Newsletter from the Climate Change Local Authority Support Programme (CLASP)

CLASP LSP training sessions

Based on the feedback from the focus groups, Quantum will be developing training materials and workshops to offer to all Unitary and County LSPs. We will be offering one session to each [LAA lead] LSP, tailored to your particular needs. These can cover a wide range of topics including getting your partners engaged in the NI186 process, identifying the big wins and developing action plans, linking climate change actions with your other priorities and managing the process across the LSP.

The bulk of the sessions will be run during April to June 2009. Quantum will be making contact shortly but would like to hear from you now if you already have dates in mind. If any LSPs wish to run sessions in February or March, please contact Gill Fenna as soon as possible, or speak to her at the focus group meeting - gill.fenna@quantumst.co.uk

Free places on Climate Change Leadership Academy

The Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) is offering climate change, planning and environment portfolio holders the opportunity to learn more about the benefits of strong political leadership on climate change.

The two day residential course promises to expose participants to a mix of expert guest speakers, discussion, networking, dynamic learning methods and stimulating activities.

The programme is fully subsidised as part of the IDeA's work in supporting local authorities on climate change. The programme dates are 25 and 26 March 2009 at the University of Warwick Conference Centre.

The closing date for applications is Friday 30th January 2009. For further information and application contact Dan McCartney, 020 7296 6506, dan.mccartney@idea.gov.uk

You can pass this flyer onto your portfolio holders:
Flyer for Leadership Academy

Local Decision Making and Sustainable Development

Sticking with the theme of strong leadership from local authorities CLASP would like to draw your attention to a useful publication by the Sustainable Development Commission which sets out the key responsibilities of local authorities and their LSP partners in relation to sustainable development. It also discusses some of the opportunities and challenges that they face in meeting these, and highlights some of the 'key ingredients' for delivering sustainable development at the local level.

The report is supported by a new set of case studies, co-published by the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) and the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), demonstrating how some local authorities and their partners are tackling the challenge of putting sustainable development at the heart of local decision-making processes.

The case studies are all in the LSP section of the CLASP web-portal.

CHP for Planners - CLASP workshop 4th March

CLASP is working with the Combined Heat and Power Association to bring you and your planning colleagues a workshop focussing on CHP and the sustainable energy provisions of the NW Regional Spatial Strategy.

The event is for planning policy decision makers, and any other officers who wish to be informed on the statements required in local plans to deliver CHP and district energy as a condition of planning permission for new development. The events will be interactive with an opportunity for attendees to work through case studies and examples of wording successfully used by other LPAs in their spatial plans.

The event will be hosted at Manchester City Council on 4th March and will involve specialist planners from regional agencies.

We will be contacting planners directly. Meanwhile feel free to forward this on, or to register your own interest in attending please contact the event administrator: chpa@se-2.co.uk

New Climate Change Planning Guidance

A new practice guide has been launched to support the implementation of the Planning Policy Statement: Planning and Climate Change, the ("Climate Change PPS").

The guidance is a companion guide to be read and used alongside the Climate Change PPS, and focuses on the 'how to'. It sets out how regional and local planning should contribute to reducing emissions, stabilising climate change and take into account the unavoidable consequences.

To ensure that both local and regional audiences see it, it is being hosted jointly by the Homes & Communities Academy and Planning Advisory Service. You can look forward to it being extended with case studies and being linked in with other planning guidance.
Click here for the Guidance

Other News

Defra announces new flood forecast centre and assistance for local councils

Defra has announced the creation of a flood forecast centre, to be run jointly by the Environment Agency and the Met Office. It will be responsible for issuing flood warnings and co-ordinating the emergency response. Local councils are to be responsible for assessing local flood risk, and Defra has also announced a fund for local authorities to help with this task.

Read more on:

Defra's news website
The Guardian newspaper
The BBC news website

Invitation to submit bids to BREW
The BREW Centre would like to invite your Local Authority to submit a project proposal and be part of their business plan for next year. The bid criteria have changed from previous years and have now been extended to cover public bodies such as the NHS or Fire Service.

BREW will accept proposals until 9 March 2009, however, to gain a better chance to be involved they would like to see proposals as soon as possible.

'Renewable Energy: Policy and Evidence Base workshop'

The Centre for Sustainable Energy is running this free course on 5th February in Preston. in association with DECC and CLG. The course is free for local authority planning officers. For further information please contact Louisa Haines from the Centre for Sustainable Energy on 0117 934 1435.

We hope you found this newsletter useful. If you did please forward it on to colleagues. If you did not please tell us how we can make it better. Further editions will be sent at approximately monthly intervals informing you of various CLASP events and opportunities. If you wish to unsubscribe you can use the link below.

With best wishes,

Ailsa Gibson
4NW