SUMMARY
OF
RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM
THE
FUTURE
IS
LOCAL
SDC CALLS
ON
GOVERNMENT
TO
ENCOURAGE,
ENABLE
AND
EMPOWER
COMMUNITIES,
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
AND
OTHER
BODIES
TO
WORK
TOGETHER
TO
DRIVE,
PLAN
AND
COORDINATE
DELIVERY
OF
INTEGRATED
NEIGHBOURHOOD
RETROFIT
PROGRAMMES
TO
ACHIEVE
SUSTAINABLE
PLACES.
These neighbourhood partnerships should deliver a range of sustainability
outcomes alongside carbon reduction and adaptation measures
in an integrated way which will deliver maximum economic, environmental
and social outcomes cost effectively.
If we are to mainstream this integrated, area-based
approach Government needs to:
PREPARE
THE
GROUND
1. GOVERNMENT
SHOULD
SUPPORT
AN
INTEGRATED,
AREA-BASED
APPROACH
TO
UPGRADING
LOCAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
AS
A
COST
EFFECTIVE
WAY
OF
ACHIEVING
MAXIMUM
SUSTAINABLE
OUTCOMES
IN
AN
AREA.
HOW?
This would be supported by: ensuring existing and new polices
and delivery programmes (such as the new obligations on energy
companies post-2012) are flexible in operation to support integrated
delivery; improving the evidence base to assess the economic,
environmental and social benefits of this approach; and developing
pilot projects which test integrated delivery.
2. GOVERNMENT
SHOULD
IMPROVE
THE
EVIDENCE
BASE
ON
THE
COST-EFFECTIVENESS
AND
BENEFITS
(MONETISED
AND
NON-MONETISED)
OF
WORKING
WITH
COMMUNITIES
TO
DELIVER
SUSTAINABLE
OUTCOMES.
HOW?
This should include a review of current and completed programmes
- such as the Low Carbon Communities Challenge, Greener Living
Fund, NESTA's Big Green Challenge, the Community Energy Saving
Programme (CESP) and Scotland's Climate Challenge Fund. It should
also look to learn from previous area-based delivery programmes.
3. GIVEN
THE
URGENCY
IN
TACKLING
CLIMATE
CHANGE
AND
THE
CRITICAL
ROLE
LOCAL
AUTHORITIES
CAN
PLAY
IN
ENABLING,
ENCOURAGING
AND
ENGAGING
PEOPLE
TO
UNDERTAKE
ACTION,
THE
LOCAL
AUTHORITIES'
ROLE
AS
LOCAL
LEADER
ON
CLIMATE
CHANGE
MITIGATION
AND
ADAPTATION
MEASURES
SHOULD
BE
FORMALISED.
HOW?
This could be achieved through a requirement to set mandatory
targets on climate change mitigation and adaptation (National
Indicators 186 and 188) or by making this a duty on local authorities.
4. GOVERNMENT
SHOULD
ENSURE
THAT
REGULATORY
FRAMEWORKS
FOR
INFRASTRUCTURE
AND
UTILITY
PROVIDERS
ENABLE
AND
SUPPORT
AN
INTEGRATED,
AREA-BASED
APPROACH
TO
ACHIEVING
SUSTAINABLE
OUTCOMES.
HOW?
A 'fit for purpose' review of existing regulatory structures should
be undertaken to identify potential regulatory obstacles preventing
an integrated, area-based approach to upgrading local infrastructure.
COORDINATE
SUPPORT
5. THE
DEPARTMENT
FOR
COMMUNITIES
AND
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
(CLG) SHOULD
HAVE
RESPONSIBILITY
FOR
COORDINATING
CROSS-GOVERNMENTAL
SUPPORT
FOR
NEIGHBOURHOOD
PARTNERSHIPS.
HOW?
This should be informed by and build upon existing support being
provided to both local authority and community-led partnerships.
CLG should simplify the process for neighbourhood partnerships
to access the advice, through the creation of a single interface.
In addition to improving usability this will help ensure that
services meet the need of users without duplication of resources.
Likely areas requiring support are:
long-term enabling advice, technical support
(particularly on the use of the Well Being Power) and capacity
building for local authorities
technical, financial and legal advice, mentoring,
capacity building, and project management for community groups
access to funding, particularly for initial
investment and core costs.
UNLOCK
FINANCE
6. PUBLIC
SECTOR
FUNDING
MECHANISMS
SHOULD
PROMOTE
DEVOLUTION
OF
FUNDING
TO
NEIGHBOURHOOD
PARTNERSHIPS
TO
ENABLE
THEM
TO
INFLUENCE
DECISIONS
ON
HOW
PUBLIC
SECTOR
MONEY
IS
SPENT
IN
THEIR
AREA.
HOW?
Neighbourhoods should be provided with greater information on
local public expenditure, potentially by providing neighbourhood
level breakdowns as in the Local Spending Report. The Government's
review of local government finance should look at the issues raised
by the Total Place pilots, Total Capital case studies and Total
Capital and Asset pathfinders, and promote ways to devolve greater
financial autonomy to neighbourhoods.
7. A NEW
GREEN
INVESTMENT
BANK
SHOULD
DIRECT
FINANCE
TO
A
WIDE
RANGE
OF
LOW
CARBON
INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECTS
INCLUDING
ENERGY
EFFICIENCY
AT
A
VARIETY
OF
SCALES,
INCLUDING
NEIGHBOURHOOD.
HOW?
Support could be provided through:
providing capital or guarantees where private
finance is unwilling to take the risk
bundling small projects to attract wider
investment
providing a brokering service between private,
public and third sectors
raising capital (for example, through Green
Bonds) for sustainability projects identified by the partnerships.
8. GOVERNMENT
SHOULD
MINIMISE
DEVELOPMENT
RISK
THROUGH
PROVISION
OF
CLEAR
POLICY
SUPPORT
FOR
NEIGHBOURHOOD
RETROFIT.
HOW?
The standards and timeline for introduction should be defined
now but phased in as mandatory over a period to enable building
owners to prepare for these works. All homes should meet minimum
energy efficiency standards. The UK Government should also equalise
VAT for repairs and refurbishment works in domestic properties,
with new build.
9. LOCAL
AUTHORITIES
SHOULD
BE
ENABLED
TO
BORROW
AGAINST
FEED-IN-TARIFF
AND
RENEWABLE
HEAT
INCENTIVE
INCOME
STREAMS.
HOW?
The Treasury should implement this as a matter of urgency now
that Feed-In-Tariff is operational.
10. GOVERNMENT
SHOULD
CREATE
WAYS
IN
WHICH
LOCAL
COMMUNITIES
ARE
ABLE
TO
DERIVE
LONG-TERM
BENEFITS
FROM
THE
SITING
OF
LOW
CARBON
ENERGY
INFRASTRUCTURE,
SUCH
AS
NEW
HOUSING
OR
WIND
TURBINES,
IN
THEIR
AREA.
HOW?
This could include enabling communities to purchase a share in
the development, providing them with an ongoing share of the increase
in business rates or a community tariff. In addition, 'allowable
solutions' (i.e. offset payments for new homes unable to meet
zero carbon levels onsite) could be paid to the local authority
and used to fund low carbon projects identified in neighbourhood
partnerships' delivery plans.
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