did you know it is going to restrict its times, you need
to write in. We publicised some of the EcoTeams in the area and
said write to the bus companies and say you want to keep the buses
going. There was an opportunity to do that. We have had discussions
about sharing lifts to go to farmers' market and things like that
and three of us have met up to go in one car. Bike routes, again
publicising where the bike routes are. I knew where they were,
I just did not happen to use them and a couple of the others said
they always get lost at the same point and I told them which way
to go. There is an evening session on that topic.
Ms Goodchild: People in the groups
I did decided to get on their bike more often to go locally. You
get into the habit of using your car, you just get in the car
without a second thought to drive down the road or go to the local
shops, but when you are in this EcoTeam process you start to become
more conscious of what you are doing. It is really about making
conscious decisions and thinking do I need to use my car to go
down the road, it would be far better if I got on my bike or walked.
I think it is part of that conscious process it helps to encourage.
Q381 Mr Chaytor: If the EcoTeam concept
came with a government label, if this were a central government
scheme or if it was a local council scheme, do you think that
would be an advantage or do you think there is an advantage in
being in more of a bottom-up scheme that is promoted by a non-governmental
organisation?
Mr Kraunsoe: We like the local
aspect of it, the way that it was something that was done in West
Bridgford first and there were people you did not necessarily
know but who did not live far away from who were telling you about
that and that was good. There is no doubt that at times if there
are no recycling centres near you and you cannot recycle you have
got to say who is going to do that. You need council backing and
occasionally you need an interface such as you can make a difference
on things whereas with a group of six households you cannot do
that. If there is nowhere to go then there is nothing you can
do.
Ms Poyzer: I think the powerful
thing is having an intermediary organisation because quite often
people think I am employed by Rushcliffe when actually I am not
employed by Rushcliffe.
Ms Goodchild: I think you can
get into a whole different area.
Ms Poyzer: Yes, things like why
are my bins not being emptied. I think the really powerful thing
about that, and you will be aware of the influence of a whole
range of NGOs on sustainability, is that you are seen as independent,
you have no axe to grind, but you are, strangely enough, working
totally towards the strategic aims of the local authority. So
they love us, we do get hugs and kisses when we go to meetings.
Local authorities have been incredible at working with us, they
have been absolutely brilliant. They are genuinely engaged, they
are genuinely enthused. I had the benefit of working for local
authorities previously so that did help. Rushcliffe Borough Council
have been splendid, Notts County Council have been splendid, all
the new partners that we are engaging with, Broxtowe, Moseley
ward where we are going to be working, all of them have been ready
to be engaged and to do this and they do genuinely want to achieve
it. In terms of partnership working, it is pretty well spot on
and funding is the absolute issue. I think if EcoTeams came with
a sticker saying the Government support it we would have no problem
with that at all because I think it would show genuine partnership
working.
Q382 Mr Chaytor: Do you know of any
other schools that have developed a project like yours?
Tom Reacher: Not really.
Elizabeth Braund: I think ours
was one of the first ones with children in it. I think they are
all getting to grips with it at the moment, just thinking about
it.
Ms Poyzer: We are going to be
working with Scouts groups, we are going to be working with Flintham
school, I have just been speaking to the head teacher there about
recycling facilities.
Q383 Mrs Clark: Is this primary?
Ms Poyzer: It is a primary school.
There are about four schools that we are set up to work with.
Q384 Chairman: I think we are coming
towards the end of our session. I would just like to ask about
one issue. You talked about this being very much step by step
and I just wonder what message you would like to leave us with
in terms of the steps that you have taken and perhaps what the
next step should be.
Elizabeth Braund: I think it would
be really good if it was a topic you did at school, maybe in PSHE.
That would make people more aware of it without them having to
give up any of their time.
Tom Reacher: In our village it
has been in the newsletter every single month so everyone knows
about it. If they had a chance to set up another EcoTeam in our
village then people would be willing to take part in it because
they have heard a lot about it and the success that it has had.
Q385 Chairman: Do you think the local
press give enough coverage to what you are doing?
Tom Reacher: We have been in The
Guardian and then the Newark Advertiser, which is our
local paper, but that is it really.
Q386 Chairman: So have you got a
message for newspaper editors?
Tom Reacher: Not really.
Q387 Chairman: Alison?
Ms Goodchild: I would really like
to see it developed much further nationally because a lot of hard
work has been put in locally. It started with one person from
Holland who brought the programme over and I have been enthused
by the number of people who actually wanted to take part in it
and it is great that it has got to the stage it has got to, but
I would really like to see it developed across the country.
Mr Kraunsoe: It is easy to do
and you can make a difference. My children are four and two and
they will grow up with this recycling attitude, it is just the
way it is done as opposed to it is a change. Nowadays people are
seeing it as doing something slightly different.
Ms Poyzer: We are being really
careful about how we test this. We are really careful about how
rigorous it is. I think how far we have got now and the fact that
you have arrived today is purely a testament to local people.
You were saying, James, about this magical recycling bin that
turned up, but I have to say, it was a fortuitous time to ring
them because they were thinking about it, I just pushed them a
bit further. I think what it does is provide individuals with
a voice. There is no doubt about it, when you ring up as the Rushcliffe
EcoTeam's co-ordinator they do actually listen and make things
happen because they know that there is a body of people there
doing the stuff they want them to do and I think if it can work
here there is no reason at all why it could not work across an
awful lot of the country. Global Action Plan is currently putting
in funding bids so that we can increase our work across Nottinghamshire
initially, again working with affluent and rural and deprived
areas as well, but we are hopeful that we will get funding to
work in the South East and South West. I think it is a growing
thing. I think there are very good reasons why local authorities
are engaged by the idea, because they do see it as a method of
delivery and I think the third partner thing, the people with
no axe to grind delivering it does make it a lot easier for them
and presents good value for money. It was identified by the Best
Value Inspector at Rushcliffe as being a pretty good way to spend
(3,500 a year.
Q388 Chairman: Thank you for that.
We have got a copy of the Learning the Sustainability Lesson
with EcoTeams paper which you have kindly produced for us
and we will make sure that that is included as official evidence
and that will be on the record as well. I know that you have all
taken time from work and school and other commitments of one kind
or another, so thank you for that. I hope that we can stay in
touch. You have got the details of our website. It may well be
that some of our own report will give some added momentum to the
next steps that each of us are making but particularly locally
here. Thank you for your hospitality.
Ms Poyzer: Can I say on behalf
of the residents that we are all incredibly impressed that Members
of Parliament have come to see us. Thank you.
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