Local Matters
Launched by WWF-UK, Local Matters is a dedicated website designed for anyone working in or with communities who has an interest in the health, well-being and sustainability of their local region.
Local Matters provides news, resources and networking facilities. It also provides a gateway for local authorities to a wide range of technical information from WWF's project and campaigns work in areas such as forests, climate change, freshwater and sustainable homes.
News
Power to the people
In October 2008 - a year after the Sustainable Communities Act was passed – local authorities are being invited to submit their proposals to government on improving sustainability in their area.
The Sustainable Communities Act aims to promote local sustainability and to strengthen the role of communities. It covers a wide range of issues, including local food, community energy, sustainable transport, sustainable waste management, the provision of local services, local jobs, affordable housing, and local democracy.
Central to the Act is the principle that local people know best what needs to be done to promote local sustainability, but that sometimes they need central government to act to enable them to do so. This could include a proposal to transfer the functions (and associated funding) of one public body to another.
© Steve Morgan / WWF-UKThe Act therefore provides a channel for local people and local authoritiesto ask central government to take action which they believe would better enable them to improve the economic, social or environmental well-being of their area. Ideas generated by local communities will be fed through to their local authority who, along with the LGA, will produce a short-list for central government to consider. This short-list will be used to produce an action plan setting out the actions the Secretary of State intends to take in order to promote sustainable communities over the following ten years
The Sustainable Communities Act also ensures that communities are better informed about the public funding that is spent in their area. This will enable local authorities, their partners and communities to take better informed decisions about the priorities they choose to pursue to promote the sustainability of their local community.
“This is not just another consultation. This Act gives you power to protect and enhance your community, we urge you to use it.”
David Drew MP (Labour), Nick Hurd MP (Conservative) and Julia Goldsworthy MP (Lib Dem) cross party campaign leads for the Act in Parliament
Why is WWF interested?
WWF-UK believes that, if we are to build a One Planet Future – a future where we live in harmony with nature, within the resources of our one planet – change needs to happen in the way we live our lives. This requires action not just by big business and central government, but also in the places where we live and work – our communities. WWF has therefore been working both on planning and infrastructure solutions such as sustainable housing, and on community engagement and development projects.
Genuine consultation with community groups requires skill, time and effort. But it’s time and effort well spent! WWF therefore welcomes the principles behind the Sustainable Communities Act and would urge local authorities to get involved.
Useful links
A guide to the Act
www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/681480.pdf
The Act’s coalition site
www.localworks.org
A site for sharing ideas and best practice
www.suscomms.org.uk/
Local Works
Sustainable Communities Act - 2 page guide (100 KB)